Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE AUGUSTA DAILY HERALD VOLUME XIX. No. 51. EXECUTED AFTER TRIAL BY COURTMARTIAL ON THE ORDERS OE REBEL VILLA Act Called Wanton Murder By Friends of Millionaire Benton, a Subject of Great Britain—Warning of U. S. at Request of English Ambassador Came Too Late SEC’Y BRYAN ORDERS IMMEDIATE PROBE AFTER CABINET CONFERENCE No Single Act of the Revolution Has So Stirred Indignation. Villa Leaves Suddenly For Chihuahua. Washington.—Secretary Bry»n, af ter a cabinet conference, ordered an Immediate Investigation of the killing of W. 8. Benton, the English ranch owner, at Juarez, Mexico. Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, the ambas sador, asked the state department yes terday to take steps to protect the British subject. Official News. El Paso. Texas.—Win. S. Benton, of El Paso, Scotchman, subject of Great Britain, is dead. That was confirtneu by Gen. Pancho Villa and was offi cially conveyed to the widow here by United States Consul Edwards of Juarez. Mystery surrounds the report of the death. Wm. Benton, a cousin of the dead man, confirmed the report. By Military Court. Benton was executed Tuesday night after a trial in Juarez by a military court of which Federico Gonzales Gar za was the head, according to what appears to be a correct version of the affair. The charge against Benton was that he was implicated in a plot to take Villa's life. Villa#-eft for the south this morn ing. Benton was last seen alive in Juarez Tuesday morning. He was going to Villa's home and said he was going to "tell Villa what he thought of him,” for the manner In which his ranch •'Eos Remedlo," in western Chihuahua, had been looted by rebel soldiers. Not Armed. It Is supposed that Vllla'3 defense will be that the man was shot because he entered Villa's office and started to draw a gun. although the cousin says Benton did not go to Juarez armed. Benton had been in Mexico for about 25 years. He was about 45 years old. Benton and Villa have been ac quainted r many years. Benton knew him wi t n as an outlaw, more or less accepted as part of the Mexican social fabric, the then bandit crossed tho Benton ranch west of the Cits of Chi huahua. The ranch of 100,000 is con sidered one of the best In Mexico. It was well watered, contained fine pas turage and the owner was particularly proml of his orchard, which succeed ing bands of revolutionists cut Into firewood. Benton paid $125,000 for it but improvements were said to have brought the value close to $1,000,000. Made Complaint. It was with the assurance of this acquaintance behind him that the Scotchman went to Villa with com plaint of the depredations. Yesterday Villa, who has consistently denied that he had Benton in custody, told a re porter that Benton was armed when he made his visit. Quarreled. In the course of the Interview Ben ton and Villa quarreled and Benton was lost to view of his friends. James Hambleton, an Englishman, and others, including reporters, ex hausted every means of ascertaining the fate of the missing man but ev erywhere were met with evasions and denials. Consul Edwards was the first to learn the true facts. He gave Mrs. Benton only a bare outline of the case. "I have telegraphed ell details at my command to Washington,” said the consul, "and If made public Is must he from there. X pledged my word to Villa not to make the details pub lic.” Asked what disposition had been made of the body, Edwards replied: "I do not think It will be seen on this side of the border.” Regarded at Flight. Villa's sudden departure today is re garded as flight from the storm of in dignation which was presaged by the interest manifested in Benton’s disap perance. As forenoon wore on talk of a mass meeting grew but took no definite shape. Excited groups of American English, French and German refugees who have lost their property In Mex ico or compelled to abandon It tem ' porarily, assert that the time had come for foreigners to protest against treat ment being dealt out to them. LEST YOU FORGET BRITONS WILL BE WARNED TO LEAVE Washington, D. C.