Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-18
Ransom Is Asked for
Two u. S. Officers

Peterson Son Of Merchant.
Hutchinson, Mimi. Aug. H.
Lieut.. H. G. Peterson, who with
Lieut.. Paul Davis is reported held
for ransom by Mexican bandits, is
the son of Samuel G. Peterson, a
clothing merchant of this city.
| His mother and two sisters are
the other members OF the family.
Lieutenant Peterson enlisted in
aviation corps at the entry of the
United States into the war. Most
of his work has been done at Filing
ton field, Tex. His stunts were so
daring that upon one occasion he
was put under restraint for almost
three months, his family said.
Money Is Raised.
| One of the aviators> parents stated
in his message he would put up the
total ransom if the government de-
clined to meet the demand of the
bandits.
| At a cowboy camp meeting in
progress at Fort Davis, largely at
tended by cowboys and cattlemen
from the Big Bend, $4,000 was sub
scribed in. IS minutes today for the
payment of the ransom and the Mar
ia and Fort Davis banks were Or
dered to place the money at the dis
posal Of the proper authorities at 8
O'Clock tomorrow morning.
A message was also received here
tonight from Brig. Gen. James B.
Erwin, commander of the Ell Paso
military district, stating the $4,000
ransom could be furnished by him.
Although a few Villa rebels were
reported near Pilares recently, the
bandits holding the Americans are
believed to be Chico Cano's famous
band, which has been operating in
the Ojinaga district for years. Cano
was wounded when troops X and M,
under Captain Matlack, crossed in
pursuit of his band last March. He
was said to have been a Carranza
captain. At one time later he
claimed to be a Villa follower but
has operated independently most of
the time as a bandit.
Held for $4,000 Ransom.
FL Paso, Tex, Aug. I'm an
official statement issued at military
headquarters here tonight and
signed by Brig. Gen. James B. Err
win, district commander, it was an
nounced that Maj. l.. A. Walton,
commander of the aero unit at Fort
Bliss, had rec ived message from
Lieuts Paul II. Davis and Harold
G. Peterson, stating they had been
captured by Mexicans and were be-
ing held for $4,000 ransom, which
must be paid by August Is, accord
ing to the message.
Arrangements were being made
here to obtain $4,000 gold coin
and to send it to Maria early Mon
day for the payment of the ransom,
as it is feared they will be killed by
the bandits unless the ransom is
paid before tomorrow night.
Lost For a Week.
The flyers have not been heard
from since last Sunday morning,
when they left Maria, Tex, to patrol
the Big Bend border district.
Although American and Mexican
troops have searched on both
sides of the Rio Grande no trace
of the aviators has been found.
Lieut.. Peterson, the pilot of the
b1plane, which has been missing
since last Sunday, is Is years old.
and is from Hutchinson, MINI.
Lieut.. Davis is % years old and is
from Strathmore, Calf, but has
relatives in Berkeley. Calf.
Full Text of Statement.
The full text of the statement is
sued at Military headquarters to-
night by General Erwin reads as
follows:
"A telegram was received this aft
ernoon by Maj. L. A. Walton, COM
mander of the aero unit at Fort
Bliss, repeating message signed
by the two aviators who have been
missing since Sunday, stating they
had ben captured by Mexicans and
were being held for $4,000 ransom.
which must be paid by August Is
c. they would be killed.
"This message was brought into
town in the Big Bend district by
we'll known bandit. Col. George T.
Langhorne, commanding officer of
the Eighth cavalry and the Big Bend
district, wired the commanding gen
eral of the Ell Paso district that the
message is authentic and that he is
taking all necessary measures to Sc
cure the release of the aviators and
has presented this matter to the
proper authorities. The name Of
the place from which the message
was sent, as we'll as thee place where
the ransom is to be paid, is not
given. as It might interfere with the
release of the aviators."
On Detached Duty.
Aviators Peterson and Davis are
part of the personnel OF the Fort
Bliss aviation corps, but were on
detached duty with the Big Bend
district military headquarters at
Maria. Tex, at the time, they disap-
peared. They left Maria last Sum
day 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 riv-
er, 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.
Another theory advanced here by
fellow aviators is that they were
forced to land either on the Amer
lean or Mexican side of the border
in the wild country of the Big Bend
district and were made prisoners by
the Mexican bandits who make
marauding trips across the border at
frequent intervals in search of cattle