Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-24
BAN Dit s.
PURS UE D.
OVER Line
BY TROOPS
Five MexiCans Killed by y. S.
Cavalry and Live Stock
Stolen in Texas Ranch
Raid Recovered.

Maria, Tex, March 23.-Troops
of the Eighth United States cavalry
under Captain Kloepfer returned
here early today from a pursuit
across the border OF Mexico ban
dts, bringing with them IS cattle
and two horses which had been
driven from Nunez by the raiders
yesterday.
Captain Kloepfer reported that
he had overtaken the Mexicans/1S
miles, south of Ruidosa and that
FIVE of them had been killed in the
resulting skirmish. ...-... "
Two Mexicans were wounded in
the fighting, making the casualties
among the. cattle thieves seven of
the total number of r. Captain
Kloepfer reported to Col. George T.
Langhorne, commander of the dis
trict, that he recognized the voice of
one of the men as that of Eugene
Garcie. a former Carranza captain i'll
the vicinity of Ojinaga, opposite
Preside, Tex.
Maj. Gen. DE Rosey c. Cabell,
commander of the southern depart
ment, who was here to make an in
spection of the Big Bend district,
congratulated Captain Kfoepfer and
his troops for their work III over
taking and defeating the Mexicans
who crossed the Rio Grande into,
the Chinati mountains east of Rui-
dosa, stole number of cattle from
the Nunez- ranch and drove them
into Mexico.
Followed "Hot Trail"
The raid on the Nunez ranch, near
the river and on the American side,
was reported to Captain Kloepfer
yesterday afternoon. He COM
municated with his sector and with
the district commander by field tele-
phone, at the same time sending
troop M of the Eighth cavalry to
the scene of the crossing where the
trail was clearly marked in the mud.
This was reported to Colonel Lang
horne at headquarters here, troops,
were sent from Presidio, Indio, and
other border stations and Captain
Kloepfer was given orders to follow
the hot trail'' into Mexico, which
was done late yesterday.
kloepfer >troops returned at
o'clock this morning bringing with
them the 80 head of cattle which had
beer driven into Mexico and two
stolen horses
Captain Kloepfer's report to head
quarters stated he crossed the river
seven miles below Ruidosa ford,
came into contact and engaged the
band 18 miles from the river cross
ing, and at about nightfall last night,
opened fire on the bandit band.
Five were killed in the first volleGs
fired into the rendezvous of tlfe
Mexican cattle thieves and \ two
wounded. None of the American
cavalrymen were wounded.
Soldiers Eat Bandits Meal.
The Mexicans had killed one
stolen steer and were cooking it
for supper when they heard the
hoofs>~ of the American cavalry
horses approaching through the
darkness. They took positions on
a high hill overlooking the trail and
attempted to outhark Kloepfer's
troops in the darkness. Several of
the cavalrymen's horses fell over
the steep embankment in the dark.
After the bandits were routed,
the dead buried and the wounded
given, first aid treatment, the Amer
lean cavalrymen, who had had moth
ing to eat since noon, completed
of the bandits evening
meal and ate it before starting back
to the border with the civilian pack
ers herding the stolen cattle. En-
route to the border torrential
storm broke and the men were
forced to ride all night in binding
darkness punctuated with sleet and
rain.
Troop NJ was supported by
machine gun troop.