Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-08-20
RANSOM OR U. s.
FLYERS WILL Die
Mexicans Seize Two Yankee Air.
men Who Crossed Border
by Mistake.
HOLD army men FOR $4,000
Message From Captives Says Time
Limit Nearly Explred-Authoritie
Rushing Arrangements to Pay
Freedom Money.

Washington, Aug. 1S.-Coming close
on the heels of the state departments
virtual ultimatum to the CarranZa gov
crnment that unless steps were taken
TO stop murder of American citizens
and for protection of their rights q
radical change in the attitude of this
government toward Mexico would be
adopted, news that two American army
aviatOrs were being held by Mexican
bandits for $4,000 ransom, with death
IS the alternative, caused the already
strained relations between the tive
countries to be regarded here as hay.
ng reached a stage bordering on the
acute.
Official Washington, as well as the
entire diplomatic corps, were awaiting
developments with keen interest as the
serious potentialities, should harm
)efall the flyers, generally were rec
Dgnized. a
There was no statement as to what
steps had been taken or were to be
aiken either by the state or war de-
)artments However, it was regarded
rs imperative that some action be
AIKEN az once, as the demands Of the
bandits required that the ransom be
,aid today.
There was considerable speculation
is to whether the money would be
,aid by one of the government agen..
les, later TO be collected from the
Cararnza authorities.
Ell Paso, Tex, Aug. 1S.-In an of
icial statement issued at militar!
headquarters here and signed by
Brig. Gen. James B. Erwin, district
commander, it was announced thai
Haj. L. A. Walton, commander of the
ZERO unit at Fort Bliss, had received
/ message from Lisut. Paul III. Davis
md Harold G. Peterson, stating they
lad been captured by Mexican ban
Its and were being held for $4,000
ansom, which must be paid by Au.
;ust Is, according TO the message. Fea
The bandits threaten to kill the fly
FRS unless the ransom is paid today
according to the report.
Arrangements were being made tC
obtain $4,000 gold coin and to send
to Maria for the payment of the
ransom, as ii is feared the army Off
,ers will be killed by the bandits I'M.
ess the ransom is paid before night.
Text of Erwin's Statement.
Tho fn1l Of hn Sto ic
sued at military headquarters by Gen.
eral Erwin follows:
"A telegram was received this aft.
ernoon by Maj. L. A. Walton, com,
mander of the aero unit at Fort Bliss
repeating message signed by the two
aviatOrs who have been missing since
Sunday, stating they had been cap
tured by Mexicans and were being
held for $4,000 ransom, which must
be paid by August Is or they would
be killed.
This message was brought into o.
town in the Big Bend district by al
well known bandit. Col George T
Langhorne, commanding officer of the
Eighth cavalry and the Big Bend dis
trict wired the commanding general OF
the Ell Paso district that the message
is authentic and that he is taking all
necessary measures to secure the re
lease of the aviators and has present.
ed this matter to the proper authori.
ties.
1.-The name of the place from which
the message was sent, as well as the
place where the ransom is to be paid
is not given, as 1t might interfere with
the release Of the aviators."
Avlotors Missing a Week.
Lieutenant Peterson, the pilot Of the
biplane which has been missing since
Sunday, August 10, is twenty-five years
old and is from Hutchinson, MINI
Lieutenant Davis is twenty-five years
old and Is from Strathmore, Cal.
Both aviators are part of the per.
sonnet of the Fort Bliss aviation corps
but were on detached duty with the
Big Bend district military headquar
tiers at Maria, Texas, at the time they
disappeared. They left Maria Satur
day for patrol of the border, planning
to follow the north bank Of the Ric
Grande.
1t is believed by aviation officers
here they confused the Conchos river
which flows into the Rio Grande near
Preside, Tex, with the Rio Grande
and followed the course of this river