Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-02-26

Mr.. Curry went first to Thomas u. Ed.
wards, United States consul at Juarez
"Mr Consul he said. the people OF
Ell Paso and the foreign refugees from
Mexico are in a feverish state because
pf the murder of William Benton. They
have been unable to learn details Of the
crime and have asked me to seek in
forma ton. Any light you can shed on
he subject will be appreciated
81 have telegraphed the secretary of
state that Benton's death has been off,
Tally reported to me-" replied the con-
sui. such other details ! have for
varded to Washington by mail. General
Villa said ne did not care to talk of the
ase TO the press or public, but gave me
ne information for Mrs. Benton. the
widow, and the state department They
re at liberty to talk but I promised
he general 1 would remain silent"
Asked as to his use of the phrase of
cially reported dead" and If he person.
lily thought the official report by Villa
hight have been misleading, the consul
aid that lnasmuch as the rebels have
cen sending Chihuahua prisoners to
uarez and the Juarez prisoners to Chi
uahua, he had had n faint hope that
lila might, for his own reasons, have
hisled him.
LOOKS IN VAIN FOR BENTON.
This morning the consul watched the
rain having Villa and his staff and about
wenty others on board hoping to catch
ght Of Benton, but had seen none but
exicans.
Benton disappeared Tuesday
MI Edwards made his first inquiry OF
lila yesterday afternoon. in receipt of
structions from Secretary Bryan, who
ade the request at the instance of the
ritish ambassador Sir Cecil Spring
ice.
"Mr Edwards" villa is reported as
lying, Mr.. Benton is dead You are
official of the American government
hd |. give you this as officially your due
have made denial to other inquiries, as
is is not matter for the public 1t is
r the information of the widow and of
|e state department.
What else passed between them Mr..
dwards would not state, and Mrs. Ben
n was unable to.
The consul telegraphed the bare an
buncement to Washington last night
ld the news reached FL Paso through a
ess desnatch when Secretary Bryan
AIDE the information public to-day
Generally ii was believed that Villa
no had known Benton for years. was
ying solitary confinement as a correc-
'e to Bcnton's well known disposition
speak his mind frankly without re-
I'd to consequences.
5ards waited until after his last
pc tiickered away with the departure
the train this morning. before inform
Mrs. Benton that her husband was
ad.
Fhe is a Mexican. and while highly
ucated, understands the English
guage imperfectly The consul spoke
his own tongue and the result was
bit while he was telling his tragic story
widow, on the verge Of a nervous
,akdown because of her sustained
xiety, gathered only the purport of the
e--that her husband was no more,
villa had gone and thus his version
the story remained locked up in
consufs breast and in his records.
inability of friends of Benton to
definite details had much to do in
)using excitement and the ultimate
ection of Mr. Curry as an agent to
the truth.
fter leaving the consul tho latter
led at the Jefetura at Juarez to
Frederic Consoles Cara, the jefe
rmas, but the latter was absent
Ter officials, 1t was Termed, were en-
ing their siestas and it was useless
try to disturb them
ATE MAY NEVER BE KNOWN.
ust what occurred between villa
his Inflated visitor last Tuesday
never be known. Through the
ow and a cousin, william Benton,
through friends of the deal man.
was learned that Benton wished
mission to bring to the United
ties four hundred head OF cattle on
ranch, Los Remedies, in western
huahua.
is cousin, who is part owner Of