New-York tribune., 1919-08-20
C0pfain Rides Back
With hHaIfRanson,
Matlack, Refusing to Ciue
$500 to Bandits, Puts
Spur to Horse; Escapes

MARIA. Tex. Aug. 49, Captain
Matlack, of the 8th Cavalry, who res
cued the American aviators from the
Mexicans, brought back with him one
half the ransom money. He said after
Peterson had been released Davis was
brought forward by the bandits and
the two mounted Captain Matlack' S
horse. The bandits demanded the re-
mainder of the ransom Captain Matlack
answered by riding rapidly away
Captain Matlack's ruse. by which he
saved $500, was contrived on the spur
OF the moment after he had escorted
Peterson across the border.
Rides Away With Ransom
~ just decided there was no use
paving those Mexicans that other
to jump on behind my horse spurred
HIM hard and we made wild dash for
the border and made it. They called
for us to halt, but | said Go to hell!'
and crossed"
Lieutenant Peterson crossed the bor-
der to the American side at :l5 a m,
and Captain Matlack brough back Lieu
tenant Davis 45 minutes later.
Captain Matlack said the two avia-
tors landed in Mexico, contradicting
the story OF Lieutenant Peterson. He
said the avators thought they had
landed in the United States, and this
impression on their part was not cor
rected until after they had reached the
border early this morning.
The aviators. the captain said. had
become confused. while in the air and
had mistaken the Conchos River for
the Rio Grandc. Instead ,f landing
near Candelaria. as they thought. they
had landed at point near Falomir,
Chihuahua, more than forty miles up
the Conchos River. where they aban-
doncd their wrecked airpianc, after
stripping it Of machine gun parts and
other vital parts, which might make it
of use to the Mexicans.
Lieutenant Peterson, first to cross
the border from Mexico, made the
following statement:
Owe fell about noon Sunday. We
thought we were about two miles from
Candelaria. We walked all Sunday
afternoon and Sunday night until about
2:30 o'clock Monday morning, when
we came to a ranch where we found
Mexican who talked English. He
told us Pilares was three miles south
We asked him to take US there. but
he told us the Mexicans would Kill us
If we went there. SO we got him to
take us to road down which we
NHihCO dDOuI al HOuI.
AT O'Clock Monday morning we
headed down what we thought was the
Rio Grande. We started climbing over
the hills, following the course of the
river. Then we walked all day Mon
day, walking an hour and resting half
an hour. Monday night we walked by
moonlight until 1890 p. m, when we
went to sleep and slept until a. M
Tuesday.
"Tuesday we walked until a:3o q. M,
when we took to the river and swan
for five hours downstream, taking ten
minutes rest four different times.
When we came to the rapids we de-
cided we must land and walk
Find Village, Hire Burros
started over the mountains. | had a
little fever. We lay down on a noun
tain path and slept until a. N.
Wednesday, We saw smoke from q
village and headed in that direction.
We thought the village was Just
around the corner from Candelaria.
We reached the village and got lots Of
food
"Thon we hired a Mexican with three
burros to take US to Candelara We
were ready to start, when an armed
Mexican came up and addressed the
Mexican VIC had employed. The armed
man spoke in Spanish. Then he left
huriedly.
"We began our journey on burros
with our Mexican guide. We soon were
ovortaken by six armed bandits and
many townspoopc. All but two of the
bandits loft US, but these two contin-
ued following us. After going about