New-York tribune., 1919-08-18
Bandits Demand $4,000
on Threat to Murder
Two Officers Missing
From Texas Over Week
General Dickman
Calls Conference
Secretary Baker Discusses
Matter With March ;
Withholds Comment

LII ACOS ACA', aug. AN OulN's.l
statement was issued at military head
quarters here tonight signed by
Brigadier General James B. Erwin,
district commander, announcing that
Major L. A. Walton, commander of
the aero unit at Fort Bliss, had re
ceived message from Lieutenants
son, the two aviators missing since
last Sunday. The armen said they
had been captured by Mexicans and
were being held for $4,000 ransom.
The ransom must be paid by August
18, or the two aviators would be
murdered, according to the message
Arrangements we're being made
here tonight to obtain $4,000 gold
coin and to send it to Maria early TO-
morrow for payment of the ransom.
This action was deemed advisable to
protect the men.
Dispatches from San Antonio to-
night stated that Major General
Joseph 7. Dickman, commander of the
Southern Department, and staff Of
ticers, were in conference late to-
night as result Of reports that the
aviators were held for ransom. The
Antonio have been advised, must .,e
paid Monday to Dawkins Fitzpatrick,
a storekeeper at Candelaria
General Dickman said reports 20
ceived indicated the two airmen came
down at the little town of Dilares,
which is on bo.h sides of the Rio
Grande. He declined to state what
steps had been taken to affect d
rescue.
The statement issued at military
headquarters tonight by General Err
win after telling of the receipt of the
demand for ransom, said:
Name of Prison Withheld
"This message was brought into d
town in the Big Bend district by a
we'll known bandit Colonel G. T.
Langhorne, commanding officer of the
8th Cavalry and the Big Bend district
wired the commanding general of the
Ell Paso district that the message is au-
thentic and that he is taking all neces-
sary measures to secure the release of
the aviators and has presented this
matter to the proper authorities. The
sage was sent. as we'll as the place
where the ransom is to be paid, is not
given, as it might interfere with the
release of the aviators."
Lieutenant Peterson is twenty-five
years old and is from Hutchinson
Mimi. Lieutenant Davis is twenty
three years old and is from Strath-
more, Cal.
Replies to messages sent their rela-
tives by Lieutenants Davis and Peter
son were received at Maria, Tex. late
tonight. The messages from the ava-
tors were received at the same time
the demand for the $4,000 ransom for
the release was brought to the border
IN off <-
get the replies to the aviators in the
bandit rendezvous in Mexico.
Avlators Peterson and Davis are a
part of the personnel Of the Fort Bliss
Aviation Corps, but were on detached
duty with the Big Bend district mill
tary headquarters at Maria, Texas
when they disappeared. They left
Maria last Sunday morning for the
usual patrol of the border, planning to
follow the north bank Of the Rio
Grande to the end of the district.
1t is believed by aviation officers
here they confused the Conchos River
which flows into the Rio Grande. near
Preside, Tex, with the Rio Grande
and followed the course of this river
into the interior of Mexico.
Misled Into Mexico
When it became known at Fort Bliss
tonight that the aviators were re-
ported held by Mexican bandits there
was much discussion among army Of
ficers of the possibility Of American
troops crossing the border in search
of the bandits. This was discredited
by higher officers for two reason. The
principal one advanced was that the
American aviators would be Killed if
an expedition crossed in pursuit. The
other was that orders for expeditions
to cross the border in the Big Bend
district apply only to the pursuit of
bandits who have stolen property on
the American side and then only to fol
low "hot trail"