El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-19
RANSOM PAID;
AIRNEN SAFE
Capt. Matlack Goes After
Aviators, Who Report a
"Great Experience"

lieutenant without making the
final payment.

final payment.
] The aviators wandered from Sun
7 day afternoon until Wednesday along
] the Conchos river near falomir.
Chihuahua, under the impression they
{ were on the Rio Grande. This i'm
: preston was not corrected until after
their return 10 the border today.
] One attempt TO escape was made by
! the aviators They were threatened
with death II they tried again. Jesus
[ Renteria and a band OF five Mexicans
I accomplished their capture There
were 20 bandits at the ranch where
they were held
/ BY a prearranged plan. Capt Mat
I lack awaited fire signal from the
Mexicans, which came after midnight
and then crossed the border with the
{ ransom money Lieut. Peterson crossed
the border 70 the American side at
back Lieut.. Davis at 2 o'clock
Peterson Immediately sent a mes
sage TO his father, at Hutchinson
Mimi, saying: Feeling fine. Had
wonderful experience
Davis also sent similar message
to his parents at Strathmore, Calf
Two Landed in Mexico.
Capt. Matlack said today that the
two aviators landed il Mexico, contra
dieting the first story OF Lieut. Peter
son. He said the two aviators thought
they had landed in the United States
not corrected until after they had
reached the border early this morn
ing
The aviators. the captain said. had
become confused while in the air and
had mistaken the Conchos river for
the Rio Grande- Instead OF landing
near Candelaria, as they thought. they
had landed at a point near Falomir.
Chihuahua more than 20 miles up the
Conchos river where they abandoned
their wrecked airplane after stripping
it Of machine guns and, vital parts.
which might make II Of use to the
Iexiczns.
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 al 1890 Sun
day afternoon and were picked up
Wednesday morning by Jesus Rem
terra and a band Of five other Next
cans They were taken into the noun
tains, but thought they were ap-
preaching Valentine. Tex. They were
told that 90 men belonged to the band,
while in reality the aviators saw only
twenty men at the ranch where they
were held
Bandits Wen Mounted.
Capt. Matlack said the bandits were
well mounted
The Americans tried once to es-
cape. but were threatened with death
and did not renew their attempt
Various plans for obtaining the ran
som money were discussed by the
bandits. One was for the delivery
OF the money and Americans in the
middle OF the Rio Grande. Another
was for the sviatorE to be taken 100
yards Up river and the money taken
an equal distance down river and both
left at the same time Finally il was
agreed that an American army Of
ficer should be sent from the Ameri-
can side upon signals from the bands
by means Of flares
A. the same time. Renteria was TO
start from the Mexican side with the
Americans. They were to meet and
exchange prisoners and money.
Capt HIatlack's ruse by which
he saved $500 was eOntrfved on
the spur of the moment, after he
had got Peterson across the Dor
der.
7 Just decided there was no use in
paying those Mexicans that other
$500 after had Davis. so I told him
to jump on behind on my horse
spurred him hard and We made a wild
dash for the border and made it They
called for US 10 halt, but ! sal, Go to
n and crossed"
Tells Of Engine Trouble.
Lieut. Paul H Davis, reporting TO
Col Langhorne over army field tele-
phone, gave brief account OF his ex-
perieIces-
we thought we were in Texas all
the time" said Davis. We evidently
confused the Conchos with the Rio
Gralde- We crossed a railroad bridge,
after which engine trouble developed
and q forced landing crashed the
fusilage Of the landing gear
''As We had to abandon our plane, 1
took the vital parts and three ma
chine guns from the airplane and car
ried them away to prevent their 1all-
ing into the hands Of any one / be-
heve the airplane is so badly dam
aged 1t Will be OF no service to any
one"
Peterson's Father Overjoyed.
Hutchinson, MINI, Aug. 19.-Sarn-
uel c. Peterson father Of Lieut. H
G. Peterson, was overjoyed when in
formed Of the safe return Of his son
across the border.
Z consider that the army acted
promptly and did everything in its
power TO help US Ny wife and my
self and two daughters VIII get our
first rest in 40 hours now" he said
Secretary Of war Baker and sen
ator Nelson promptly answered my
request for action The raising OF
the $4,000 ransom by the cowboys in
Texas was an example Of true Amer
icanism, Of which I am proud
It was almost impossible TO trans
NIT that sum Of money by wire for
in gold on such She. notice.
Their action may have saved the Life
OF my boy and his companion"
lIaflack IA Border Veteran.
Louisville. KY. Aug. s.-Capt
Leonard F. Matlack, son Of Mr. and
Mrs ". H. Matlack, Louisville. gained
fame in December, 1915. when with
20 men he followed a band OF 200 han
dts into Mexico and after q battle,
in which IS Of the bandits were killed,
recovered a herd Of cattle stolen from
the American side Of the border.