The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-25
MEXICAN BORDER AB[AzE
WITH INTENSE FEELING

N lu0 COluIH dAlulIlS OnlCCAo ciA 0AoAAe9
the border have been instructed to
double their vigilance to prevent any
violation of neutrality at this time
but the border is long and the guard
is small and no attempt is being made
to minimize this danger.
However, no additional troops will
be sent to the border at this time al
though 1t is understood that quiet
tip has gone to four army posts where
cavalry regiments are stationed, to
be ready for quick action at short
notice. More marines, however, are
being rushed to Admiral Fletcher at
Vera Cruz.
The scout cruiser Chester, her buna.
ers filed with coal and her ammuni-
ton magazines packed, cleared at
day light this morning from Mobi--
harbor. She conveyed the transport
Prairie with $50 marines on board
and the monitor Tonopah. The Tono-
pah carried additional small arm
and rapid fire gun ammunition for the
Fletcher fleet which is already the
most formidable ever established in
Mexican waters with the single ex-
ception of the great fleet which An-
miral Evans took around the horn.
These marines are all picked men.
They will be held on the Prairie with
others drafted from vessels of the
feet, ready for action at moments
notice. RI the crisis comes, they will
be rushed, by rail to Mexico City, to
protect foreigners.
The constitutionalist agency here
today received word of the voluntary
surrender at Topolobampo, state OF
Sina Loa OF the Mexican federal gun
boat Tampico. AS far as could be told
from the dispatch here the whole
crew, together with officers, have
sworn allegiance to the constitution
alist cause. 1t was expected here that
the vessel would be used by the Car.
ranzistas in the assault on Guayri1as
l Secretary Bryan visited the white
house shortly before the president
came tp his ofices this morning. Bryan
declined to make any statement othe,
than that no additional advices had
been received from Mexico up to 10: Al
today. He said that SO far as yes
terday's dispatches were concerned
/ the first one was distinct and posi-
! tive refusal from Villa to permit any
one to view Benton's body at this
time.
To this message reply was sent
through Consul Letcher at chihuahua
4 City informing Villa that his position
was considered most unfriendly by
! this government. 1t was after this
4 message had been delivered and just
before midnight that Letcher notified
the state department that Villa was
4 willing to have Benton's body disin
\ tered and to permit the widow anc
relatives to view 1t "in the presence
4 Of representatives designated by the
8 United States government"
Bryan would not intimate what re
ply had been sent to this message. Il
!, is known, however, that strong rep
resentations have been made to botf
4 Villa and Carranza to have the bod!
delivered originally as demanded.
4 Should Villa maintain his refusal
the state department is considerins
the advisability of accepting the pro
posal for an inspection of the bod.
and designating United States arm!
surgeon to be one of the representa-
q tives of this government to be pres
ent at the grave. This question was
, discussed by Secretary Bryan and ST
( Cecil Spring Rice, the British ambas
sador, today Whether decision wa
arrived at is known only to them
r The chief essential in the entire Ben
ton case, the British ambassador in
sists, is to determine the truth o
, falsity of reports current along thu
, border that Benton was beaten ant
, shot to death by Villa himself and tha
i. 1t was a dead body which was cour
!, martialed and stood UP against th'
(Continued on page %