The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-22
MEXICAN PROTEST
WILL NOT HASTEN
WITHDRAWAL i. S.
TROOPS IN MEXICO
Immediate Withdrawal Is
Asked i'm Formal Protest
to State Department by
Carranza Ambassa-
dor Yesterday

Maria, Tex, August FL.
Four Mexican bandits were
killed by American troops IN
Mexico yesterday, Capt. Leon
ard Matlock, who arrived here
by airplanc tonight, reported.
They were surrounded In an
adobe blockhouse that the Mex
leans had constructed in
mountain pass
The bandits fought desperately when
they found they were trapped and two
escaped. when the American troops
approached the bIockhOuse with the In
tention of searching ii the Mexicans
opened fire from portfolios.
The fire was returned and the block
house charged by the American cavalry
troops.
Three of the four Mexicans killed
have been identified as Jesus Janlr,
Francisco Janir and Jose Fuentes. The
identity Of the fourth bandit has not
been ascertained All four were known
to Captain Matlack as bandits operat-
. ing along the Big Bend border tor
years.
The two men who escaped were pur-
sued. but the trail was lost in the
mountain canyons.
1t was definitely established that
Jesus Renteria, leader of the outlaw
band that captured Lieutenants and
Davis, American aviators. was not
among the dead.
Captain Matlack said he passed
column of 200 Carranza troops below
the border yesterday. The Carranza
commander asked where the Americans
were going. When he was inforlnei
that they were pursuing bandits ne
waived his hand and said: Go ahead.
Major General Dickman, commander
of the southern department. said To-
night that he would remain here to-
morrow to go over the Big Bend dis
frict situation with Col George I.
Langhorne. He had planned to return
to San Antonio tonight.
While the exact location of the troops
was withheld for military reasons, 1t
was known they had gone SO Tar INTO
the interior that it was necessary TO
send money to commanders so they
might purchase supplies. The line Oh
communications was getting too long
to transport provisions, it was stated
Captain Matlack came from mexico at
sunset in an airplane driven by Lieut.
Eugene Eubank, who landed in a Mexi-
can mountain valley, picked up the cap
tain and returned with him to report
the progress of the punitive expedltlon
to General Dickman.
Matlack said the American troops were
in high spirits.
a.
is weN,- he said. I'VE are making prog
ress in the pursuit Hard storms have
slackened our speed somewhat, but we
consider that we made good time.
AFTER leaving the Rio Grande Monday
morning, soon after daylight, the ex-
pedition followed a fresh trail. The four
men to whom the money had been paid
had a start of more than five hours on
us.
I'VE followed them to high mountain
mass. where they scattered, one going
north and three southwest, as indicated
by fresh tracks. They scattered ike
quail, and it was difficult to follow them
because the fight with the bandits IN the
fortified block house started as soon
as the American troops commenced to
search the place, fire being opened by
the Mexicans from loopholes. The troops
returned the fire.
-Four bodies were found. Two of the
bandits escaped. They were sun peing
pursued These two latter outlaws are
believed to have been members OF Rem
teris.s gang, but the aviators could not
identify them.
Capt. Matlack will return to his troops
in Mexica tomorrow. He held long con-
ference with General Dickman and Col.
George T. Langhorne. commander of the
Big Bend district, tonight.
Fear of a clash between isolated Car
nd ANA g
relieved by a telegram from Gen. Man
-uel Dieguez, whose command includes
the Ojinaga district. to Gen. Antonio
Pruneda commander of that district,
saying that the American troops were
wholly within their rights under a treaty
of 1882 in pursuing bandits.
The treaty is said to have originated
when American and Mexican troops were
pursuing an Apache leader back and
forth between the two countries.