The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-18

to cross the river Most of the day thes, soldiers exchanged shots with bandit. after the small expedition had crossed the Rio Grande, but the sole Casualty. was one Mexican bandits horse
 Consul J. J. Garza, who has been mak ing efforts to avoid clash betweer Americans and Mexicans on the Mexican side, tonight held a conference with Gen James Parker. The result of this con ference was not disclosed here.
 It was reported tonight that Anicett Pizano, the alleged bandit leader, sait to have been implicated in the last sum. mer's raids who was held in Matamoras S had disappeared
 SITUATION IS OMINOUS
 After an all night chase Lieutenan Newnan's troops ran the bandits which attacked the infantry detachment from a point east of the sleeping town of Sar Grande, near the San Pedro ranch Here the band apparently split in two sections. one crossing the river above the ranch and the other below The cav airy followed by the northern ford.
 At Il o'clock this morning. after spend ing one hour on Mexican soil, Lieutenant Newnan's command came in contact with the marauders and lively. though bloodless sFirmish ensued, neither being able to see the other on account of the dense brush.
 After crossing the river Newman dis patched a messenger to inform head quarters at Fort Brown of his crossing. The messenger, a private of Troop H, lost his horse in the middle of the Rio Grande and swan to the other side, al- most losing his life.
 The trail of blood, followed last night by the cavalry, led to the body of a Mexican peon. His only possessions were two bullet holes, rifle and some ammunition. He carried no papers that might have disclosed his name or affilia- tions
 The situation at Matamoros tonight was serious. Every business house in the town was closed with the exception of one saloon In this rendezvous were gathered army officers who gave out threats calculated to arouse the already alarmed populace into a frenzy.
 Gen. Alfredo Ricaut, commander of the Matomoros garrison. did not learn of the crossing of the American troops into Mexico until early in the afternoon. He then called the population of the town together at his headquarters, where he tion to men, boys and even girls. By midafternoon at least 1500 men were pa trolling the streets under full arms.
 San Antonio. June 17.-Unites States army officers at headauarters here to- night regarded the Mexican sitaaion as most serious Assuming that, the dc facto Mexican government would authorize Gen Alfredo Ricaut % Car IT. out his threat to attack any Amer ican force that crossed the line into Mexico. some declared their belief that war was almost unavoidable
 That opportunity was presented TO- day when more than 300 men of the Third cavalry crossed the river below Brownsville in pursuit of bandits that attacked little detachment If the Twenty-sixth infantry at San Benito last night.
 Gen. James Parker. commanding at Brownsville sent cavalry scourl,,g the country in the vicinity of San Berito and on "hot trail' discovered by Lieutenant Newman. commanding Troop H. the Americans were sent to- ward the border The trai: led across the river and Lieutenant Newman and his troops crossed late in the fore neon.
 Major Anderson with a squadron of the same regiment and a machine gun company closed in on the tra.1 and eorly in the afternoon follow d the lieutenant and his troops into Mexico.
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