The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-06
American Cozsul Denies That
He Is to Gerry Ransom
Money to Villa for General
Terrazas.
.arranza Blocks
American Inquiry
Supreme Chief Will Not Per-
NIT Either Great Britain or
u. ted States to Take Hand
IN Benton Affair Till He
Has Finished.

Ell PASO, TEXAS. March 4.-Luis
Terrazas, SON of the aged millionaire
Of Chihuahua, now held 81 prisoner by
Pancho villa is ia lie to De executed
within the next fcTfl hocrs, according
to reports on the o3rder today To-
morrow is the da Nilla is declared
to have set for "a ,ayr1ent Of the
Terrazas. The pela'ty fc~ failing TO
pay is 10 be tho ext ,u.i of the
prisoner, aect riding l. q Z, rt gener-
ally credited On the h,,r. er. General
Terrazas is a efusse in I-SSPf so.
Since the arrest of his son : he has
given up many of his cattle to the
rebels as partial payment of the ran
som. and the son has signed checks
for over a quarter OF a million dollars.
which the rebels have cashed. Aueri-
can Consul Marion Letcher. who came
here this week 10 accompany the
comm ission to Chihuahua to disinter
the body of William Benton. denied
tonight that he was TO take ransom
money back to Villa tomorrow.
Nenusitiano Carranza, supreme
chief of the ccnstltutionalists. Of
Mexico, left Nogaies today for Juarez.
and reached Mace, On the Arizona
border, tonight. He is said TO be ac
eompanied by two thousand men. It
is explained that this guard is to pro-
tect him on the march across country,
but for month IL has been persistent
ly rumored in Juarez that when Car
ranza came he would bring with him
enough men TO make his power SUI
preme. at least in the border iowa.
CarTanzass Commission Works.
The Carranza commission appointed
TO investigate the killing Of William s
Benton, in Juarez, two weeks aga. be-
gan its Investigations this afternoon.
Whether or not their investigation
will take them to Chihuahua, where
several witnesses in the case against
Benton are now resident: whether VIII
la will be asked 10 testify before the
commission; whether the body Of Ben
ton will be exhumed; whether the of
ficers of courimartial shall be repri-
mauded or punished. in case IL is
found that they did not conform TO the
law governing the case, all these are
questions which the commissioners are
to decide, they declare.
All the officers who acted as Judges
in the trial of Benton are attached IT,
the command of Colonel Eidel Avila,
in Juarez. SO II win he easy to secure
their testimony. But the principal
witnesses who testified against Ben
tack made by the Scotchman upon
Viiia--are in Chihuahua. The in
vestigation will be conducted in
private. In the meanwhile, Charles
Arthur Perceyal. British - consul at
Galveston. appointed to go to Chihua-
hua and examine the body of Benton,
waits at Eel Paso, as do other members
of this commission All idea of carry
ing cut the mission has been abandon
ed.
Fc1ieIais Capture Town.
Casa Grandes, most important town
In western Chihuahua. has been cap
tured by federal fiiibusters under
Rodrigo Quevedo. and Jose Orozco. a
nephew OF Pascual Orozco,, according
to word brought to FL Paso by an
American raucher.
Villa is said today. in messages
from Chihuahua to be about ready
to leave for Torreon. Incidentally. it
developed today that Villa IS men are
not holding all the country around
Torreon. for q federal attack upon the
rebel troops Of General Contreras, at
Pedricna. thirty miles southwest OF
Torreon. was reported today.
There was also said to have been a
fight at the bridge OF Picardias, be-
tween General Robes and a detach-
ment believed to have been sent out
from Torreon for tho purpose Of CO.
operating. by fanking General Con-
treras. The federals were orced to
retire.