South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-30
BIELASKI RELATES
STORY OF ESCAPE
FROM BANDIT GANG
Former Department of Justice
Head Believes Capture Was
Work of Amateurs.

MEXICO CITY, June 2s.-CBy A.
PA. Bruce Bielaski, former head
OF the investigation bureau of the
American department OF justice, who
was kidnapped several days ago
hat who escaped from his captors
and returned TO Mexico City Wed
nesday night. Thursday related the
story Of his adventure to the news
paper men. He expressed the belief
that his capture was made by anna
flourish bandits solely in the hope of
obtaining a ransom; that II was not
political in its conception nor an
act of vengeance for his work While
connected with the department oil
justice.
"My captors," said Mr.. Bielaski,
were men of the low peasant class,
who, l am convinced. had no idea
the occupants OF a large automobile
ais possibly being persons Of means
who could be held for a handsome
ransom.
Il suffered the inconvenience OF
exposure, but was never harshly
treated. My captors were extremely
careless in guarding me. and L had
many opportunities Of csc lping prior
TO Wednesday morning, when ]
eluded them and got away.
The most arduous period conse-
quent upon my kidnapping was fol-
lowing my escape, when l walked
many miles in the darkness and
through jungles TO TetecaIa. where
was cordially received by the fed
eral commandant and accorded
every assistance"
Mr.. Bielaskfs escape was made
from a mountain cave shortly after
midnight Taking advantage of the
sleeping guards, he dug his way out
of the cave and slipped away into
the darkness. As far as he knows
his escape was not detected before
daylight.
Immediately following his capture
Sunday morning, together with
Jesus Barcenas, a Mexican attorney,
Mr.. Bielaski was taken into the
hills several miles. from Puntla
Ixtlan.
Barcenas was released within a
few hours under a promise that he
would return to Cuernavaca and ar
range for a ransom. Pursuing cav
airy several times caused the kid
napers TO retire further into the
mountains, and by Tuesday night
Bielaski was convinced that his cap
tors had decided to kill him the next
morning. in view of their inability 10
collect a ransom Threats against
his life had been made throughout
the day on Tuesday
Plunged Through Jungle.
Plunging madly through the Jun
gle in the darkness. Bielaski reached
Tetecals at $50 o'clock Wednesday
morning and related his story 70 the
commandant who Immediately de-
spatched a cavalry TO Puntla Ixtlan
10 inform the garrison there.
An American rescue party imme-
diately automobiled 10 Tetecala and
brought Bielaski 10 Cuernavaca.
from which place he came 10 Mexico
City. Bielaski Thursday was warm
~ complimentary OF the treatment
he received at the hands OF the
Mexican authorities. He absolved
the young chauffeur who drove the
car from which he was taken on
Sunday OF any connection with the
kidnapping.
Bielaskf does not know the names
OF mis- captors. but he Thursday
Identified the picture OF a bandit be
longing in the region as one OF his
guards ]. J. Arce. a young Mex
lean engineer At Tetecala, who
studied at washington university. ST
Louis. Mo, was named by Bielaski
as the person finst to succor him and
make all the arrangements for his
return 70 Cuernavaca.
Mr. Bieiaski attended the session
OF the supreme court Thursday.
where the oil company with which
he Is connected IS in litigation with
another American oil concern.