Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-19
J. $. ACTS TO RESCUE MEN
 CAPTURED BY. VILLA BAND. 
State Department Takes Hand
 in Imprisonment of Ameri- can Citizen Below Border
Protection for Ranches and Employees Demanded; Nor Mon Bishop Held Captive
Ry Revlew Leasec wIrel

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The American embassy at Mexico City was instructed today by the state depart ment to request the Mexican govern ment to take every possible step to in- sure the protection of American citi- zens in tke territory in northern Mex leo where Villista bands again have become active. The Mexican authori- ties also will be asked to effect the release of James B. Whetten, an Amer ican, who, with Joseph Bentley, a bishop of the Mormon church and native Mexican was captured near Las Cruces, Chin, some days ago.
 Information that Whetten was in. the hands of the bandits reached the de- partment only short time before a telegram was received from Represen- tative Edward L. Hamilton of Mich igan, who said he had been informed by Warren & Go. that employees or the company's ranch at Ojitos, Chihuahua, were held by Martin Lopez, a Villa leader, who demanded $5000 ransom under threat of killing the prisoners and destroying the ranch. The mes sage said the foreman of the ranch was endeayoring to raise the money.
 Demand Protection
 In connection with this case the de- pertinent disclosed that two days ago it directed the embassy at the Mexican capital urgently to request the Mex ican government to extend the proper protection to the employees and the property of Warren & Co. at Ojitos.
 Information Eow in the hands of the state department shows that the band its have been active for at least 12 days and that their operations cover a comparatively wide range of terri tory. The town of Pearson in northern Chihuahua, was raided by Lopez and Ramon Vega on March 6, some time before the bandits descended upon Las Cruces and took Whetten and Bent ley. Representative Hamilton said Lopez had captured the towns of Janos and Ascension and that Lopez had 400 men under his command.
 Bands Again Active
 So far as has been made known, the state department has no specific information as to the operations of Villa himself. It was recalled today, however, that only recently Villa was reported to have stated that he pro- posed to launch campaign in north ern Chihuahua near the international line to develop the attitude of the American government. Until they be gan their present series of depreda- tions, Villa bands had been compara- lively inactive since the raid on CO lumbus, N NJ, in 1916, which led to the despatch of an American force into Mexico under General Pershing. Lopez and Vega were iVlla's chief lieu tenants during his campaigns in north ern Mexico, before the Columbus raid
 JUAREZ, Mexico, March 1S.-Mex- ican federal troops have been ordered to proceed to Western Chihuahua by forced marches to rescue Bishop Jos eph c. Bentley, president of the Juarez Mormon stake, James D. Whet- ten, chief missionary of the stake and Albert Tietjen, another member of the Mormon colony in Mexico. They were captured by Villa troops near Las Cruces, and are being held in Villas main camp, according to un confirmed reports received by Nor mon church officials from Mormon of- ficials in Colonia Dublan and Colonia Juarez.
 Colonel Agustin Mora, commander of the Juarez border district, official ly announced late today that General Zuazua with 800 cavalry had been or dered to proceed from Nuevas Casas Grandes into Western Chihuahua in an effort to locate and rescue the three MOrInons
 To Rescue Spencer
 At the same time Colonel Del ArcO, with an infantry command. he said, will proceed from Guzman toward Ascension, Ojitos, and Janos with or ders to drive off the Villa command
 Continued on page two)