—ln communicat ing to the British ambassador the news of Benton's death, Secretary Bryan added he had ordered a thor ough Investigation. Pending that there is every disposi tion on the part of officials not onlv of the state department, but also of the British embassy, to maintain a Ju dicial attitude. It was said at the British embassy today that the action of the state de partment had been gratlfyingly prompt and thorough. Not Responsible. It was pointed out that the Ameri can government cannot he held re sponsible In any sense for Benton's death. While the state department has undertaken to extend protection to British subjects in Mexico where nec essary this has been done entirely by courtesy. Although it will be for the British foreign office to decide what shall be done after investigation establishes the facts In the Benton case, the un derstanding is that one Immediate re sult will be formal warning by the British government to all Its subjects in the country occupied by the consti tutionalists immediately to repair to places of safety. - Fear Consequences. „ El Paso.—lt is understood among border newspaper men that names of foreigners who divulge news are not to be made public for fear of conse quences when they set foot on Mexi can soil again. Did Villa Shoot Him? The fact that the alleged execution of Benton took place Tuesday night is thought to mean by many that Villa's court-martial report was given out to cover the fact that Villa personally shot his visitor during their quarrel. The disagreement, the court-martial and the execution, all In part of one day, Is thought to be too rapid for le gal procedure across the river. .Villa’s sudden departure Is also considered in connection with this theory. Talking with a reporter over the telephone, Consul Edwards made a re mark: "I have officially reported Benton dead because his death was officially reported to me. Personally, 1 may have my hopes and my doubts. I will say nothing more.” TOOK POISON IN TAXICAB WHILE WITH SWEETHEART Worcester, Mass. —Harry F. Lambert committed suicide by taking poison while in a taxirab with his sweetheart, Katherine Larala, early today. She had refused to attend a dance with him last night but went with a relative. When she emerged Lambert was waiting for her. He called for a taxicab and they entered it. The poison was taken while on the ride to the girl's home, Bhe told the police. OUTSIDER WINS. Liverpool.—The Waterloo Cup, the derby for greyhounds, was won today by Dilwyn, a fawn dog nominated by A. F. Pope. The runner-up was Leu* ceryx, a black puppy nominated by Major Robert McCalmont. Both hounds were outsiders. The winner takes the cup, valued at SSOO, and a prize oi $2,500. BLACKHAND BOMB. Chicago.—Three buildings were par tially wrecked, a dozen persons were Injured by flying glass when thrown from their beds, and windows a block away were shattered early today when a bomb was exploded In the doorway of Leonardo Metone's grocery, In the Italian quarter. The grocer said he had received blackhand letters LOBT HER RUDDER. Queenstown, Ireland. —The big Dutch oil tank steamship Rotterdam was towed Into port here today. She lost her rudder during a gale when eight days out from Amsterdam for New York. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. FRIDAY AFTERNOON. FEBRUARY 20, 1914. GENERAL EVANS PUBLIC ADDRESS AT TOE ARAAORT Brigadier General Evans, U. S. A., Was Expected to Speak on “The Army League of the United States” at 5 O’Clock. Brigadier General Evans, of the De partment of the Gulf of the United States Army, was scheduled to deliver an address at the Armory on Ninth street at 5 o’clock this afternoon on the subject: “The Army lx ague of the United States." Invitations were issued to the citi zens in general to attend the lecture and particularly the .members of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Asso ciation, the mayor and city council, the members of the local militia, the ca dets of the Richmond Academy, the Daughters of Confederacy, the Daugh ters of the American Revolution, ladles’ Memorial Association, local camp of Spanish War Veterans and officers and members of the Augusta Cotton Exchange. Adj. Gen. Nash, of the Georgia state militia Is also here with Gen. Evans and the visit of the two dis tinguished officers is significant In the fact that while they are here a per sonal effort will he made hy Major Levy, the head of thP Augusta mili tia, to establish a brigade army post at Augusta. . A number of arguments aro being advanced in support of the proposition. CORPSE TAKEN FROIvTn. Y. BURNING AUTO HEARSE New York.—The sight of an auto mobile hearse containing a body nnd a blaze from end to end attracted two thousand pedestrians on lower Broad way yesterday. Horry Duris, the chauffeur, swathed In a big fur coat, also caught fire. Tho body was re moved from the blazing hearse by the police. Firemen then put out tho fire. It had caught from the motor. WANTS 16 MEMBERS ON INTERSTATE COMMISSION Washington, D. C.