The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-01-19
SEVENTEEN AMERICANS
KILLED BY MEXICANS

Bandits Capture Train and After Rob
bing American Miners, Shoot Them.
Carranza Promises to Punish Guilty
El Paso, Texas, Jan. 11.-Seventeen
persons, all believed to have been
Americans, were killed by Mexican
bandits yesterday after being taken
from a Mexico Northwestern train SO
miles west of Chihuahua City, robbed
and stripped Of their clothing, accord
ing to a message received here to-
night by II. G. AIyles, British vice
consul here, from British Consul
Scovell at Chihuahau City.
The train on which the Americans
were travelling from chihuahua City
to Cushuiriachic, Chihuahua, carried
thousands of dollars in currency and
a large quantity of supplies sent by
the American Smelling and Refining
company to its mines IN Cusihuiria-
chic.
1t is believed here that all the Is
American mining mon known to have
been in Chihuahua City were on board
the looted train.
Thomas NJ. Holmes, the only known
survivor, stated. however, in his brief
telegram giving the first news of the
lNaG that he counted but 1G Ameri-
cans taken from the train.
1t is supposed the bandits belonged
10 the forces Of Gen. Jose Rodriguez,
a Villa supporter, known to be op-
Grating in Chihuahua against the dc
facto government Of Mexico.
Almost Immediately after the first
news was received censorship was
imposed on the wires between Juarez
and chihuahua City by the Carranza
| officials. This action was taken, it
was said, until the story could be
verified from official Mexican sources"
According to the brief messages re-
ceived here the train bearing the
Americans was stopped by the bandits
about 80 miles west Of Chihuahua
City The mining men were taken
from the train, robbed, stripped naked
and lined up along the cars for exc
cution. Holmes was said to have been
on the extreme end Of the line and as
! the firing squad took position, he
broke away and fed into the desert.
With feet and body cut and bleeding
! from stones and sharp cactus, he ran
until he no longer heard the whistle
OF bullets pass him. He succeeded in
reaching friendly Mexicans, it is re-
ported, and was aided to return to
Chihuahua City.
The first news Of the bandit raid
was received here through telc-
gram from Holmes to officials Of the
smelling company asking them to
notify his wife that he had reached
Chihuahua City.
His message aroused anxiety con-
cerning the fate OF the other men
known to have left Chihuahua City
for Cusihuiriachic, and before the
censorship was imposed they succeed
ed in getting into communication with
mining men in chihuahua City who
furnished the brief details Of the at
tack.
The Americans, it was said, had as
surances Of protection given the
smelling company by the Carranza
government through the United
States state department.
The report Of the killing of tho
employees is taken by mining men to
mean that an alleged order issued
by Gen. Villa upon his return from
| Sonora and after his family had ar
| rived In Cuba, was to be obeyed.
This supposed order to kill all
! Americans, loot and burn".rhad been
reiterated by bands returning from
Sonora. 1t was this order that Is
believed to have resulted in the death
recently Of Peter Keane, bookkeeper
of the Hearst interests near MADEIRA,
Chihuahua, at the hands Of Villa
bandits.
protest addressed to President
Wilson was signed tonight by mining
i men who are here In hundreds pre-