The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-24
COURT MARTIAL DETAILS
Record of Alleged Trial Accord
ed Ranchman Made Public
at Juarez; Denied Charges
That He Was Federal SYM
pathizer and Enemy of Con-
stituti0naIiStS.

BY the Associated Press
III Paso. Tex, Feb. 21.-The record
Of the court martial of William 8.
Benton, made public at Juarez late
today, asserts that the ranchman was
present at his trial, that he was rep !
resented by a rebel officer as attor-
ney and was permitted to testify, and
hat the session was public. He was
executed for attempting armed vio-
lence against Genera Villa, declares
the record, and was found guilty Of
siving aid and comfort to the enemy
by giving them cattle and forage and
By giving them information.
Benton's friends on this side of the
Rio Grande received the report with
sneerS. They pointed to their knOwl-
edge Of many years that he guarded
against possible serious results OF his
high spirit and temper by never car
rying a pistol. The statements that
Benton was allowed to testify and
that the proceedings were public car
sert that their friend was deliberately
murdered. y
Court Martial Hearing.
,fhe report opens with The state
ment that an extraordinary council
of war was convened at Ais O'Clock
last Tuesrday afternoon by Col. Fidel
Avila- The council convened a court
martial, OF which Maj. Jesus Rod
figue was president, assisted by four
judges.
s0Tba nnc,,oaNv Tho ,anor4
was arraigned and, having been ad-
rised 10 name some one to defend
him, Captain Mariana Tamez was
designated for this purpose and was
warned to defend Benton loyalty
There was no further mention OF
any activity on the part OF the cap
tain.
1t does not appear that Villa testi.
tied. Banda and Farias wore thai
Benton called Of Villa Tuesday after.
noon at an inOpportune moment
Witnesses were with Villa at thu
tnne. Benton, they said, made com
plant of rebel depredatiOns on hi
ranch, "I.os Remedies" in the STATE
Of Chiliuah"' and asked permission
o return to It.
Villa repA.eu that it was not desire,
that Benton should return to Mexic
because he was we'll known IS
Sympathizcr, with~Huerta ito whom
ne had given help in many way Civ
ing information of the movement Q
on TROOPS, having intimate relation
with the red flag chiefs (Orozco an
Salazar) and considering the Consti
JOURNALISTS as rebels and bandits.
The Alleged Assault.
Villa" the report continued, "stat
ed that because Bento was a foreign
er, his property had not beef confis
Gated, but he must email out of tn
country because he was an elemer
destructive Of the peace and pros
perlty of the country.
The accused answered in hars
and violent terms and asserted that 4
human power could keep hin out
mexico or cause him to desert h
property TO further depredations.
Then he said he was as good a ma
as Villa and at the same moment
drew a pistol from his hip poke
but the general was ready and jun
ed for him n struck and at tt
same time the persons present leapt
upon him that he might not make {
attempt on the life of General Villa
Witnesses were convinced that h;
they not been present the Gener
would have been murdered. The re
ord gives Benton's testimony indiree
~ as follows:
Bcnton's Testimony.
He said that he came at 10 or
o'clock in the. morning to see Genel
lila ana inform him that revolutio
lists. or at times parties Of bandl
rad done much damage to his rant
Los 1iemedios,' destroying proper
and stealing cattle. He had come
tell General Villa of these things, &
the General accused him of bel
friendly to The Federals and susge
ed that the rebels buy Los Remedl
as witness was not Wanetd in MeXl
~ 81 : n r.
was unjust and several other thu