Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-17
U.S.. MARINES HUNT FOR
SANTO DOMINGO BANDITS
Native Guides Aiding in Search for
Band Charged With Killing Two
American Engineers.
Especial CoFrespondenee OF The Star
and New York Worldly

Especial Correspondenee of The Star
and New York Worldly
Copyright. 1917. BY Press Publishing Company.
New York World.)
SAN JUAN. P. R. June 11.-News has
reached here from San Pedro de Ma
coris, Santo Domingo, that Dominican
guides are aiding three companies of
United States marines who are scour-
ing the provinces Of Macoris and Seibo
for vicentico Evangelista and his
bandits. whose latest crime was the
killing of two American engineers on
the Romano sugar estate recently.
The Dominicans who brought the In
forme ton say that tho band Is dwin-
ding and that the leader was seriously
wounded In brushes with the marines.
That he 10 desperate and will tight to
the last Is certain. for Dominfcans who
have seen him say he has sworn to kill
self Is killed. He has conflded in some
of his countrymen that he expects to
be killed by the marines. but he con-
tinues to terrorize the whole Of the
two southeastern provinces.
His capture is desired by the authori-
ties in order to bring tho whole Of the
Dominican Republic to a state Of un-
precedented quiet. That one bandit,
with scarcely more than a dosen fol-
lowers. could cause such terror among
tered on sugar estates in the vicinity
of San Pedro de Macoris can only be
appreciated when 1t is known that he
is operating in a country largely un-
inhabited and undeveloped. The main
highways are seldom used trails
Jungle.
Bandit Is Terror.
Vfcentico IN considered the worst
bandit the Santo DOMINICAN republic
has known in many years. No one
knows how many men he has muir
dered, but estimates run as high as
fifty. He is SO feared that his country
men. willingly or unwillingly, are his
chief allies. They give him food. money.
horses and all else he wants. and they
give gladly, hoping not to arouse his
anger.
His career almost ended last March
when. unexpectedly. he attacked a de-
tachment of United States marines in
Seibo province while they were stop
were killed and eight wounded by the
marines, who lost hve horses, but no
men. So far as is known. that is the
closest the marines have been to Vicen-
tico In many months, and they heard
nothing more of him until he captured
the two American engineers. Miller and
Hawkins, near La Romano, in May, tied
them to trees and killed them with
machetes.
Plans to Form National Guard.
This attack has stimulated the carry
ing out Of plans for the formation of
a Dominican national guard that will
do police and semi Hilary duties AS
now planned, this guard will be made
up entirely of Dominicans, with Ameri-
cans in command. 1t Is likely that
James ]. Mclean, for years in the Gus
toms service. will be adjutant general
AS a customs guard on the Dominican
Haitian border and elsewhere Mr.. Nc
Lean has done much to make SNUG
Cling unpopular. He knows the coun-
try and the people. and is known by
them to be fearless.
The authorities are also considering
sending some of Vicentico's former
confederates out into the bush after
him. One Of the strongest men in the
province Of San Pedro de Marcoris,
named Fidel Ferrer. who has been
Interested In many uprisings against
cently) valuable assistance to the
authorities and has organised q band
of nearly nifty men to help hunt down
vicentico.
Trial by Military Court.
Gen. Chacha. who at tho time of
the military occupation OF San Pedro
de Macoris first defied the Americans
and later surrendered, was tried re-
Gently by a special military court at
Santo Domingo City with him were
also tried three of his Iieutenants.
JOAQUIN Aybar. Juan Colcano and Juan
Castillo. Besides other crimes. 1t was
generally believed that all Of them.
then acting with Vicentico. fired upon
and then looted the customshouse at
La Romano more than a year ago.
No official announcement has been
made regarding their probable pun
isnment, nut II Is known that should
the bush and find yicentico ana bring
him back dead or alive tho authoritias
would willingly consider extreme
l ntnIe gym IN , their cases Besides win
tiles, these former bandits wouid aarn
the 5000 reward now on the head of
Vicentico, with whom they are no
longer friendly. iio