Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-09-03
MExICAhS FREE
u. S. AvIATORS
American Army Captain Ransoms
One Flyer and Carries
Off Other.
OUTLAWS ARE GIVEN $500
Two Lieutenants Captured as Result
OF Mistaking conchos River for
Rio Grande-Twenty Ban
dts In Gang.

Maria, Tex. Aug. 20-Lieut. Fl. G.
Peterson and Lieut.. Paul Fl. Davis.
United States army ayiators. 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 IS, 500 of
the $4,000 demanded. !
Captain MatIack. who took the ram
som money across the border. paid half
the ransom money for the release of
Lieutenant Peterson, and, when Lieu
tenant Davis was delivered to him. he
galloped away with the officer. with
our 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 great experience" was Peter
sons message to his father.
One attempt was made to escape by
me aViators. They were threatened
with death If they tried again.
J&us Renteria and band of FIVE
Mexicans accomplished their capture.
There were twenty bandits at ranch
where they were held.
BY prearranged plan Captain Mat
lack awaited a fire signal from the
Mexlcans, which came after midnight.
and then crossed the border with the
ransom money.
Lieutenant Peterson crossed the bor-
der to the American side at Is a. m.
and Captain MatlacK brought back
Lieutenant Davis at two.
Captain Matlack said this morning
that the two aviators landed in Mex
leo. 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 it of machine guns and
vital parts, which might make it of
use to the Mexicans.
Thinking they were on the Rio
GranGe, they started down stream in
an effort to locate Candelaria and re-
port their accident to military head
quarters. They landed at IL 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 We're well mounted
Various plans for obtaining the ram
som money were discussed by the BAN
dts. One was for the delivery of the
sum and Americans in the middle OF
the Rio Grande. Another was for 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 it 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 Renteria 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 $4,000. was contrived on the
spur of the moment after he had got
Lieutenant Peterson across the bor-
der
~ just decided there was no use in
paying those Mexicans that other
$500 after had Davis. so told him
to jump on behind on my horse.
spurred the horse hard and we start
ed wild dash for the border and
made it. They called for us to halt.
but / said Go to h and crossed"