Arizona republican., 1919-08-21
PURSUIT OF BANDITS HAS RESULTED IN. CAPTURE OF
 TWO SUSPECTS IS REPORT
Captain Matlack Said to Have Taken Mex jeans Implicated in Capture of Ameri- can Aviators - Expeditionary
 Forces Are Weary

Eighth cavalry has captured two
 Mexicans believed to have been
 implicated in the capture of Avia-
 tors Peterson and Davis. This in-
 formation was brought to the bor-
 der by an American cavalry ser
 geant and a guard of enlisted men
 who returned to the Rio Grande
 tonight.
 MARTA, Texas. Aug. 20.-After thir- ty-six hours of campaigning iii Mexico below the Big Bend, following hot trails of the Mexican bandits who held Lieutenant Peterson and Lieu tenant Davis for ransom, American cavalry troops went into camp in the mountains tonight for the second time during the punitive expedition after Jesus Renteria's band.
 Since the troops crossed the Rio Grande early Monday morning, they have been riding constantly during daylight hours in pursuit of the ban dits. The only contact with the ban dits reported resulted in the killing of one of three Mexicans who fired on an American airplane yesterday Ac- cording to the aviators' report upon returning from the field the fight last ed twenty minutes. The aviators were unharmed.
 Field Reports Meagre.
 Rejorts from the field are meas gre. As a result of the broken country south of the border the troopers have been forced to scatter and follow such trails as they can pick up. The coun- try is too rough for airpianes to eff feet a landing below the border with out great danger
 A cryptic message still following trail' brought to the border by air. planes today was the only definite word from the expedition. No offic- CTS commanding troops in the field have yet returned to the field bases.
 Major General Jos. T. Dickman, commander of the southern depart ment, is expected to reach here tomor- row morning on an inspection of posts and camps along the border between San Antonio and Maria. While his Visit here at this time is not belived to be inspired by the local Mexican situation, the commander undoubtedly will go over the entire situation de- veloping from the capture and ran som of the American aviators with Colonel Langhorn, district commander. It is not known whether General Dickman will go to the border while here.
 Reports from Presidio. Texas told of movements of Mexican federal cav airy under General Antonio Pruneda today. General Pruneda left Ojinaga late last night, marching 40 miles up the Conchos river.
 The American troops have pro- gressed so far into the interior of Mexico, it was learned tonight, that it has been found impracticable to get forage and heavy materials over the trails. Today the cavalry obtained feed for their horses from the natives, paving cash for all purchases.
 Long wagon trains are plying be- tween the quartermaster depot here and the field base on the Rio Grande, carrying rations and supplies for the troops for the punitive expedition.
 Conditions More Favorable
 The soldiers are spending their sec ond night under Mexican skies under more favorable conditions than last night. There has been no rain since yesterday, and the ground dries rap idly in the Mexican desert country.
 The American troops are being 5dAdSO DS NlNllldn scouts selected from among famous frontiersmen of the Big Bend district who know every trail on both sides of the Rio Grande and speak Spanish like the natives. The soldiers, have been passing through small Mexican settlements in the mountains paying for everything they obtain and molesting none of the natives.
 Eggs are scarce and the prices are high. Sometimes fresh meat is ob tained from butchered steers.
 There are many good horses in the Ojinaga district, and ranchers say if 1t is possible for Renteria's bandits to obtain fresh mounts at frequent inter- vals their escape from the punitive expedition will be easy, because thev know the ledge country and trails like book. If they should be unable to obtain the horses, the American troops will have good opportunity to bring the bandits back.
 Little information can be obtained from the natives along the line of march, the Mexicans fearing death if the bandits learn they have given any information to the Americans.