Weekly journal-miner., 1915-05-12
TWO AMERICANS
 HELD IN JAIL AT ALTAR


 Twomlby and Richard Le Dane, both American citizens, are in jail in Alta Sonora and are being held without a charge against them so far as can be learned. They have been in the jail for more than month and ap- peals to United States consuls have brought no result, not even an an swer to their letters sent to two con suls in Sonora.
 An American who is in Tucson saw the two prisoners within the past few days and learned thei- story. He is trying to get the boys out of their trouble or at least to get information as to why they are be- ing held prisoners. The American who is well known and respected here said that he had great difficulty in gaining permission to see the pris- oners.
 Twomlby and Le Dane are both educated men and scientists. They left the Imperial valley some time ago to make trip into the desert of Southern Arizona to prospect for mineral and to gather botanical spec linens. In the Imperial valley they purchased four horses and outhtted with large supply of provisions and camp equipment. After passing Yuma they went into the desert and somewhere south of Gila Bend they lost their way. They wandered too far south and crossed into the wild desert of northern Altar where wat erholes are few and far between.
 The prospectors had a map and tried to work their way out of the country by its use. They estimated that by travelling east they would be bound to reach Nogales in time if they could keep in water. After hard travelling for several days with pro visions growing low and the ever present danger of becoming so con fused that they would miss the water holes entirely and with their stock perish of thirst on the desert as many a prospector has-they met a Mexican travelling across the desert with four horses.
 The Mexican gave the Americans the direction to travel and then a horse trade was struck The AmeTi- cans traded their fine big American horses for the four little Mexican ponies. The Mexican wanted some thing to boot and was given five dol lars gold which now represented $50 Mexican. The Americans horses had become thin and were about exhaust ed while the Mexican ponies were in good condition.
 And Held Up.
 That same night while the two Americans were sitting nea- the fire with their rifles at some distance from them masked Mexican jump cd from the darkness between the Americans and their guns and GOV cred them with six shooter. The Americans held up their hands and the Mexican went through their pockets taking all the money they had except $4 which he failed to find. Keeping them covered with his six shooter the Mexican went backward away into the night and disappeared.
 The Americans are of the opinion that the Mexican robber was the man with whom they had traded horses that day.
 The next morning the prospectors started for Nogales and later in the day they came upon party of May torena soldiers who arrested them taking their arms and pack outfit. They were taken to Altar and thrown into the dirty old jail without word being said as to why they had been arrested Their outfits were seized by the officials.
 Suspected of Theft.
 They only reason that they can sur mise for their Imprisonment is that they may be suspected of having stol- ell the Mexican ponies Neither of them can talk word of Spanish and the officials in Altar refuse to give them any information whatever as to what is to be done with them. For the first six days in jail they could get no information at all, later they were told that they were horse thieves and that is all that the Mexi- cans will tell them.
 They are allowed 50 cents day for food which is three cents real money and as far as is known the only American they have seen since being imprisoned is the man now in Tucson and who is trying to do some At-