The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-03-31
CAPE OFFICERS
AT DOUGLAS, ARE
in DANGER zone
5000 Mexieans Camp Near
Post of Lieut.. Frissell and
Whitelaw's Son.in-Law.
CITY FEARS MASSACRE;
WIRES SENATOR FOR AID
Mrs Louis Houck Goes to Her
Daughter Side-N0 Word
Heard Here.

Captain Robert G. Rutherford, SON.
in-law of Mr.. and Mrs. Robert H.
Whitelaw, of 423 Thems street, and
Lieut.. Pat Frissell, formerly of the
Cape, both officers in the Eighteenth
Infantry Of the L. S. army, are sta
toned at Douglas, Ariz., where the
town is endangered by u Mexican
army of 5000 cavalry and 40 pieces of
artillery, encamped within ten blocks
| of the center Of the town.
I A telegram mas been received in
! Washington by Senator Ashurt from
D. A. Richards at Douglas, Ariz., ac-
cording to dispatch, appealing for
aid.
The United States troops are for
hidden to make, active defense. prepar-
ations by the administration, the tele-
gram says.
"Do all you can for US before it is
too late" the telegram read.
1t warns of Il repetition of the Col
umbus massacre on a larger scale.
Senator Ashurt declared that in
both the Senate and War Department
his pleas for aid were received rather
slightly. Another message to the
Senator reads as follows:
"Mexican General has 40 pieces of
artillery and 5000 cavalry stationed
10 blocks from center OF Douglas.
Seven thousand cavalry stationed six
miles south of Douglas. We have
only 1900 infantry, 800 cavalry and
four pieces of artillery. Our troops
stationed two miles cast of Douglas.
Am reliably informed it would require
one hour for our troops to reach this
city in case of night attack. Our
army forbidden by Administration
from making any active defense
preparations for fear Mexicans might
misconstrue such preparations. Mexi-
cans have entrenched against United
States side and have barbcd wire en-
tanglements. We have no Cntrench-
ments. Mexican troops could easily
repeat Columbus massacre in Douglas
on larger scale and return 20 Mexico
without similar loss. All Of those
statements can be verified by our
army officers here. Help us if you
can, before it is too late
According to Washington dispatch
the State Department has received in
! formation from its consuls in Mexico
that there is no massing Of Carran-
vista troops along the border Other
reports have indicated that there is
border uneasiness lest such massing
should occur.
Mrs. Whitelaw received a letter
from her daughter a week ago. She
has been with Captain Rutherford
since his assignment for duty at
| Douglas. Mrs. Rutherford said that
the situation at that time in Douglas
was comparatively quiet. Mrs. White
law declared that she believed her
son-in-!aw was not included with the
troops who were sent into Mexico
after Villa.
Mrs. n. c. FrisseII, mother Of Lieu
tenant Frissell, has failed to hear from
her son. Lieutenant FrisselPs wife,
who was Miss Rebecca Houck, daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs Louis Houck of
Elmwood, is with her husband at
| Douglas.
Mrs. Louis Houck departed from the
Cape about five days ago to Join her
daughter at Douglas, and it is believed
she is at the army post now.
Captain and Mrs Rutherford were
in the Cape whiting with the White
laws about year ago. 1t was on
their return from the Philippines,
where Mr.. Rutherford had been sta !
toned for some time. They remained !
in the Cape about five weeks and then
motored to California. Following their |
arrival on the Pacific coast, they went !
to Douglas, whore the Captain was
ordered to report for duty. They have
remained at the army post there since.
The couple have been married for
about twelve years. Mrs. Rutherford
before her marriage was Miss Helen
Whitelaw
The WhiteIaws have another son-in-
law who is an army officer located in
Panama, First Lieutenant Allen r.
Williams. Mr.. Williams is with the
Twenty-ninth Infantry. He is sta
toned at Camp Gaillard, near the
famous Culebra cut on the Panama
canal He has been there but short
time, and according to adviccs from
the headquarters of General Fred |
Funston and from Washington, the
troops at Panama will not be removed
for service in Mexico.