Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-15
Associated Press Correspon-
dent Visits Corner Ranch
and Finds 1t in Great DiSor-
der. Indicating Fight,
NEGRO BRINGS WORD y
MEN WERE MURDERED
Search Made Below Border
Fails to Find Clues to Cap
tured MOrmOnS Either Alive
or Dead,

corner Ranch, n M, Feb. l4-(by
Automobile Courier to Hachita, n. Nj
Mormon scouts led by Lem Spills
bury, recently a civilian scout with
the American expedition in Mexico,
crossed into Mexican territory today
in their search for A. 2. Peterson,
Hugh Accord and Burton Jensen, the
Mormon cowboys missing since the
raid on the corner ranch. They re-
turned to the ranch tonight to report
their efforts fruitless.
Detachments of the Twelfth United
States cavalry also scanned the hills
der seeking Intelligence of the missing
men. Their efforts were likewise un-
rewarded
Men Believed Killed.
An American negro residing at
Oiitos. Mexico, arrived today on the
American side and reported that he
had been stopped by band Of MeXi-
can rebels on his way, who said they
had fought with and killed three
Americans near the border last Mon
day evening. They described the
Americans as cowboys The mans
story, which was told directly to H.
V. Morehead, manager of the Warren
ranch near here, increased the grow
ing apprehension that the Americans
have been made away with by Pru-
Gencio Miranda ard his band. \ sharp
lookout for fresh graves was kept by
the searchers today.
Ranch i'm Great Disorder. .
The Associated Press correspondent
visited the Corner ranch today and
fouhu the pace in disol ieE from the
raid of last Monday afternoon. The
rooms occupied by the six Mexican
employees, who are numbered among
the missing, were thoroughly ram
sacked, articles lay strewn about the
floor, and chairs and tables were over
turned as if hand to hand encounters
had taken place. outside the build
ings there were several old MeNicin
saddles on the ground, evidently left
for the better ones takes from the
stables. In the corral. Il short distance
from the ranch office. were three
scrawny looking horses, abandoned by
their former owners. and in several
places the barbed wire fences had
been cut showing that in their haste
to leave the bandits had taken a
short cut
Trail of Bandits Lost.
From footprints around the vicin
ity of the corral the bandits must have
turned their horses toward the path
Leading to Colonia Diaz in Mexico. 1t
was this path that Lem Spillsbury
and his scouts followed today in their
incursion into Mexico, but after rid
ing for two miles they lost the trail,
Other losses reported by James
boss of the Palomas Land
and Cattle company lessees of the
Corner ranch, were sixty head of fine
horses and mules. besides a number
Of cattle.
The families of the three kidnapped
men are grief-stricken over their alb
sence.
Two Men Had Families.
A. p. Peterson, aged 3S, the eldest
of the party has wife and seven
living at Hachita. Burton |
Jensen. aged 32, has a wife and two
children, also residing at Hachita.
Hugh Accord Is % years old.
Lem Spillsbury, accompanied by M.
=. Pierce, Jim Jackson. Eugene Rom.
ncy, Fred Barefoot, Carl Peterson,
1harIes Whiting, Jr.. M. n. Jensen, o.
J. Richens, Il. Thygerson and w. r..
Jackson will start at dawn tomorrow
morning to resume search for the
missing cowboys, The posse Is camp
I'd tonight within earshot of Mondays
aid.
Speaking of today's search Spills
)ury said:
"FNor fifty-two hours we have scour-
ID the ridges and canyons for miles or
loth sides of the border in search of
lur companions, and | am convinced
low that there is something in the
negro Spencer's statement relative to
hree Americans being killed by Viii
istas. [ fear they are Peterson,
cord and Jensen. However, if we
'annot find them alive at least we
night find their bodies and restore
hem to their relatives"