The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1914-03-10
HAD EVIDENTLY
BEEN TORTURED
EXAMINATION SHOWS GUNSHOT
WOUNDS IN HEAD AND
CRUSHED SKULL.
SAY FRIENDS RESCUED BODY
Captain Sanders, of Texas Rangers,
Among Those Who "Were Inform
ed" that Body Would Be Placed on
River Bank Sunday Morning.

Laredo, March 9-"Recuerdos"-
membrance-Written On a card attach
ed to shovel that protruded from an
open grave was the single trace found
today OF the party of mel who myste-
rlously entered Hidalgo cemetery in
Mexico, exhumed the body of Clement
,Vergara and returned with it to Texas
Vergara's body was carried across the
Rio Grande 40 miles above L.redo ear
ly Sunday morning and the e, it was
found by federal official, state of
ffcer and county deputy she if. Who
was responsible for it's removal from
Mexico was a question still UNI nswer-
able. The body was here today await
ing an examination which state au-
thorities hope may disclose some thing
to aid them In placing blame for the
ranchman's violent death after he W. s
taken prisoner by Mexican federals.
As superficial examination of the
body disclosed two gunshot wounds in
the head, one in the neck, blow as
if from a rife butt, which crushed
the skull, and the mutilated left hand,
twisted and charred by fire, suggested
that torture had been inflicted before
Rergara was executed.
Texas rangers of the troop of Capt.
j. J. Sanders, were first declared re-
sponsible for the return of Vergaras
body, but later this was denied. Capt.
C nF hn HxI<>
were informed that the body could
be found at a designated place. The
other two were American Consul Gar
rett, Of Neuvo Laredo Mexico, and
Deputy Sheriff Petty. hTey went to
the scene ostensibly to secure further
information on the Vergara case, but
admitted later that they had been told
that the body had been returned. Who
were their informants was one Of nu-
merous questions each of the officials
in turn refused to answer They did
say, however, that neither United
States nor state officials had any part
in the actual trip into Mexico.
Later rumors had it that former en-
ployes on the Vergara ranch, chatting
at delay in securing the body for prop
er interment, had taken matters into
their own hands.
Surmises that Mexican authorities
might have taken this way of return
ing Vergara's body were forestalled
by a remark of Consul Garrett, who
expressed belief that they did not yet
know of the incident.
Despite the mystery as to who was
responsible for the return of the body
there seemed little doubt as to the ac-
tual facts of it's recovery.
Nine Men in the Party.
There were only nine men in the
party who gathered on the river bank
late Saturday night near where Ver-
CARA was alleged to have been seized
Feb. 13 by Capt. Apolonio Rodriguez
and three federal soldiers. A Mexican
who claimed to have witnessed both
the execution and burial of Vergara
led them across country toward Hidal-
go, and skirting the sleeping town,
showed them a shallow grave in a far
corner Of the cemetery. A rude pine
box soon was lifted out. Evidently the
workers had known the ranchman, for
they made certain they had the body
they sought. The homeward journey
began with the party still unchalleng-
ed. Once back on American soil thev
rested their burden for final identified
tion. This was made by the family,
and the body was consigned to the
waiting officials.
The party had no permission from
Mexican authorities to make the trip
and secure the body, and Consul Car
, rett said last night that he had never
requested permission from the feder-
ais to have this done. What complica-
tions, if any, might result from the
trip into foreign territory apparently
caused no uneasiness among Vergara' s
friends, who pointed out the peaceful