The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-22
VILLA IS BESIEGED

- fconunned from Page one.l
Executed yesterday, had no confirma
ton today.
Late advices from interior Chihua-
hua asserted that Villa was active in
the Guerrero district and raids by him
on several ranches were reported.
Killed Rancher
Ell Paso, Jan. 22-The tense situa-
ton at this border point produced by
the Santa ISABEL massacre more than
a week ago, early today was con-
sidered to have been complicated
when details of the killing of Bert
Akers, an American rancher from
Ysleta, Texas, became known. Akers
was slain by Bernardo Duran said
to be a Mexican cattle rustler in a
battle that occurred yesterday after
moon at San Lorenzo, Chihuahua. a
tvillage a few miles below the border.
with companion Douglas Downs.
+ and a Mexican police official Akers
sought to recover cattle stolen last
Monday from Mrs Murphy, a neigh
I Dor, at Ysleta, when Duran, with his
brother, FREDERICK, opened fire from
the roof of their house.
At the mayors office in Juarez it
! was said that Juan Barrios, the police
| officer who accompanied Akers and
| Downs to the ranch. was under arrest
| pending investigation. The prisoners
| have been turned over to General
4 Gavira, commandant of the district
/ for speedy trial.
It was said an effort was being
! made to apprehend the three bandits
/ who escaped.
The body of Akers was delivered to
the American consul. Thomas D.. Ed
/ wards, about one o'clock today. by the
! judge of letters of Juarez- Consul Ed
wards with B. w. Eubank, of Ysleta
a relative of Akers, identified the
| BODY.
1 An examination showed that Alxers
! had been apparently shot first through
4 the heart from the rear and then
\ through his head
4 SIayers Arrested.
General Gabriel Gavira, command
4 ant at Juarez from headquarters, early
i today gave out a carefully dictated
statement in which he said that if
found guilty the Durans would receive
i prompt punishment. Akers was shot
i in the back while riding a horse that
also carried his companion. Douglas
Downs. Downs reached Ysleta
last night several hours after the
4. fight and reported that the Duran
brothers had been running America n
cattle over the border for the past
few weeks.
Akers' body was brought to Juarez
early today for purposes of identifi-
cation. The Duran brothers are in
Jail Downs said he and Akers
were trying to get away from the
Durans when the cattle thieves opened
fire and that AkerS was shot from the
back of his horse.
Duran followed them on a horse
for several miles before Akers fell.
Then Downs dropped off and made
away in the brush Duran was found
leading the horse on which the Amer
leans had tried to escape. He de-
clared he did not know the men were
Americans until he examined the
body of Akers
Americans Were Unarmed.
Ysleta, Texas. Jan. 22.-Five Mexi-
cans, members of a band of Mexican
cattle and horse thieves who have
been bothering the border for weeks,
shot and killed Bert Akers, a young
, rancher of this place yesterday after
noon, according to the story told of
the tragedy today by Douglas Downs,
| Akers' companion, who survived a hail
of bullets as he and Akers, riding on
one horse sought frantically to es-
cape. They were unarmed-
Il Juan BarriOs, a Mexican secret sery-
ice man detailed to aid the young
! Americans in the search for six cows
stolen from Mrs. J. D. Murphy, Akers
q sister-in-law, was relieved of his
weapon by the Mexicans but not