Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-09
Bandits Attack Texas Town,
Kill Three Soldiers and
Boy in Battle
VILLA MAY HAVE
BEEN IN COMMAND
Event Not to Cut Much Of
Figure in Conference
Over Withdrawal

Alpine, 1eA, Mdy o. rA0oAnS
through the wild mesas Of northern
Coahuila, the seventy or more bandits
that raided the American settlement
of Glenn Springs and Boquillas, last
Friday, killing three cavalrymen and
a 9-year.old boy. are believed to be
heading into the interior today, many
miles from the scene of their depre-
dation.
A posse from Marathon and detach-
ment of twenty-three troopers of the
fourteenth cavalry are said to have
followed the trail Of the Mexicans into
Coahuila, while other reports have 1t
that the Americans have not forded
the Rio Grande ninety-fve miles from
here but are waiting at the river for
reinforcements Capt. Caspar Cole is
hurrying to Boquillas to take COM
mand while two companies of the four
teenth cavalry and a machine gun
company are expected here or at Mar
athon this afternoon when they will
head southwark to the Big Bend coun-
try. 1t Is not known here whether
the new troops contemplate long pur-
, suit OF the bandits into Mexico or
will be placed as an additional guard
along the border Reports here say
there are many bandits operating be-
tween Boquillas and Presidio, just
south Of the Rio Grande.
Bandits Have start.
It Is about three days march
from either Marathon or Alpine to the
Rio Grande and as the bandits already
have a three days start, only relent-
less pursuit will bring the Americans
up with them.
Nothing has been heard of Private
Roscoe Tyree, who was last seen as
he ran from the adobe house where
he and his eight companions for three
long hours fought against the Mexicans
and then fed because the roof of the
house was set aflame by hreballs.
Private Croskem. who was In the
night, thinks that Tyree was wounded
and wandered off In the hills where
he died. Others believe that Tyree
was captured and carried off a prison
er by the bandits and probably killed
later.
Unconflrmed information says that
J. Deemer, the storekeeper at Boquil-
las, has been found dead on the Mex
lean side with his throat cut His
clerk, named Compton, Is known to
have been captive of the bandits.
He is thought to have suffered the
same fate as Deemer. ..
Civilians Escape. ...
There were only few Americans
in Glenn Springs and Boquillas at the
time of the raid and the bandits .ap-
parently made no effort to locate
them. They escaped into hills when
the shooting started.
Several women are known to be
living on the scattered ranches In the
Big Bend country but there Is nothing
to indicate that they have been mo.
Tested. The Mexican employees Of the
Ellis Wax factory In Glenn Springs
were not molested.
The bodies of the three soldiers
killed In the Glenn Springs raid, VIII
liam Cohen, Stephen J. Coloe and
Hudson Rogers, will be sent to their
homes today. The body Of the Comp
ton boy has been taken to Marathon
A truck driver, Champ Woods, yester
day reported missing, is safe.
Woman Tells Of Raid.
Mrs. w. X. Ellis and her husband,
whose wax factory was destroyed by
the Mexicans, had narrow escapes.
Mrs. Ellis was the only woman in
Glenn Springs when the bandits
swooped down upon the little settle
ment near midnight In the Pickering
lights of the burning buildings, she
and her husband stole out of their
house and fed in safety to the hills,
where they wandered around until
morning.
Telling her friends in Marathon,
where she is resting today of her ex-
perience, Mrs. Ellis said:
"A fusillade of shots reused my hus
band and myself. Peering out Of the
window we saw the forms of men
moving In the direction Of the soldiers
little camp.
1.-THE flashes of their rifles were like
lightning streaks against the dark
ness and we knew there must be a
number Of Mexicans attacking the
place. Mr.. Ellis told me not to strike
Z match or make any light for fear Of
attracting the attention OF the bandits.
(Continved On pAg06l