Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-20
Communication With Force
Which Pursues Mexicans
Temporarily Cut.
ONE SKIRMISH INDICATED
BY DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE
Heavy Rains Wipe Out Old Trails,
But May Aid Capture of Men
Who Held Army Officers.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
MARIA. Tex. August 2o.-some.
where lin Mexico. opposite Candelaria.
Tex. American soldiers today continued
the pursuit. begun yesterday. of bandits
who captured and held for ransom
Lieuts. Peterson and Davis, American
auators. rescued yesterday after pay
ment Of $500 in gold to the bandit
leader.
Military headquarters here was with
out Information from the punitive ex-
petition. heavy storms in tho mountains
OF Chihuahua interrupting communion
ton via the field telephones of the
Army.
Aviators Attacked.
Possibility that the American soldiers
already have had their first slkirmish
with the bandits was indicated last
night when two aviators returned to
the American side with bullet holes in
the plane of their machine and a re-
port that they had been attacked by
three Mextcans one of whom they be-
lfeved they killed with their machine
bullets. Another was believed to have
flight
First reports said the cavalry was In
pursuit Of the remaining bandit, but
communication was interrupted and no
further word came fom the punitive
force.
Four airplanes which arrived from
Fort Bliss, near Ell Paso. were to aug
ment the air protection Of the sth
Cavalry in Mexico today.
Rain Affects Trails.
Rains last night are believed To
have wiped out the trails of the
bandits. but it was not without its
advantages. however. for the softened
condition of the earth will make fresh
trails more easily discernible than the
trails made previous to the rains.
The expeditionary force for q time
moved forward in the face Of high
winds, accOrdiug 70 the reports. The
two lieutenants, Peterson and Davis.
guided the. Americans, in their quest
of the Mexican outlaws.
With nearly six hours. start on the
punitive expedition. the bandits are
believed to have scattered in the
mountain passes and canyons. and IL
probably will be necessary to search
every square mile of the rough coun-
try below the border to find them, in
the difficulty In locating the bandits
from the air. American aviators scout
ed almost the entire Ojinaga district.
1t was not known how many are in
the band. Aviators were told they
numbered sixty.
Arrangements for nurses. ambu-
lances and surgical dressings for the
punitive expedition troops were being
made by Elmer Donnell of st. Louis.
for use in case of emergency.
II. NJ FennelL. a banker of this
city. arrived late yesterday and an
nounced that the amount of ransom
actually paid for release OF the avia-
tors was $500 Fennell took the $l5,-
900 demanded to Candelaria. He de-
clared a recount of the money brought
back by Capt. Matlack, after release
of the aviators showed $500 re-
back to Maria and deposited it in .
bank. The money was in $50 bills.
FenneH said the Army would reim-
burse the cattlemen who subscribed
the ransom money.
Story Of Rescue.
Fennell told the first connected story
of events preceding the crossing OF
the American aviators to the United
States. He outlined preliminary ne
ROTATIONS Monday between Capt. Mat
of Renteria. who acted as a go-be-
tween.
He said the bandits insisted the de-
livery of the aviators be made after
dark, SO flares might be seen. The
crossed to San Antonio.
Chihuahua, opposite Candelaria. and
selected the spot where the aviators
were to be delivered. II was at an Old
tree q mile and half south
of San Antonio. The go-between then
returned to the American side ana
said arrangements had been COM
pleted.
When the flares agreed upon failed
to show after midnight. Capt. Matlack
crossed. He was gone more than half
an hour. returning with Lieut.. Peter
Here's ono Of them. thank Cod
Returning to the old cottonwood.
Capt Matlack told Lieut.. Davis to get
his horse without delivering the bal
ance of the money:
You can go plumb to hell. Tn going
back" the captain shouted as he gall
Matiack dismounted, Fennell said he
shook the money in their faces.
Look at that; I'm going back to-
morrow f ama c s 1ne toi Ess him. Fem
nell said.
once across the river, Sald
Fennell. I'VE asked them il thew lad
a good time. Davis said: I'll say I
did
Gen. Dickman Directs Pursuit.
SAN ANTONIO. Tex. August 2o.-
Mai. Gen. Joseph T. Dickman. COM
of the Southern Department,
will personally direct pursuit OF the
bandits, who captured Lieuts.
Davis and Peterson.
Tense Feeling on Border.
Ell. PASO, Tex, August 20.-Feeling
In tense regarding the border situa-
tion among inhabitants OF isolated
border towns In New Mexico and Ari- 2
Eona, according to reports to military
pfficers here. Americans wired that
HE Mexicans in those border towns
them and that great ex-
,itement prevails. The Mexicans have
uuit work in many instances. the
reports said. awaiting further de-
velopments on the American side.
army men here admitted the possible
ty of sending more troops to these
border posts.
Permission for Airmen to Cross.
MEXICO CITY. August -. Amer
can aviators were given permission
% cross the international frontier by
he Mexican government to search for
Lieuta. Harold q. Peterson and PAM