Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-08-22
Fugitives Fight Desperately and
Two of Them
Escape.
OPEN FIRE ON u. S.
MEN FROM PORT HOLES
Troops Penetrate Far Into Ojinga
Country-Entire Force of Texas
Guard Offered to
Dickman.

Maria, Tex, Aug. 2l-Four Mexi-
can bandits were killed by American
troops in Mexico yesterday, Capt.
Leonard Matlack who arrived here by
airplane tonight reported. They
were surrounded in an abode block
house that the Mexicans had con-
structed in mountain pass.
The bandits fought desperately
when they found they were trapped
and two escaped.
When the American troops ap-
preached the block house with the
! intention of searching it for hidden
bandits, the Mexicans opened fire
from port holes. The fire was re-
( turned and the block house charged
! bv the American cavalry troops.
Three of the four Mexcans killed
have been identified as Jesus .Janir,
Francisco Janir. and Jose Fuentes.
The identitv of the fourth bandit
has not yet been ascertained.
All four of the men are known to
Captain Matlack as bandits operating
along the Big Bend border for wears.
The two men escaped were pursued
but the trail was lost in the noun
tain canyons.
] IT is known that Jesus Renteria.
leader Of the outlaw band that
cantured Tieuts. Harlod G.. Peterson
and Paul Fl. Davis. American avia-
tors was not among the dead.
Captain Matlack said he passed Il
lcolumn Of 200 Carranza troons below
the border yesterday. The Carranza
commander, Matlack reported, asked
where the Americans troops were
going. When he was informed that
the Americans were pursuing BAN
dts who had held American aviators,
the Carranza commander waved his
hand and said $50 ahead" No effort
was made to hinder the punitive
exnedition.
. Captain Matlack came from Mexico
at sunset this evening in an airplanc
driven bv Lieut. Eugene Eubank,
who landed in Mexican mountain
valley. picked up the captain and re-
turned with him to report the prog
ress Of the punitive expedition to
General Dickman.
According to Matlack, the Ameri-
can troops are in high spirits and
| keen for the chase Thew are will
, ing to ride day ard night through
! storms and over all sorts of trails to
, overtake the bandits. Amon9 the
most enthusiastic members Of the
expedition are the Young aviators,
Peterson and Davis Matlack said
Everyone in the axpeditionarv
} force is well" Captain Matlack said.
! 1--WE have had no casualties. excent
/. one man who had cactus thorn in
: his hand.
5 eve are making nrogress in the
, pursuit Of the bandits. Hard storms
= have slackened our speed some
what. hut we consider that we mado
Z good time"
r Two in Getaway.
after leaving the Rio Grande
Monday morning soon after daylight
| the expedition followed fresh trail,
he said. "The four men to whom the
!. money had been paid had a start Of
: more than five hours on US.
1--WE followed them to high noun
i tain pass, where the four scattered
e one going north and three southwest
S as indicated by the fresh tracks. \
was difficult to follow them because
of the faint trails.
"The fight with the bandits in ths
IIOTCIIlcu UIOChHOuSC ct0A tSN 90 SNSA
as the American TROOPS commenced
to search the place, fire being open
il ed by the Mexicans from loop holes
: "Four bodies were found. Two O.
J. the bandits escaped. They still arr
d being pursued. These two latter out
IS laws are believed to have been mem
g bers of Renteria's gang, but tn
IS aviators could not identify them"
: Captain Matlack will return to hi
re troops in Mexico tomorrow. He hat
i a long conference with General Dick
. man and Col. George 7. Langhorn
tonight.
Threatened Matlack.
If Captain Leonard M. Matlack ha'
O had not spurred his horse, carryini
Lieut.. Paul H. Davis on behind, AM
/ made a dash for the border las
| Tuesday morning, when the aviators
! ransom was paid, there is little doub
!, but that he and Lieutenant Davi
4 would have been killed by the Mex
lean bandits.
/. This developed here tonight whel
Captain Matlack arrived from "a
! punitive expedition and reported T
J General Dickman and Colonel Lang
horne the reason he escaped ffou
I the bandits without paying the ran
! som. Captain Matlack said that Will
! waiting for Jesus Renterias men e