The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-05-09
MExICANS RAID
z u. S. TOWNS
-Four Americans Are Slain in
Attack in Texas.
THREE OF VICTIMS TROOPERS

Bandits Swoop Down on Glen Springs
Texas, and Loot Stores, Then Make
Raid On Boquillas Next Morning.
Fight for Five Hours-Routed by
Handful of Soldiers.
El Paso, May 8.-A detachment of
nine American soldiers forming the
patrol at Glen Springs, Texas, was
almost wiped out in a raid of Willis
Ia bandits across the border Friday
night according to reports received by
Major General Fred Funston from Ma.
jor o. E. Meyer of the Thirteenth
Cavalry at Maria, Texas.
A band of Mexicans which is De
lieyed to be the same raided the vii
lage of Boquillas near by the follow
ing morning, Major Meyer added.
Fire Patrol Camp.
According to Major Meyer the Glen
Springs raiders numbering fifty men,
set fire to the patrol camp and fired
on the troopers as they tried to es
cape
Three troopers were killed, two
were wounded and four were not &C,
counted for, he said
Later reports from Major Meyer
said the four men reported missing
have been accounted for. They were
Sergeant Smith, in command of the
patrol, and three other men, who hid
behind rocks with a few civilians and
fought the raiders five hours, finally
putting them to flight.
Smith Proves Hero.
Sergeant Smith was wounded, but
refused to leave the scene. During
the thick of the engagement he loaded
two desperately wounded men on a
motor truck and sent them north to-
ward Marathon.
Loot Glen Springs.
According to the first reports of Ma
jor Meyer the bandits, after killing
the American soldiers, looted Glen
Springs, killing the 10-year-old son of
Ellis Woods, wax plant owner. One
civilian is missing.
The same band of Mexicans is re-
ported to have raided Boquillas Satur-
day morning, and then to have crossed
back in to Mexico taking with them
a storekeeper named Deemers.
Troops to Relief.
Two Troops of Eight Cavalry from
Ell Paso and two troops of the Four
lrxy
miles north of Spofford, have been or
dered by General Funston to take
special trains to Marathon, the rail
way station nearest to Glen Springs.
They will have to march eighty five
miles to reach the scene of the raid.
The troops also will go to the relief
of Boquillas
Slbley to Command.
Colonel Frederick W. Silbey, com
mander of the Fourteenth Cavalry, will
proceed from Fort Clark to take com
mand of the troops proceeding to Glen
Springs and Boquillas.
Nothing has been reported here as
to the identity of the bandits other
than that they are supposed to be Vii
Hstas. Rowing bands have been re
ported in the section south and south
west of Ojinaga for some time.
Location of Raid.
Glen Springs is a little village a
few miles west of Boquillas, which
is situated not far north of the Rio
Grande in the isolated stretches of the
Big Bend district.
The troops forming the patrol there
belong to Troop A Of the Fourteenth
Cavalry, which is scattered along the
border in small detachments. They
were under the command of a non
commissioned officer.
Captain Caspar w. Cole at Alpine
commands the troops in the imme-
diate section. He has left for the
scene of the raid with fifty men.