New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-23
Pledges Punishment
for "BruteS" Who
Killed Americans.
OFFICER BRINGS
NOTE TO BORDER
Mexican Bandits Admit
Staying United States
RancherS.
Try Telegraph % Ths Tribunal


FL Paso, Tex, Jan. 22-Bearing q
message from General Francisco villa
to the American people, Major Theoto
Prieto, Of Villas army, arrived In FL
Paso tonight. The message from villa
sends greetings to the American people
and says that villa and his followers
have learned with horror of the killing
of eighteen American citizens by ban
dts at Santa Ysabel. Villa repudiates
any connection with that act, declares
that he not only had no part In it, but
knew nothing Of it until few days ago
at Elrucio.
Il wish to say to the American peo-
pie" the message said, that / had no
part in that frightful tragedy. II was
the work Of brutes. pledge my word
TO the people of the United States that
| shall not rest until have apprehend-
ed every member OF that murderous
band and have dealt with them as they
deserve"
The message from Villa says he
would give full guarantee TO all for
eigners in any territory In which he or
his authorized followers operated and
that no harm would como TO any Amer
leans or other foreigners who respect
ed the rights Of Mexicans and attended
to their own affairs.
To send the message TO the border
Villa. at Elrucio, called for volunteers,
telling them the mission probably
would mean death. Major Prieto was
one OF a hundred who volunteered.
Bernardo and Federico Duran. Mexi-
can cattle thieves, have confessed
to the killing of Bert Akers, an
American ranchman, OF Yslets, Tex,
yesterday at San Lorenzo. Chi
huahua, just below the boundary
line, and will be executed tomorrow
morning. according TO an announce
ment made tonight by Andreas Garcia,
Mexican Consul here. Three others
who are said 70 have been implicated
in tho killing are still at large, but
their arrest and punishment have been
demanded by United States officials.
Akers's body, which was identified
by friends and relatives in Juarez, is
tonight in FL Paso. Akers came here
from Cave City, KY, but had been n
ranchman near Yslets for about eight
years. lie was twenty-five years old
and leaves a wife and three children.
His murder by Mexicsns has intensi-
fed the anti-Mexican feeling along
the border, which already was bitter.
This feeling threatens to cause further
trouble along the eastern border. as
number Of Americans are reported TO
be threatening reprisals on the mexi-
cans.
Mexican Officer Spared.
Juan Barrios, the Mexican officer who
accompanied Akers and Douglas Downs
TO the Duran ranch house. and the only
one of the trio who was armed. is
being held in the Juarez jail on the
same charge that has been made against
the two Mexican murderers, but he Is
not under sentence Of death. Efforts
arc being made by Americans to get
his release. He was wounded by the
Mexicans when they opened fire on the
two Americans.
Akers and Downs had gone in search
of six COW, stolen from Mrs. }. ID.
Murphy, Akerss sister-in-law. Downs,
a. he lay in bed to-day at the home OF
Mrs. Murphy, told the story OF the
shooting.
The cows. he said. were located at
the Duran house and had been re
branded and were disguised in other
wavs. Four Mcxicans appeared on the
roof. Down. said. and began shooting
at Akers and him. Downs fed across
an irrigated field. mounted on pony.
Akers left his horse and tried TO es-
cape on foot, but was shot In the back.
Soldiers Shoot at MeIicans-
When two Mexican cavalrymen, fully
armed. attempted to cross to the III
Paso side at the Stanton Street in
ternational bridge this afternoon they
we're halted by United States soldiers:
One of the Mexicans drew pistol, and
the American soldiers opened fire on
them. Tho Mexicans, when halted, said
Continued on page Q, column