Arizona republican., 1920-02-06
BOR0ER RAIDS
 MENACE HOMES
 WITNESSES SAY
Must Eventually Quit Lands in Big Bend District of Texas Unless Better Pro- lection Afforded, Is Tes- timony
raeo,,bIiean A.. Leased wirei

E,I, PASO. Texas. Feb. 5--United States customs inspectors, Texas ran gers and civilian residents or the Bis Bend district told the senate sub b-com- roj1tee Investigating the Mexican situ ation today conditions along that stretch of the Rio Grande- were sucfl that it must, in the end. be apandohed by Americans unless more adequate protection is afforded Until year ago they agreed, Mexicans who crossed the river on raids might be reasonably certain they were gong 10 be pursued by American cavalry, put since then, for no reason any WilheSS could give, the attempted running down of the invaders had ceased
 The latest clash with Mexicans was described by Sergeant H. A. King, or the ranger service, stationed at Maria. That was on January 21. A Mexican appeared in front of store at Ere siclio, owned by D. T. Baldwin, after an altercation over the purchase oi some tobacco. and demanded that the storekeeper come out and ''be killed The arrival of two rangers interfered with his plan, but as they were lead ing him away a force of Mexlcahs crossed the river and started in their pursuit. In the running fight that LOOK place the rangers lost their prisoner. who afterwards was located on the Mexican side of the river.
 Forced to Sell Property T. F. Tigner, formerly a ranch owner, said he had been forced TO dispose or his property bepUse of the repeated 1 depredations ranging from ordlnafy cattle stealing to raids invoivlnS the killing of his employees C. D. Wood, 1 formerly a wax manufacturers Of Al =
 pine Texas gave his testimony. adding 1 ii was pretty dangerous there without l the soldiers
 1 Creed Taylor customs inspector a' | Maria; Grover Webb. mounted GUS toms inspector at Presidio, and +. NJ | Wadsworth. another customs inspector | of that district, told of the different l raids of which they had personal ! knowledge. Their testimony charged that Chico Cano, whose name haS been | repeatedly connected with stories ol | border outlawry, is now an officer m inc Carranza army. Webb, testified | that Cano had been seen at O]lnaga the northern military headquarters ol | the Mexican army. two weeks ago | where he had gone to collect his pay
 as a scout leader There also IS IT
 possession of the committee an official l American report to the war depart
 ment i'll which il is stated that cana now has 35 men under his command as scouts in the service of Carranza 1 The official army reports have named him as one implicated in the capture | of the American aviators, Lieutenanfs Peterson and Davis.
 Carranza Officials Instisate Raids
 $. H. Neill, now in the ranger service
 but who has been an officer either II that service or in the customs serylc'
 since 1873. gave the committee th' details of the raid on the Bright rancl on Christmas morning. 1917. He was
 enc of the two men who stood off tn'
 band of 40.
 According to Neilrs testimony anc
 that of every other witness, 1t ha' been impossible to secure any coopera ton from the Mexican authorities II the maintenance of order and thu
 stories of all agreed that in maJorlt,
 of cases it appeared that Carranz; 1 officials instigated raids.
 Major Webb told of cattle that ha' been driven from the American ranches and then their return made the sub feet Of negotiations by Mexican arm. officials Tn some instances Amer
 cans had paid for their return, but Il most cases the price demanded wa regarded as too high. Taylor reiate' , one instance of a stolen horse after wards ridden by the Mexican genera , commanding the post at OJinaga IL , return was requested. The general or ; fered to sell it.
 l. Neills participation in the fight
 Do