El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-02
. XECUTIoN of two Americans in

~ XECUTION of two Americans in
r Carranza territory was made pub
- lie in FL Paso last evening with
the arrival here Of Richard Aitken, two
years ago a ball player in the Texas
league, and. prior to that. in the old
Northwestern league, playing with
seattle
Today Aitkin asserted that two
Germans. one named Hans Heinrich
and the other simply known as
Burns" were killed by Carranza raid
ers when Smith and Billings were shot
At the end OF the baseball season
two years ago, Aitken was prevailed
upon by his uncle, Baron Smith, OF
Houston, to take position on the lat
ter's big ranch about 20 miles north
west Of Mexico City. Smith had Just
started developing holdings there
which aggregated 10000 acres Of fine
The farm prospered. despite the revo-
luton. for both warning factions seemed
D overlook the farm up in the noun
tains. About two months ago, Smith.
with Roscoe Billings, an American, and
four MeEicans, were riding herd on $50
fine cattle, mostly prime yearlngs,
when a party Of Carrancistas rode up.
RESISTED the Raid.
Just what happened in the next hour
is pretty hard 10 say but there was
some shooting. The Carrancistas rep
resented 10 Aitkin that the shooting
had been started by Smith when he was
told that the cattle had been taken over
by the CarranZa government Others
who had watched the trouble. told
Aitkin that the trouble really started
when one Of the soldiers shot down
one Of the herders who refused to obey
an order Anyway, there was small
sized battle, in which Smith and his
party killed three Of the soldiers
The cattlemen were finally overcome
and those who had not been killed in
the fight were lined up before firing
Marty ATTE1m the Germans
were killed in the battle.
The soldiers then proceeded on to
the ranch headquarters and found
Aitkin and several MeXicans there. I
fully expected TO be shot when I heard
what had happened" he declared, but
they satisfied themselves that I had
not been mixed up in the fight They
ordered me TO strip. took my clothes
and four other suits had on the place
and told me to beat it had my IN
derclothes and was lucky to have
Took All on Place.
They took all the light horses for !
cavalry but we had some fine farm
stock which was too heavy for the SOL |
diers so they took them out OF the
stables and shot them. They looted the (
place and then burned the buildings.
Z started north on foot and was
helped by kind people at various places. /
[ reached JuareZ on Wednesday night !
and came TO FL PaSO where I found j
friends who QUILTED me with clothes /
10 get a chance in professional base
ball again
The whole matter has been referred /
70 the department Of state at Wash ]
lngton by my lawyers but 7 have little Z
hope Of getting anything back"
For some days the Carraucistas had /
been attempting to buy cattle from the I
ranch said Aitkin. They offered US
the fiat money or promises to pay
when the war was over, and these were
both refused and a guard was kept /
over the cattle
Mrs. Smith was in Mexico City at
the time Of the killing Of her husband,
having gone there some days pre-
viOus"
Aitkin declares that foreigners are
continually abused around Mexico City
and that he received many reports Of !,
killings Of foreigners similar to that 1
which occurred at the Smith ranch,
but that he was unable TO verify them.
Not known At Houston.
Houston. Tex, April Nothing can
be learned here Of Baron Smith. report
ed killed by Mexicans- No record could !
be found that any person Of that name
had lived here recently.
L. s. WILL SEEK RELEASE