—lncreasing the membership of the Inter-state com merce commission to sixteen and di viding the country Into five districts with headquarters at Washington, At lanta, Chicago, Kansas City and Han Francisco was proposed In a bill to day by Senator Kenyon. Three com mlsloners In any district might decide a case which could be appealed to the entire commission. BEVEN POWDER WORKMEN DIE. Glasgow, Scotland.—Seven workmen were killed, a large number Injured, and many buildings destroyed today at Ardeer, hy an explosion at the No bel Gunpowder Works. COSTS $1,085.19 A YEAR FOR AVERAGE FAMILY OF FIVE. Washington, D. C.—lt costs the average family of five $1,085.19 a year to live in New York, Daniel Goldschmidt, a government clerk, there told the house civil service reform committee today. Govern ment clerks have been getting the same pay for *9 years, while the cost of living has been soaring, he declared. SATURDAY’S AND WEDNESDAY’S are the two Big Bargain Days of the week in Augusta. The Herald of Tuesday and Friday alawys carries 1 •‘‘VERY SPECIAL” offerings of Augusta’s leading and most progressive merchants. From a dollar and cents motive it will pay you to read tne ad vertisements in today’s Herald. It’s the advertising merchant always who CAN and DOES sell the cheapest. : ■ ■ • ‘ REORGANIZATION DEP’T OF AG'E RIEL IN HOUSE General Appropriation Meas ure Carrying $18,947,000 Presented By Chairman Lever Today—Many Items of Especial Interest to South Radical Changes Proposed. Present System Declared Cumbersome. Systcmization of Bureaus Contemplated. Cost of Living Problem. Wash ington.—The agricultural ap propriation bill, carrying funds aggre gating $18,847,000 ami proposing a gen eral re-organization of the department with a view to co-ordinating Its vari- i otis activities, was (reported to th) house l>y Chairman Lever today. The hill would change the name ol the hureuu of statistics tn the bureau of agricultural forecasts and would increase from $50,000 to $200,000 tn • appropriation for the new office of markets. The hill prrqmses a specific appropriation of $353,060 for the of fice of public roads. That includes $145,000 for investigating the heat methods of road making, "especially ordinary sand-clay and dirt roads,” $36,260 for investigations of the chem ical and physical character of road materials, and $60,000 for field experi ments in road oonstr-iction. Cattle Tick in South. For cattle tick work In the South, $400,000 Is proposed, an increase of $75,000, of which $50,000 Is to he used In live stock demonstration work in the tick-free areas; testing of the waste, tensile strength and bleaching qualities of cotton as standardized by the government, $60,000, an increase ol $50,000. For investigation of the cans syrup and beet sugar industries, $41,- 495 Is proposed. Cost of Living. Provisions for attention to cost of living is made In several Items. For Investigating the preparation for mar ket, handling, grading, packing, free ing, lining, storing and transporting of -poultry and eggs, a $60,000 appro priation would be made. Oysters and other shell v flsh also fig ure, with an appropriation or $5,000 to Investigate their packing, handling, .storing, and shipping In the United States and border waters. He Admits Mutilation of Man; is Held For Murder Greensburg, Pa.—Dr. Martin E. Grif fith, of Monessen, Pa., held In Jail here under a coroner’s charge of mur der for the death of Wm. L. Robin son, a music teacher whom lie was alleged to have mutilated when he found him attacking Mrs. Griffith, Jan. 26, was admitted to hall here today. Judge Doty said from the bench that while the evidence showed premedita tion It also showed provocation and warranted no higher charge than sec ond degree murder. Tho mutilation was not denied. Third Daughter of Late Mayor Gaynor Engaged New York.—Mth. Wm. J. Gaynor, widow of the late mayor of New York, announced today the engagement of her daughter, Helen, to E. T. Bedford, second son of Mr. and Mrs. F. H Bedford, of Brooklyn. Miss Helen la Mrs. Gaynor’s third daughter. She Is 19 years old. Three of her sisters are married. Her fiance Is a grandson of Ed ward Thomas Bedford, formerly a vice-president of the Standard Oil Company, and later president of the Corn Products Refining Company. Wants Lieu’t Genl if Six Vice Admirals Created Washington.