El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-09
EIGHT CITIZENS
ESCAPE BANDITS
Return to Texas, Bringing
Three Of Their Captors
Whom Overpowered.

accompany his command. but will 90
/ forward Wednesday. A troop train
with a signal corps company quarter
master supplies. field kitchen and mo-
| tor trucks was due here today from
! San Antonio.
Eighth Cavalry Troops Under Way.
! Two troops of American cavalry
I swung southwark Monday afternoon in
| to the Big Ben" country.
The 100 and more cavalrymen be-
! longed to troops A and B of the eighth
cavalry under command of Maj George
T. Langhorne. Two troops of the 14th
cavalry went forward today.
Capt. Cole Is Scouting.
Capt Caspar Cole with % men OF
troop A is now scouting the river coun-
try where the bandits recrossed the Rio
Grande in their flight after the attacks
on Glen Springs and Boquillas His OBJ
servations and reports of the bandits
movements are to be sent to Maj. Gen.
Funston, that a plan of future action
may be developed. Many unconfirmed
reports are current at Boquillas that
bodies of bandits are operating in NUM-
bers on the Mexican side.
No Extended Pursuit Likely.
The number of cavalrymen under
present orders to proceed toward the
river. indicates that no effort will be
made TO pursue the bandits into Mexico
unless they are observed near the bor-
der. In that event a chase into Mexi-
can territory may be attempted that
might carry the American forces so or
more miles into COahuila. Lack OF
transportation and properly defended
lines Of communication preclude any ex-
tended pursuit into Mexico and military
men here do not think another punitive
expedition possible because of the lack
Of cavalry.
5000 Needed for Expedition.
TT would take a brigade of at least
5000 men to form an expedition into
Mexico TO effectively cope with the
situation" said an army officer here
Just before the troops moved toward
Glen Springs. The four troops of cav
airy that are going in can do little
more than offer protection to the border
and there are no more troops Of cavalry
men that we can draw upon.
You can't chase mounted bandits
with infantrymen, so they can't be used
for the purpose. If we see any raiders
near the river I imagine we will get
orders to go after them, but 1 don't
know positively.
But / do know we can't go far after
them with but four troops of cavalry"
II was learned here that after the
raid on Glen Springs the bandits split
their forces into two bodies, one head
ing towards the Rio Grande and fording
the river at BOquillas and the other
about 40 in number, working southeast
and recrossing the river at san vi
cente.
It was here that the Villistas were
observed by Mrs. Hart, a school teacher,
who reported that the brigands mount
ed crossed the Rio Grande about
o'clock Saturday night and disappeared
into Mexico.
Compton, Tyree, Smythe Safe.
Private Roscoe Tyree. the missing
soldier. who was thought to have been
captured by the Mexicans, was brought
to Marathon Monday night His right
arm and feet were badly burned in the
fire that drove him and his comrades
from the adOpe house. Tyree fled down
a creek where he was found the next
day. Sergt Smythe came in with Tyree
on a truck.
Oscar G. Compton, also reported safe,
reached here in an automobile from
Glen Springs. ComPtOns little boy Gar
nett was riddled with bullets in the
raid. Compton told how the Mexicans
surrounded the little settlement with
the apparent object of killing all the
soldiers and then sacking the place at
their leisure.
Tells of Escape.
I heard the sound of many feet upon
the rocks said Compton, whose home
was but a short ways from the soldier
encampment. land then two Mexicans
with handkerchiefs tied across their
faces. stuck their faces in the front
diers there. 1 answer them and looking
out saw MeXicans coming in all direc-
tons and yelling as loud as they could
They opened fire on the adope house
and I went and got my rifle and count
ed my cartridges. 1 had only 100. Sit
ting at the window / waited for them
to attack.
Carried Little Girl Away.
MY eight year old girl. Louise. with
her two little brothers, Howard and
Garrett, tumbled out Of bed. Louise put
her arms around my neck and said she
was scared at the yelling. 1 picked her
up and, leaving the two boys behind. 1
carried her out of the back door TO the
shack of Mexican washerwoman who
took care Of her.
Il started back to the house to get /
little Garnett and Howard. Garnett is
only four and his brother is six years. I
But 1 could not make it, The Mexicans /
were too thick and 1 could not shoot |
my way through them. 1 emptied my
gun but they crowded me and 1 had to /
head away to the creek and slip behind /
a rock In the morning l found Tyree /
with his feet and arms burned, wander /
ing in the creek bottom"
Compton and Tyree moved toward the
camp and finding a body Of Mexicans /
still in the place they hurried away and /
hid in a cave. Here they remained I'M /
til Sunday afternoon when they entered I
Glen Springs. Compton learned that his
boy Garnett had been shot and that his
body had been taken to Marathon.