Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-22

after us, bowling like an Indian, and
shooting at every jump. 1 thought l
stood chance on foot and jumped off
my horse, aiming to get behind the
trees. The Mexican on Akers' horse
pulled up quickly. I will kill you if
you run he said to me in English. l
said I don't intend to run. Then he
said I will kill you anyway, and fired
almost In my face, but he missed me
and I jumped behind tree.
Bert was bent on breaking for the
border and the Mexican took out after
him. A Mexican boy came riding by,
shouting that some Mexicans had killed
Gringo because we had violated an
old Mexican custom that forbids pry-
ing into private corrals. We had OBJ
tanned the permission of Juarez author
tiles to search corrals.'
Situation Tense.
Ell Paso, Tex, Jan. 22.-The tense
situation at this border point result
ing from the Santa Ysabel murder of
IS Americans more than a week ago,
today was considered to have been
complicated when details of the kill
ing of Bert Akers, an American
rancher from Ysleta, Texas, became
known.
Akers was slain by Bernardo Duran,
a Mexican cattle rustler, in a fight in
San Lorenz, Chihuahua, a village a
few miles below the border. With
Douglas Downs and a Mexican police
official, Akers sought to recover cat
tie stolen last Monday from a neigh
Dor, when Duran, with his brother
FREDERICK, opened fire from the roof of
their house
General Gabriel Gavira, command
ant at Juarez, today gave out a state
ment which he said covered the cir
cumstances of the shooting as they
were related to him by the Duran
brothers, and by a squad of Carranza
soldiers who arrested the Mexicans.
Claims Self.Defense.
General Gavira declared that Duran
had claimed seIf-defense. The gen
eral said. however, that he believed
the Durans to be cattle thieves and if
found guilty would receive prompt
punishment.
Akers body was brought to Juarez
today for Identification by a squad of
police sent out by General Gavira.
At the same time activities began in
Ell Paso among those interested in
preventing a repetition of the riotous
demonstrations that followed the mas
sacre of foreigners at Santa Ysabel.
Civilian and military authorities were
on the alert and plans were laid to
impress people with the necessity of
remaining calm.
Ignorant of Nationality.
Downs said they were trying to get
away from the Duran house when the
brothers opened fire, Akers falling
dead from the back of the horse on
which he and Downs were fleeing.
Downs dropped off and made away in
the brush.
Duran was found leading the horse
on which the Americans had tried to
escape. He said he did not know the
men were Americans until he examin-
ed the body of Akers.
Only Two Captured.
Only two of the five men who are
said to have participated in the kill
ing yesterday of Bert Akers, an Amer
lean, at San Lorenzo, Chihuahua, We're
under arrest at Juarez today. These
were Bernardo Duran and his brother
FREDERICK, who were captured by Car
rama soldiers after the shooting. The
body of Akers was brought to Juarez
this morning.
Bernardo Duran, who is said to have
admitted killing Akers, escaped from
the San Marcial convict camp of Santa
Fe, n. NJ. Jan. 10, 1914, where he was
serving three to five years for cattle
robbery, according to the authorities
Villa Capture Denied.
Chihuahua City, Mexico, Jan %
Reports of the capture of General
Villa, or of persons known to have
taken part in the Santa Ysabel mas
sacre, in which Is foreigners were kill.
ed on Jan. 10, are untrue, according tc
General Luis Herrera, who today die.
tated the following statement:
1.-THE bandits who assaulted the train
carrying some Americans were attack.
ed by forces of the Santa Ysabel gar
rison at La Joya and were completely
dispersed and four of them killed.
With regard to the direct pursuit.
of Villa, General Cavazos was charged
with this task and he is at present a
Guerrero No report so far has beer
received from him regarding his cam
paign.
I'VE have three competent guerillaI
engaged exclusively in pursuing ban
dts who assaulted the train In which
the Americans rode"