New-York tribune., 1920-02-06
Chico Cano. Mexican Des-
perado, Attacked Texas
Ranch Is Days Ago,
.,anger Tells Senators
Nexico's Executive Paid
Under Cuise of Banditry, He
Abducted Army Aviators
and Killed Customs Men
By Wilbur Forrest
.,....,.,l p,spotch 10 TAc Tribut

u,x;can invaders: that Chico Cano.
.,r wears a lawless Mexican desperate
ara killer. as captain in the Carranza
s,mv. frequently leads raiding bands
.nross the RIO Grande, and that Car
,snxa army general and colonel have
soon seen recently riding horses stolen
rom United States customs officers Oh
ma American side. was testimony to-
Nv before the Senate Investigating
committee here
icsn soldiers pstrolling the RIO Grande
.re now forbidden by Washington to
s-oss the river in pursuit OF Mexicans
nho raid, steal and murder on the
AMERICAN side During the command
=; Colonel Langnorn in the Big Bend
~econ American cavalrymen crossed
,se river seven times. Colonel Lang
torn who VIII testify before the COM
mittee. possibly tomorrow, was re
.leved OF his command.
Virtually all witnesses testified tina,
Carrsnzista officers and soldiers are re-
snonsible for the raids. The Carran-
7i.tas control the Mexican side of the
Rio Grande Following their raids,
thew are now enabled to seek unmo-
ested sanctuary in their barracks just
across the river.
The committee developed, with evi-
dence presented to-day. that virtual
war has been waged between American
ranchers. United States customs Off
troops or one side and Mexican outlaws
and Carranza troops on the other since
1915. and that it still continues.
A klNC. sergeant OF le%aS
Rangers. testified Cano led his band
across the RIO Grande sixteen days
aso ard raided the store on Baldwin
ranch in the Big Bend. About two
weeks ago one OF Canos men appeared
at the store armed with two siX-shoot
ers and rife, threatening to kill Nh
BALDWIN This Mexican was arrested
BY two Texas Rangers, King testified,
and i've Of his companions came across
the Rio Grande to rescue him. \ bat
lie ensued. in which forty or fifty
shots were fired. and during the ex-
element the prisoner escaped.
PAID as Carranza Soldiers
Grover Webb. mounted United
states Inspector Of customs. testified
Chico" Cano and mis- band of thirty
the Carranza military Headquarters
wseAs ago receiving their pay as Car
rama soldiers. Cano is the Mexican.
VIC. under guiSe of bandis.y. abducted
Ih'.ed States Army -Avia tors Peterson
and lAvis last summer and neld them
ior $4,000 ransom. which was paid by
the United States military authorities
iOl thor release
Cano. the Tribune spondent
learned to-day was reported by Major
General Dickmar. commander of the
Southern War Department, December
81 as "a desperate bandit. now cap
tain in the Carranza army. with head
quarters at Ojjnaga.'
Stories OF raids in the Big Bend dis
rrict are being told here publicly for
the ,irst time. A wartime censorship
on Mexican border news inaugurateG
by the State Department and lifted
only after the armistice shrouded the
smaller war on American soil from
public knowledge. Terrible murders,
raids, cattle and horse stealing, pur-
suits and battles in which Texas Ran
gers American cavalrymen and ranch
ers occasionally took international law
IN their own hands and pursued the
Mexican raiders deep into Mexico. is
news which is gradually coming to
lght before the Senate committee here.
Conditions Remain "Violent''
That this information, however, has
been in the hands of administration Of
hcIa!s IN Washington all the time is
700 obvious 70 mention. Creed Taylor,
emted States customs officer, who for
two years patrolled the Rio Grande in
the Big Bend, told the Senators that
conditions have been and remain
violent He detailed the Mexican
raid on the Petit ranch, May 13, 1918,
when a detachment Of the Sth United
states Cavalry, under Colonel Lang
norm, the American commander in the
hg Bend, pursued the raiders forty
miles into the interior Of Mexico. Cat
tie stolen by the raiders were later
oNered 70 the American ranchmen
Tor ransom" of $40 head.
=, The witness told of raid on the
Cleveland ranch in September, 1918,
"hen several horses belonging to Amer
'cah customs officers were stolen and
uflven across the Rio Grande. Later
earranza army captain rode one of
.nese horses back across the river and
.ne animal was "recaptured" by the
Americans
The witness who followed Taylor
corroborated the testimony and de-
cared that in Ojinaga. Mexico, three
weeks ago, he had recognized two more
" 'ne horses, one in possession OF a
Nafranza colonel and the other now
o"hed by General Cordona, commander
" 'ne Carranza forces at Ojinaga
|. $ Mail Carrier Hanged.
"ebb's testimony told of d Mexican
raid on the Brite ranch, Christmas
Tvay 1871. when the raiders hanged a
'ed 1nted States mail carrier named
Mickey Nelch" to rafter in the
,ahch store and then cut his throat
~ the lighting at the ranch two Mex
'cehs We're killed, the witness said, one
u whom wore the uniform coat of
,arranza officer.
troop of Colonel Langhorn's cav
Sity pursued the raiders" the witness
ss'a; and at one point pressed them
~ 30 close they abandoned the loot taken
rom the store. Here again Carranza
yIacer's coat and sword were found.
me ,he troops crossed the Rio Grande into
i"e2lco and caught up with the band.
wasn't there during the fight" the
M'thess declared, but ] understand
,.:, nat eighteen of the Mexicans were
n''led. There were about thirty-hve
IN the band"
X. NJ Wadsworth, another United
sN'es customs inspector, told Of an
ambush laid by a band Of Mexicans un-
IN nNEl ls%