Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-24
Americans Cross Border in
Pursuit Of Cattle Thieves,
XIII Five Men and Bring Back
the Cattle,
NO AMERICAN HURT;
ALL RETURN SAFELY
Find ,Mexicans Cooking One Of
Stolen BeeVeS and Meal Is
Eaten by Yanks After the
MexiCanS Are Beaten Off.

Maria, Tex, March 23-Troops of
the Eighth cavalry, under Capt. II. E.
Kloepfer, returned here today after
pursuing Mexican bandits across the
Rio Grande at Ruidosa. The MeXicans
were overtaken eighteen miles south
of the border and Captain Kloepfer
reports that five of them were killed.
No American was hurt The cavalry
men brought back thirty-five head of
cattle and two horses driven from the
Nunez ranch yesterday by the raid
ers.
Two MeXicans were wounded in the
fighting. making the casualties among
the cattle thieves seven of the total
number of twelve. Captain Kloepfer
reported to Col. George T. Langhorne,
commander of the district, that he
recognized the voice of one of the
men as that of Eugenio Garcia, for
mer Carranza captain in the vicinity
of ojinaga opposite Preside, Tex.
Congratulated by Cabell.
Mai. Gen. de Rosey c. Caben, COM
mander of the southern department,
who was here to make an inspection
of the Big Bend district, congratulated
Captain Kloepfer and his troops for
their work In oyertaking and defeat
ing the Mexieans, who crossed the RIO
Grande into the Chinati mountains
east cf se9i,GNsa, stole mum Der of cat
them into Mexico.
The raid on the Nunez ranch, near
nil CI
was reported to Coptain Kloepfer yes
terday afternoon. He communicated
with his sector and with the district
commander by field telephone, 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 report
ed to Colonel Langhorne at mead
quarters here, troops were sent from
Presidio Indio and other border sta
tons and captain Kloepfer gave Or
ders to follow the ''hot trail' into Mex
leo, which was done la e yesterday.
Kloepfer's troops returned at 2
o'clock this morning bringing with
them the thrty-five head of cattle
which had been driven into Mexico
and two stolen horses.
! Crosses the Border
Captain Kloepfer's report to head
quarters stated he crossed the river
seven miles below Ruidosa ford, came
| into contact and engaged the band
eighteen miles from the river cross
ing. lust at nightfall last night, OPEN
ed fire on the bandit band. Five
were killed in the first volleys fired
| into the rendezvous of the Mexican
cattle thieves and two wounded. None
of the American cavalrymen were
wounded during the firing.
The Mexicans had killed one stolen
steer and were cooking it for supper
when they heard the hoofs of the
American cavlary horses approaching
through the darkness. They took
positions on high hill overlooking
+; the trail and attempted to outflank
Kloepfer's troops in the darkness
Several of the cayalrymen'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 Ameri-
can cavalrymen who had nothing to
eat since noon. captured the bandits
evening meal and ate 1t before start
ing back to the border with the civil.
ian packers ,herding the stolen cattle
En- route to the border a torrentia
storm broke and the men were forced
to ride all night in binding dark.
ness punctuated with sleet and rain
Troop NJ was supported by Troops
and l. and the regimental machine
gun troop.
Fights Like Plays Polo.
Fort Bliss, Tex, March 23.-Las
Sunday afternoon officers of tn
Eighth cavalry won the border distric
! polo championship here. After tn
final game Captain Kloepfer, com
mander Of Trop M, and his fellow Off
i GERS together with Col. George 7
Langhorne attended tea dansan
4 given in their honor by Col s. r. II
4 Tompkins, of the Seventh cavalry, il
! the Seventh Horse club. One weel
I later these same officers were ridini
down the Mexican cattle thieves, VIII
raided the Nunez ranch.
I Colonel Tompkins said tonight whel
shown a report of the fight:
\ The Eighth fights like it play
polo. Judging from the reports, Trool
A M got the ball out of the scrimmage
I, followed through to the goal witt
Troops L, / and the machine gu
troops right behind to push the bal
through"
j The Eighth cavalry polo team, in
cluding Captain Kloepfer, is plannin
to leave soon for Del Monte, Calf, I,
play the Coronado, Del Monte Sa
Mateo and Burlingame polo teams.