Deming graphic., 1921-05-03
villista Bandits Deported TO Mexico
Following Aequittal Here ON
Charge Of Murder Thursday.
WAS LOGICAL SOLUTION OF CASE
From First Little Interest In the Case
Was Manifested and the Verdict
Of the Jury Was no Surprise.

'Finis' was written after the clos |
ing episode OF the Columbus raid when
the sixteen villa bandits acquitted OF
"A charge Of murder for their partici- |
patton In the tragic event of March D,
1916, were deported by immigration
authorities Saturday morning at III
Paso. The men had been turned over
10 the immigration authorities Satur- |
day morning; they were Immediately
taken 10 III Paso and entered Mexico
through Juarez. There was no inter
est here In the departure Of the rem
nant Of the villa command.
According TO reports current In El
Paso the bandits will go at once TO join
their old commander ut Canutillo. Dur
ango, where they will, no doubt ENTER
into the joys OF their lord"
The men are practically all residents
of Namiaulpa or its neighborho0d
IL has been almost five years since
they were captured In Mexico by the
Porshlng punatlve expedition and
sentenced TO life terms In the New
Mexico pcnitentiary.
The sixteen yiilista bandits who
were acquitted Of a charge Of murder
last Thursday afternoon for the killing
of W. Il. Richie at Columbus March
o. 1916 will shortly be turned over to
the u. =. immigration authorities for
deportation to Mexico There are three
Indictments still standing against fif-
teen OF the sixteen bandits and seven
more against the remaining one. These
were dismissed, as the testimony In
each Is practically identical with that
already held by jury 70 be insuffi-
cient. The jury was out Thursday eve
ming only an hour aud had reached It's
decision ON the first ballot in fifteen
minutes.
Hopes OF the prosecution TO obtain a
conviction waned rs the afternoon
drew to a close without disclosing tes-
timony more conclusive than tnat
brought out at previous Villistn trials
and which had, quite evidently, lost
its punch" The judges instruction
to the jury was In first degree murder
and called for acquirtff-or verdict In
the first degree. These instructions
gave the jury ample grounds ON when
to find for the defendants
There were few present when the
Jury reported, the court having been
adjourned with the expectation OF a
long wait for verdict Judge Ryan
had to he called and the prisoners
brought In. The bandits were visibly
nervous and apprehensiye, but main
tanned the stolid composure OF Indian
ancestry. Hugh Ramsay, foreman, an
swered In the affirmative when asked
IL the Jury had reached a verdict, ana
he handed the verdict to the cler.: 81
the court who was directed 10 read IT.
There was long preamble of legal
verblage before the verdict was dis
closed and all this had to be translated
into Spanish while the prisoners wait
I'd with tense drawn features. When
the long hoped for words were pro-
nounced there was no demonstration
no marked change in posture or facial
expression. Like men drawing back
from the brink OF the grave they neith'
or spoke nor smiled, but as one man
they rose In their places while one "a
their number Mariana Jimenez thank
ed the Jury In broken English from
the bottom OF our hearts, as he eX-
pressed Il. There was no lack of per
sons present to congratulate the for
tunate bandits, taking by the hand
men who had admitted firing shots
into the burning town Of Columbus
where Americans We're being murdered
In cold blood. Americans, evidently
have short memories.
The morning following the bandits
and members OF the court and jury
were paraded before the Pathe news
camera. The bandits enjoyed the
'limelight' and willingly did the bid
ding OF the director They have re
covered from the depression and appre
hension of the gallows and their nat
urally resiliant and primitive natures
respond to the changed conditions
they smile and chat and are glad.
There was no criticism 0f the jury''
findings I'm Deming, though it Is TO bS
supposed that the verdict will not bt
altogether appreciated In Columbus
where the memory OF those who wert
murdered cannot so quickly he lost
Most OF Luna county citizens feel, u
seems evident. that the verdict ren
dered is a logical solution and the bes'
that cnp be expected In case that Il
as old as this one was. A verdict o.
guilty would have placed a new DiOo'
horror over the community and this :
great majority OF the citizens woul'
have avoided at any cost
The verdict last Thursday bring
10 an end the tragic Incident Of th,
Columbus raid by villa bandits. Al
ready It's details are vague In tn
minds of many who had firs;-hans
knowledge ~ II and its scant historical
Importance will soon relegate Il to th'
realm Of forgotten yomances OF th'
horderslde.
The Columbus raid was once OF vas
political importance, President WI
sons reelection to the presidency pelnl