Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-05-09
BURMAN TAKEN
BY OFFICIALS
AT MATAM0R0S
Alleged Killer Of Tampico Gil
Men Captured After Being
Released From Cameron
County Jail

Jack Burmnn, alias Hallowell. who
was held in the Cameron county jail
on vagrancy charge. pending an effort
TO have him extradited to Mexico, where
he is wanted by the authorities OF the
state of Vera Cruz, upon the charge of
having murdered two oil company eLi-
ployes and wounding another in 1921.
10 now in the hands of Mexican officials
and on his way to Vera Cruz. having
been captured yesterday in a saloon on
the outskirts of Matamoros. Burman
was released from the Cameron county
Jail Saturday. the American Legion posts
Of Brownsville and Tampico having been
unable to secure his extradtion, and
Sheriff Robertson being unable to de-
tain him longer than the maximum for
vagrancy.
Immediately upon his release from
the Cameron county Jail Burman disap-
peared, and is believed to have taken TO
the brush. He is known as hard drink
er, and it is presumed that a craving
for liquor led him across the Rio
Crande. Mexican officers while making
the rounds Saturday morning happened
to identify him in small saloon on
the outskirts of the city and immediate
ly took him into custody and turned
him over to Vera Cruz official. who
had come to the border with n rcquisi-
tion from the supreme judge Of the
state. a requisition which Sheriff Rob-
ertson could not legally recognize.
Guards were secured and the rri> onei
left on the train yesterday afternoon :or
Vera Cruz where he will stand thai
on the murder charge.
Burman is alleged to have attempted
to hold up three American Gil com
pany employees in an automobile soutL
Of Tampico in 1921. after the men had
invited him to ride into the city with
them. He is alleged to have killed two
Of them, both members Of the American
Legion. and made his escape. heiag cap
tured few weeks later at Laredo. wnore
Re was held several months awaiting
sxtradition. He was finally released and
two weeks ago was arrested BY immi-
grafton men at Harlrger, and turned
over to Sheriff Robertson. The Ariois
can Legion. which had cndcavorcd to
secure Burman's extradition at Laredo.
was Immediately apprized Of his arrest.
and again took up the case. but withca,
success. The fact that the " .s;can P9v-
ernment has not been recogn.zoi made
extradition impossible, fedora, ard state
Officials stated.
"It was indeed a fortunate circun,-
stance that Burman came 10 he Mexi-
can side of the river and was rrc' griz-
ed" Matamoros official stated this
morning. "The Mexican government has
been endeavoring for two years 10 b,in;.
him to trial for the murders committed
near Tampico. For weeks ptrties of sol
die-s secured the country be'we' n lam
pico and the border and did not desisr
in their efforts until word cam& from
Laredo that he was under arrest there.
Then for months we endeavored to have
him extradited, bu. the fact that the
Mexican government had not been rec
ognizcd made extradition impossible.
The American Legion officers were as
eager to turn him over rs the Mexican
authorities were to secure him, but they
could not legally do that. However,
Burman himself has solved the pron
lem for u.s. He is now on his way 70
Vera Cruz. and there can he no doubt
that il his guilt is established he VIII
meet his just deserts"
Burman is French Canadian by
birth and became a naturalzed citizen
while serving in the army at Fort
Brown, prior to the war. He had ra-
ther unsavory army record. having been
court martialed for desertion, and was
finally discharged from an army hos
pital at Fort Sam Houston. going from
there to the Tampico oil fields.