The daily banner., 1919-08-23
l. S.FLIERS ilN)
BANDITS AIR
AIfDIaDes With Bombs 10 Force
Outlaws From Cover.
FOUR OESpERAOOES TRAPPED

American Soldiers Run Down Bandits
in sIockhouse and Only Two Es-
| cape
Maria, Tex, Aug. 2S.-Headquar-
| ters Of Jesus Renteria, head of the
| bandit gang which held two frmy air
men for ranSon, have been discovered
| in he Mexican mountains.
| Two aigplanes left MarfaEto bomb
| the outlaws from their fastness.
| The planes carried heavy supply
| of explosives. 1t was Indicated the
Mexicans would get taste of real
| ''straing
AS long as the American punitive
expedition continues to follow hot
| trail. it vii remain in Mexico, unless
orders 10 rhe contrary are received
from The war department. Major Gen.
eral Joseph I. Dickman, conlmander
Of the southern Department., so an
| nounced.
Previously it had been said a search
Of a. least a week more was sc0ntem-
plated.
Il telegraphed the war department
that the troops are still on the trail
of the bandits General Dickman
said. AS long as we are able to
follow those trails, the punitive ex-
pedition viii continue. If we lose the
trails and lind the hunting no longer
good, we will order the troops OUT
General Dickman had high praise
for the eighth and the fifth cavalry,
and for the manner in which Colonel
George T Langhorne has conducted
the campaign. He said
If the troops could stay in8Mexico
as long as was desired, the best plan
would be TO infest the whole region
with soldiers and hunt the bandits
down like rabbits. As this cannot be
done, since we are liable to be order
ed out any minute, it is better 10 keep
together.
The general added:
This is a measure OF safety. Ii
attacked in force, it is possible for
the troops to fight their way cut. II
would take q considerable force Of
Mexicans to stop 300 brave Anaeri.
cans who are good shots"
General Dickman said he WqEid re-
turn TO headquarters al Fort Sam
Houston, San Antonio.
Killing of four dexaean andits,
trapped In aps adobe bloekhOllge 3yg
the expedition, was 1esefihed b Cap
tain Leonard Matlack. eightE
He returned to Maria by airp4anes
Captain Matlack ransomed Lieuten-
ants Davis aadnPeterson.s sarny fliers,
from Reuteria' 9 bandits.
When the americans approached
the b1ockhouse- the Msxicans opened
| fire frem loophoies. Two Of the band
escaped.
Three Of the four MexicanS killed
| have been identified as, Jesus Janir,
Francisco Janir and@Joses aFuentes.
The Identity of the SfouFtBs bandit has
mot been aaseertained. All four are
known to Captain Matlack rs bandits
operating along the Big Bend border
for years.
The TWO men who escaped were pur-
sued but the trail was lost in the
mo mOuntain.5canons.
Captain Matlack said .he passed
column of 2600 CarranZa troops be-
low the border. The Carranza COM
mander asked where the Americans
were going. When he was informed
they were pursuing bandits, he waved
his hand and said, go ahead"
Captain Matlack came from Mexi-
co at sunset In an airplane driven by
Lieutenant Eugene Eubank, to report
the progress of the expedition to Ma.
jor General 'Dickman. Captain Mat
lack said the American troops are In
high spirits.
Captain Matlack further said If he
had not ridden away with Lieutenant
Davis when. the ransom was paid he
and the lieutenant probably would
have been killed by the bandits.
He made -a-report to this effect to
General Dtekman, in.explalning why he
escaped from the bandits without pay
ing the full ransom Of $4,000.
| Captain Matlack said while waiting
for Jesus Repterias men to bring Da
Wis to the appointed place he saw two
Mexicans slipping through corn6eld
and overheard one bandit say In Span
! ish to the other:
We will slip around between him
! (Matacky and the river and kill him"
Hearing this, Captain MatIack told
Davis to jump on his horse and made
= dash for the line.