Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-19
y. S. Troops Cross
Mericdn Border

called Tor us 10 halt, but SAID 10 to
| Ii and crossed "
Lieutenant Peterson crossed the bor-
der to the American side at 10 a. M.
and Captain Matlack brought back
! Lieutenant Davis forty five minutes
later
Completely confused in their dircc-
tiOns, LicutPnants Peterson and Davis
/ believed they were on the American side
of the border the entire time from the
/ fall of their plane until their release.
Lieutenant Peterson. first to cross
the border today. made the following
! statement
I'VE fell about noon Sunday. We
! thought we were about two miles from
| Candrlarn. We walked all Sunday
afternoon and Sunday night until about
. 80 Monday morning, when we came
to ranch where we found Mexican
who talked English. He told us PiIares
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
=
"Six o'clock Monday morning we
headed down what we thought was The
Rio Grandp. 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 10: 80 p. M, When we
went to sleep and slept until u a. m
| Tuesday.
/ "Tuesday we walked util Q 80 a. M,
when we took to the river and swain
! for five hours downstream. taking ten
minutes rest four different times. When
we came to the rapids We decided we
must land and walk.
I'VE landed dried our clothes and
started over the mountains.
Wandered for Three Days
Il had a little fever We lay down
on a muntain path and slept until 6
a. m. Wednesday. We saw smoke from
village and headed in that direction.
We thought the villug" was just around
the corner from Candcaria. We
reached the village and got lots Of food
Then we hired a Mexican with three
were ready to start when an armed
Mexican came up and addressed the
Mexican we had employed. The armed
man spoke in Spanish. Then he left
hurriedly.
I'VE began our journey on burros
with our Mexican guide We soon were
overtakcn by six armed bandits and
many townspeople. All but two of the
bandits left US. but these two continued
following us. After going about forty
five minutes the bandits stopped us and
told the Mexican owner of the burros
to return to his home. The Mexican
, objected, as we were riding his burros.
, The bandits then headed us up the val
| Icy to a village where they made the
] Mexican drink
II gave the one armed bandit leader
1 50 and he arranged for food for us and
| liquor for himself. The bandits took
us on to ranch whore they got a
horse and mule for us to ride. This
was about p. m. Wednesday. We
, rode until midnight. Then we slept un
, Ill : 30 o'clock Thursday morning. Re
1 sumng our journey, We continued in the
mountains all day Thursday and slept
- tho r,,o,,,to;,,, =. ,;o,l,
Bandits Demand Ransom
Friday afternoon about 6 80 the
bandits stopprd the horses and sai1
they wanted to have little chat with
us. The bandits told US to write the
f messages saying ransom must be paid
, for our release. Tho bandit leader
r Np"k" English very we'll. lie had
worked on the railroads IN Kansas and
had lost an arm and leg in an acci
dent, Il" said.
f We stayed overnight in the noun
,".,I ",'n e ,"H n'T,i, "'[m t 'n' lr"u'F
| Tbn hond;t. foroaod for food ...
bod nIa,t,. r. oot W. oar,,nnd "'iT aiI w., w..
| SUNDAY Tbe leader LOFT SmndaT " rirbt "I
and retDrnod Monday morning Ue
| soid thc money for our release worIJ
bc mid
I'VE left there at noon Monday and
then camped until 9 o'clock Monday
night when we started to meet Captain
Natlnck We met him at approyimatcly
- a. m. today. After bringing me
over the border. he returned for Lieu
tenant Davis.
we were we'll trcatod We had
plenty of food There y ere .hrco bandits