Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-08-26
miEXICANS FREE
U. S. AvIATORS
American Army Captain Ransoms
One Flyer and Carries
s Off Other.
OUTLAWS ARE GIVEN $1,000
Two Lieutenants Captured as Result
of MISLEADING conchos River for
Rio Grande-Twenty Ban
dts In Gang.

Maria, Tex, Aug. 2O.-Lieut. III. G.
Peterson and Lieut.. Paul III. Davis,
United States army aviators, held
prisoners by Mexicans since last
Wednesday after being forced to land
the preceding Sunday on Mexican soil,
on Tuesday were released by Mexican
bandits after the payment of $500 of
the $4,000 demanded.
Capt Matlack, who took the ransom
money across the border, paid half the
ransom money for the release Of Lieut..
Peterson, and, when Lieut.. Davis was
delivered to him, he gallOped away
with the officer, without making the
final payment.
The aviatOrs had wandered from
Sunday afternoon until Wednesday
along the COnchOs river near FalOmir,
Chihuahua, under the impression they
were on the Rio Grande.
Had a great experience" was Peter
sons message to his father.
Ore attempt was made to escape by
the aviaUOrs. They were threatened
with death if they tried again.
Jesus Renteria and a band of five
Itexicans accomplished their capture.
There were twenty bandits at a ranch
where they were held.
BY prearranged plan Capt. Matlack
awaited fire signal from the Next
cans, which came after midnight, and
then crossed the border with the ran
som money.
Lieut.. Peterson crossed the border
to the American side at 1 10 a. m. and
Capt Matlack brought back Lieut..
Davis at 2.
Capt. Matlack said this morning
that the two aviatOrs landed in Mex
icO. He declared they thought they
had landed in the United States, and
this impression on their part was not
corrected until after they had reached
the border today.
The aviatOrs, the captain explained,
had become confused while in the air
and had mistaken the COnchos river
for. the Rio Grande. Instead of land
ing near Candelaria, as they thought,
they had landed at point near FalO-
mir chihuahua, more than forty miles
up the COnchOs river, where they
abandoned their wrecked airplane
after stripping 1t of machine guns and
vital parts, which might make 1t of
use to the Mexicans.
Thinking they were on the Rio
Grande, they started down stream in
an effort to locate Candelaria and re-
port their accident to military head
quarters They landed at - 80 Sun
day afternoon and were picked up
Wednesday morning by the Renteria
band.
They were taken into the noun
tains, but thought they were approach
ing Valentine, Tex. They were told
that 60 men belonged to the band,
while in reality the aviators saw only
20 men at the ranch where they were
held. Captain Matlack said the BAN
dts were well mounted.
Various plans for obtaining the ran
som money were discussed by the han
dts. One was for the delivery of the
sum and Americans in the middle of
Alle AAIO Allpllitl was 1OE the
aviatorS to be taken 100 yards up river
and the money taken an equal distance
down river and both left at the same
time
. Finally ii was agreed that an Amer
lean army officer should be sent from
the American side upon signals from
the bandits by means of flares. At
the same time Renterla was to start
from the Mexican side with the Amer
leans. They were to meet and ex-
change prisoners and money.
Captain Matlack'S ruSe, by which he
saved $500, was contrived on the
spur of the moment after he had got
Lieutenant Peterson across the Dor
der.
81 just decided there was no use in
paying those MeNicanS that other
$500 after l had Davis 50 l told him
to jump on behind on my horse. l
spurred the horse hard and we start
ed wild dash for the border and
made it. They called for us to halt,
hut l said Go to h and crossed"