Republican farmer., 1919-08-22
TO RANSOM AV|ATORS
 HELD IN CAPTIVITY:
 LANSING SENDS NOTE
Detention of Two Airmen By Bandits Cause of Acute Situation-Prisoners Notify Friends That Banditti Will Kill Them Unless
 S15,OOO is FOrthcoming
(Bulletin)


 Maria, Texas, Aug. 1S-Au-
 thorization for. the payment of
 the S15,OOO ransom asked by
 Mexican bandits for the release
 of Lieutenants Paul H. Davis
 and Harold G. Peterson was re-
 ceived here today and the
 money will probably be deliv-
 cred late today to an agent of
 the bandits at or near Cande-
 laria, Texas, it was announced. Washington, Aug. 1S-The
 American embassy at Mexico
 City was instructed today by the State Department to imme-
 diately call upon the Mexican
 government for quick action to effect the release of Lieuts. P.
 Davis and Harold c. Peterson, American army aviators, who
 were captured by Mexican ban
 dits near Candelaria, Texas,
 while patrolling the border and who are threatened with death
 unless S15,OOO ransom is paid 1 today.
 The State Departments announce l ment said the instructions pointed out the seriousness with which the United States Government views this situation, and called for immediate adequate action"
 The American Consul at Juarez also
 was instructed to take all possible steps with the Mexican authorities i there to secure release and protection | of the officers
 State Department officials said the ! ransom demanded would be paid as soon as informaton could be had as to | where and to whom the money was to | be delivered. It has not been decided
 whether the United States would fur
 nish the sum and charge it against the l CarranZa Government or call upon the
 Mexican Government to pay it direct Coming close on the heels of the 1 state departments virtual ultimatum | to Ine 1aTEd nZd government that uD- less steps were taken to stop murder | of American citizens and for protec-
 ton of their rights a radical change l in the attitude of this government 1 toward Mexico would be adopted, 1 news that two American army avia- | tors were being held by Mexican ban
 dits for 1000 ransom with death as l the alternative, caused the already 1 strained relations between the two | countries to be regarded here today | as having reached a stage bordering | on the acute. Official Washington as well as the entire diplomatic corps were awaiting developments with | keen interest.
 1 Fl Paso, Texas, Aug. 1s.---Every eff | fort was made today to expedite the rescue of Lieuts. Paul H. Davis and | Harold G. Peterson, aviators of the 1 United States army, who are held for
 a ransom of s15, 900 by Mexican ban l dits somewhere in Mexico south of
 the big bend district of West Texas. While no official announcement was
 made by the military authorities, it was understood that the ransom | money had been arranged for at d i local bank and that a messenger would be started during the day for |
 Receive instructions about handing
 over the gold to an agent of the ban 1 dits. Cattlemen attending a cowboy 1 camp meeting at Fort Davis, Texas,
 also raised 5000 in fifteen minutes, | Sunday, and placed it at the disposal l of the military authorities.
 After eight days of suspense since I the avtators patrolling the border dis :. appeared, messages were received by the military authorities at Maria 1 Texas yesterday demanding payment 1 of the ransom in gold to Dewkins Kill l patrick, of Candelaria, Texas, before | tonight or the Americans would be
 killed, according to the message. An !, other message, signed by the aviators, 1 accompanied the demand for the ran-
 som, in which they stated virtually | the same facts.
 They also sent messages to their | relatives in Strathmore, Cal, and l Hutchinson. Minn., urging them to l see that the ransom was raised at | once. Another message was later sent to Candelaria, Texas. addressed l to Dawkins Fitzpatrick, an American | and signed by one of the bandit band ] saying they would kill the aviators if there were any signs that the Amer | ican military force were preparing to | pursue the bandits.
 | Replies were received from the i parent of Lieutenant Peterson stat | ing they would furnish the ransom | demanded for release of their son and his companion if the government \ failed to furnish the money accord | ing to messages from Maria. These | replies were immediately given to a courier who attempted to reach the
 rendevouz bandits south of the bor- | der.