The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-08-21
BANDITS RELEASE
j. S. AVIATORS
ONLY HALF OF RANSOM PAID
FOR TWO LIEUIENANTS
BY CAPT. MATLACK.

Maria, Texas, Aug. 19.-Spread
out fanshaped over wide stretch
of Mexican country south of the Rio
Grande, United States cavalry troops
aided by airmen as scouts are comb
ing the mountains for the bandits
who held the two American aviators
for $4,000 ransom.
After the forward dash over the
border Tuesday, the troops probably
were being handicapped by a storm
which was reported in npessages by
field telephone to be raging in the
mountains below the border.
1t was feared torrential rain would
obliterate trails left by the bandits.
Tie HE eSpeditionayry force for time
moved forward in the face Of high
winds, according to the reports.
The two lieutenants, H. G. Peter
SON and Paul n. Davis for whom
ransom was demanded and who We're
released early Tuesday, guided the
Americans in their quest of the
Mexican outlaws.
With nearly six hours start on the
punitive expedition the bandits are
believed to have scattered in the
mountains passes and canyons, and
it probably will be necessary to
search every square mile of the
rough country below the border to
find them, is the opinion of military
men.
Dcs2lue the difficulty in locating
the byndits from the air, American
aviators who left the flying field
here .eariy tuesday, secuted almost
the entire Ojeniga district.
1t vas known how many are IN the
bandit band. Lieutenant Davis and
Lieutenant Peterson said they saw
six men. There were 20 other ban
dts at the ranch where the outlaws
stopped. American aviators were
tod the band numbered 60.
Arrangements for nurses, ambu-
lanceS and surgical dressings for the
punitive exposition troops were be-
ing made by Elmer Donnell OF st.
Louis for the use in case Of emerg-
ency.
a report from the expedition in
dicated that pursuit has continued
throughout the day but that there
had been no contact with the ban
dts.
H. n. Fennell, a banker of this
city, arrived late in the day and an
nounced that the amount of ransom
. actually paid for the release OF the
aviators was $500, Fennel took
the $4,000 demanded to Candelaria
He declared a recount of the money
brought back by Captain Matlack
after release of the aviators showed
$500 remained.
Fennell brought the $4,000. back
to Maria this afternoon and deposit
ed it in q bank. The money was in
$50 bills. Fennell said the army
would reimburse the cattlemen who
I subscribed the ransom money.
Fennell told the first connected
story of events preceding the cross
ing of the American aviators to the
United States. He outlined prelimi-
nary negotiations Monday between
Captain Matlack and the Mexican
brother in law of Renteria, who act
ed as go between.
He aid the bandits insisted the
deliver of the aviators be made af-
ter da, so flares might be seen. The
90 be- yeen crossed to San Antonio,
Chihuahua, opposite Candelaria, and
selected the spot where the avlators
were to be delivered. 1t was at an
old cottonwood tree mile and a
half south of San Antonio. The go
between had returned to the Ameri-
can side and said arrangements had
been completed.
When the flares agreed upon fail
ed to show after midnight, Captain
Matlack crossed. He was gone more
than half an hour returning with
Lieutenant Peterson AS he rode in
to Candelaria, Captain Matlack said:'
Here's one of them, thank God"
Returning to the old cottonwood
tree, Captain Matlack told Lieute-
nant Davis to get on behind. Then
the captain spurred his horse with
out delivering the balance Of the
money.
"You can 60 plumb to he'll, Pm go
ing back" the captain shouted as
he galoped across the river. When
Captain Matlack dismounted, Fennell
said he shook the money in Their
faces
LOOK dI lildt, III gums DS@~N
tomorrow and get the rest OF that
money the captain told them, Zen
nell said.
"Ihe aviators were elated over
their experience once across the
river" said Fernell. 1--WE asked them
if they had a good time. Davis said:
'Tll say | did," -, :,
'Neither man was hurt by ehe fal!
Of the biplane The aviators relieved
the accident was caused by the fact
that their oil supply had been ex-
hausted. The men had only a quart
canteen full of water, but drank
from the Concho river.
; "They said the bandit Renteria
forced them to write messages ask
ing for the ransom and read the
messages to see if they were cor
rect" -,
Saddle weary and rain soaked the
troops of the Eight Cavalry contln-