El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-21
DOES THE HOT TRAIL DOCTRINE
APPLY TO THE DOUGLAS KIDNAPPING?

COME interest but no excitement has developed
- result the seizure Douglas, Arizona of three Mex
and Spanard their removal to Aqua Prieta Mexico
and their summary execution there Both abduction and
execution apparently performed by agents Of the
Sonora state government under official direction.
The four who met death accused of having mur-
dered Mexican official in Aqua Preta in connection with
robbery Of many thousands of dollars charged
that their flight to United States followed commission
of the crime The homes of the in Douglas were
Swallowed for several days seems by Mexican agents.
apparently with the knowledge and of American
authorities and of the latter stated that $4,000 Of
the stolen money had dug up the back yard of the
victim who claimed Spanish nationality, Dr.. Huerta
Huea accused Of being ring leader in the murder and
robbery plot and Mexican officials in Aqua PIeta said
HHerta and the Others confessed before execution
Following appeal by the widow Of d.. Huera to the
Spanish embassy at Washington an investigation of the
circumstances Of the abduction and execution IS now m
der way.
the affair It VIII probably develop that the Mexican
authorities viii try to justify the seizure of the four
IN the United States and their removal to Mexico under
the "ho tra doctrine, whereby bandits fleeing from one
country to another may be pursued the international
line and if captured returned to the country where the
crime committed without the formaity of extradition
The United States has avaed itself Of this doctrine
several times within the past few years. notably after the
Villa raid on Columbus and likewise after various raids
IN the Big Bend district
But in each Of these instances there were elements very
different from the Douglas affair Forces of the United
States did actually follow hot trails of bandits from the
United States into Mexico But while Huera and the
three Meeans may have been bandt-undoubtedly they
they the who murdered robbed the
Aqua Peta customs ofcsthe element of the shot tra
to have been missing It appear that there
any trail at ALL that there any pursuit Rather
It SEEMS from accounts which have been public that
detective the part of the Mexican officials
with without American eonnivance, which resulted in
location Of the alleged criminals Douglas some days
after the crime committed
II case of this sort resort should have been
proceedings for exradtion ample provision which is
made IN the existing treaty between the United States and
Mexico That the could have been extradted upon
sufficient showing Of their connection with the crime is
certain because there could be possibility Of plea
that they political refugees Possibly the Mex
leans chose to resort to the shot tIa doctrine because
the lack Of evidence enough to satisfy United States
court commissioner that the we're connected with
the crime.
Because all Of them aliens and three were Mex
cans the incident aroused less interest among Americans
than would have been the had the abducted men been
Americans In the latter circumstance furore would
have been created.
But the principle involved commands attention If
this affair is considered ustabls may be considered
70 set precedent for similar in the future paving
the for the foreign agents to enter the United States
and seize whom they will Americans anyone else at
any time after the commission of real fictitious crime
take them out Of the country and put them TO death
This would remove from American citizens in their own
country, the protection Of American laws and Law en-
forcing age1des-sn intolerable condition