The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-01-13
BODIES OF BANDITS
VICTIMS IN Ell PASO.
Funeral Train Met BY Silent
Crowd Of Relatives and
+. Friends of Dead.

Ell PAsQ. Pan. 1S.--Carrying its death
cargo in eighteen black Mexican cask-
cts, the train with the eighteen victims
OF the Santa ISABEL massacre arrived
here today.
friends and relatives gathered at the
old Santa Re station to meet the train,
sorrowfully watched the caskets trans
ferred to automobile trucks, piled two
and three high, covered with q tarpaulin
and taken to the morgue.
With the arrival of the Victims
bodies Indignation here increased. A
msetinIg OF ProtssSt, 1gSinsitt, the
policy and to demand Immediate in
tervention was being arranged;
fu ThoSSands plan rdsd attend ms% the
lived here.
GruesOme Story Told.
A gruesome story OF the mR1Aacre
was told by Mexican witnesses of the
massacre to members of the party
who accompanied the bodies to the
border.
American friends OF the mining men
risked their lives when they boldly
rode into the view OF the murderers
and recovered tile dead bodiesN The
bandits still lurked in the vicinity as
the half dozen Americans, armed to
the teeth, picked up the blood-cover-
ed nude bodies and placed them on
the rescue train.
Soft-nosed bullets had been used.
making ragged holes in the heads OF
the wounded Americans when the
bandits gave them the mercy shot.
The skulls OF three men had Deen
shot away.
Each body had from two to live holes,
the blood soaking the dirt and cindcrs
along the railroad track.
Didn't Pursue Villistas.
The Americans in the rescue PARTY
were escorted by small detachment Cf
CaTTanZa troops, who insisted on stop
ping the train every few minutes and
accommodating for bandits. When the
scene of the massacre was reached.
mounted Villistas We're not more than
half mile away. The Carran"istas On
tho train, not being mounted. made no
attempt to pursue the suspected mar
Uerers.
As soon a. the bodies we.c loaded
into box car the train backed into
Chihuahua, where the entire populnce
met them.
When the train pulled into Juarez,
across the border from Ell Paso, II was
met by committee of FL Paso officials
and citizens. and by Gen. Gabriel Ga
vira, Carranza commander. troop Of
Mexican cavalry clipped their flags in
salute.
Jose Maria Sanchez, Mexican miner
was an eyewitness of the massacre, and
returned here with the train.
We were in two coaches" said San
chez, "one occupied by the Americans
and the other by twenty Of us Mexican
employees.
mo sooner had the train been
brought to standstill by the wreck the
bandits caused ahead than they began
to board the coaches. They swarmed
into our car. poked Mausers into our
sides, and told us to throw up our hands
or they would kill us.
Pockets Rifled BY Bandits.
They rifled our pockets. took our
blankets and baggage, and even our
lunches."-
Then Col, Pablo Lopez, in charge
want to see some fun watch us kill
these gringoes. Come on boys hs
shouted to his hearers.
They ran from our coach crying,
viva villa and death to the gringoes.'
heard a volley OF rifle shots and |
looked out of the window.
Manager Watson was running to-
ward the Santa Ysabel river, a short
distance away. Four other Americans
were running in other directions, the
Nillistas shooting at them. Some of
the soldiers dropped to their knees for
better aim. Watson fell after rum
ming about 100 yards. He got up
limping. but went on a short dis
lance further, when he threw up his
arms and fell forward, his body roll
ing down the bank into the river.
OF two others running for the
river. one fell midway. 1 learned lat
er this was Romero. Four bullets
penetrated his body. The other man
was hit twice pnd killed. A young
got forty. yards from the train when
he was shot,
Crowded Into Coach.
while this was going on other
Nillistas crowded into the Americans
coach. 1 could not see what hap
pened in there, as a frightful panic
broke out in our car. Later 1 learned
that the Americans were unarmed.
Pearce was shot as he sat in the |
coach. ! saw Wallace's body on the |
ground at the car step. He had been
was on TOP OF Wallace's.
The other Americans were herded |
10 the side OF the coach and lined up |
Colonel Lopez selected two of his |
soldiers as executioners and this |
nearly precipitated a fight among the |
bandits over who should have the |
privilege OF shooting the Americans, !
Several Of the Americans in line |
shot into the coach.
The two eNecutioners used Mauser |
rifles. One would shoot his victim !
ana then the other soloier you'd take |
Within few moments the execu- |
TONERS had gone completely down !
the line. The americans lay on the |
ground, some gaspinS and writing |
in the sand and cinders.
- THE suffering OF the Americans |
seemed TO drive the bandits into a |
frenzy. Viva Villa they cried, and |
Death to the Rringoes.'
Tire de Gracia" Given.
Colonel Lopez ordered the tire de |
Eracia' given to those who were still J
alive, and the soldiers placed the ends !