Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-18
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poNilB cAHLpliol, Q SV y III
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Capt l.. +. Matlack, the man who
crossed the Rio Grandc unaccom-
panied and rescued the American
aviators who had been captured by
Mexican bandits and held for ram
som, was the chief speaker at the pa
triotic mass meeting of the Ameri-
can legion last night. Captain Mat
lack told how it was done and why
in straightforward talk without
frils or oratorical flights,
At the time of the bandit episode,
Captain Matlack was stationed with
Troop * of the Eighth cavalry at Can
delaria, a small town on the border,
with headquarters at Maria. The two
aviators, new TO the border. went
from MARTA to Ojinaga and followed
the Conchas river instead of the Rio
| Grande, which led them farther into
| Mexico, and when their engine went
wrong forcing them to land they
were on the Texas side of the Rio
| Grande but beside the Conchas about
| seVenty-fiVe miles from the border.
| For four days they followed the river
| in search of help. on the night of the
/ fourth day they We're captured by
| Renteria and his bandits They were
placed upon mules neither being ac-
customed to that kind OF riding, ana
| weak from hunger and long marching
| and exposure they were forced TO ride
| a few days further until they came to
! the Tic mountains, where camp was
/ made and a messenger sent 10 can
delaria with the demand for ransom
and kilograms from the aviators with
/ instructions to have them sent TO tho
| war department Fort Bliss, Maria
! ana their parents
I Ransom Raiscd Quickly.
| Captain Matl9ck, who happened TO
| be patrolling the river at the time the
messenger made his appearance, IN
| tercepted him. searched him ana
| found the letter addressed to another
man in Candelaria. The telegrams
were sent at once. Captain Matlack
| proceeded to headquarters with his re-
| port and the demand for ransom. and
| five minutes after the citizens Of the
Big Bend country had been told of the
| plight of the aviators. the $4,000 had
| been raised and the bank instructed to
| pay the amount to Matlack. Then ne
| gotiations began with Renteria which
| lasted two days and until midnight
| of August Is, at which time Renteria
/ had declared the aviators would be
| killed unless he had been paid the
required sum. At midnight Captain
| Matlack sent the messenger, telling
| the bandits to state a feasible plan by
which the ayiators should be returned
| and they would be paid the ransom.
/ but unless they complied within the
hour and if the captives were injured
| he would make reprsals, holding
every citizen of that part of Mexico
responsible. The messenger brought
back the desired information ana
:. Matlack mounting his horse, went TO
meet the man who was TO deliver the
| first aviator They met at the APP
pointed place and the money was paid
! over and the captive escorted across
/ the river by Matlack.
Overhead Plans.
on his return for the second pris-
oner having to wait at the meet
! ing place, Matlack overheard two
| Alexicans discussing the best place to
/ get the "GringoS" When the man
| appeared with Davis the second avia-
tor, he was forced by Matlack into an
/ open field off the trail, and giving
| Davis an automatic, told him TO
mount behind and showed the bandit
| the remaining half of the ransom
money, telling him that he would not
nay il and that If he. the bandit made
| a move he would be killed and that IL
| Renteria did not like IL he could go
ito hell" Then they turned around
1 leaving the bandit sitting in the fleld,
and returned by different trail and
so avoided another brush with BAN
| dts who were evidently planning on
| getting them.
AT daybreak that morning Matlack
started back into Mexico with the
| Eighth cavalry after the bandits. Rain
had partly obliterated the trail, but
| the expedition broke the world record
for forced marches, making 2S7 miles
| in five days with no hay for their
mounts except what they could get
| by grazing when they stopped for rest.
| More rain and Carrauzistas, who
/ crossed and recrossed the country
| through which the bandits fled en-
| tirely obscured, the trail and the ex-
! pedition came out of Mexico without
! getting Renteria the chief of the ban-
| dts.
Youth Gets War Cross.
| Dr. David B. Hill, was the first
/ speaker at the mass meeting, was fol-
| lowed by A. A. Sedillo, who present.
! ed the croix de guerre to Nick Lu-
| cero, a 19-year-old Albuquerque boy.
Chaplain Zegler spoke a few minutes
and was followed by the Rev. F, M.
johnson, chief boatswain's mate, U.
S. N, who is here from El Paso to