-—Chairman Hay of the house military committee had before him today a letter from Secretary Garrison suggesting In connection with the proposed legislation to create six Vice-admirals that If this grade Is to he revived for the navy the grade of Lieut. General ought to be restored to the armr. SCHUMANN-HEINK DIVORCE. Chicago.—The divorce bill filed here hy Mrne. Ernestine Hchurnann-Helnk- Rapp, the grand opera singer against Wm. Rapp, Jr., of New York, was amended today so as to carry a statu tory charge against Rapp. ”K. E. Deane” was the name given in the amendment as that of the woman in the case. FINAL HEARING TODAY IN HABEAS CORPUS WRIT ,-.-1 By ’SB (Latest Photo of Thaw Taken at Concord, N. H.) THAW RENEWS LIBERT! FIGHT Opening Arguments Today on Habeas Corpus Petition at Concord, N. H. Two Points at Issue. Concard, N. H,—Harry K. Ttinw's fight for liberty whs renewed today before Jdederal Judge Aldrich. There were two points at Issue the discharge of the prisoner on a writ of habeas corpus, thus preventing Ills ex tradition to New York as a fugitive from Justice,.the alleged offense being conspiracy to escape from Matleawan and the right of Thaw to ball pending the disposition of the ease tiy the fed eral courts. Opening argument upon the habeas corpus pci llion was made by Former Governor Stone of Pennsylvania, who held that Thaw was not subject to ex tradition upon the charge In tire in dictment against him In New York. Mr. Stone said that the indictment did not charge an over act or crime, hut the court pointed out Hull Gov. Glynn's requisition charged Thaw with con spiracy. Admiral Fletcher's Wife and Daughters Enroute Washington, D. C.—While Secretary Daniels Is encouraging matrimony In the navy, lie likewise took eognlzanco today of the domestic hardships of of ficers away from home for prolonged duty. The secretary sent a wireless to Rear Admiral Fletcher nt Vera Cruz asking him if lie would like lo have a visit with his family and when the admiral replied, Mrs Fletcher and her two daughters left on the presidential yacht Mayflower which sailed today. Goethals Not To Be at Opening of the Canal? New York.—Col. Geo. W. Goethals. builder of the Panama Canal, may ri d he presnt when the waterway is form ally opened to commerce. "It will he a big show,” lie said yesterday while here on his way to Washington, "but I hope I won’t be there.” lie declared there was nothing sig nificant In his statement. "You know I don’t like celebrations,” he asserted. Former Chief of Police Found Guilty of Bribery St. Paul, Minn.—Martin J. Flanagan, St. Paul’s former chief of police, arid Fred Turner, former city detective, adjudged guilty of bribery In the third degree were sentenced today to serve each a term of not to exceed ten years in the state prison at Stillwater. They were convicted on ari indictment charging them with acceptance of $3,- 000 from an underworld woman whose resort was to he accorded police pro tection. DAILY AND SUNDAY. $6.00 PER YEAR. DEAL RESIGNS TO ACCEPT BIG JOB SI 0,000,000 TO BE SPENT BT SOUTHERN RT Money to Be Used For Im provement and Enlargement of Yards and Shops to Be Begun Immediately and Push ed to Completion In Addition $5,000,000 Will Be Secured For Acquisition of Modern Rolling Stock, Mostly of Steel. Plans An nounced By Pres’t Harrison Today. Washington, D. C. The sale of $lO,- Ofto.floo five per cent three-year notes of the Southern Railway Company se cured hy the general mortgage four per eent bonds of the company was an nounced today hy President Fairfax Harrison. The financing of a ten-year $5,000, 000 equipment trust also was an nounced. The short term notes were sold, it was announced, "pending Im provement of the market for long term securities” and ttie proceeds will ho used for betterments in shops, yards and terminals. The Announcement. President Harrison stated In his an nouncement: “The particular Improvements now to he undertaken are chiefly additional and enlarged shops, yards nnd other freight terminals which have been greatly desired and have been earnest ly recommended for several years past to facilitate economical operation and to enlarge the opportunity of the com pany for securing competitive freight traffle as well hh for taking rare of local business. These Improvements will lie undertaken at once, and push ed to completion as rapidly us possi ble. New Rolling Stock. "In addition to the Improvements provided for Southern Hallway Com pany has also arranged to finance, through a ten-year equipment trust tlie acquisition of additional modern rollin': stock, largely of steel construc tion, representing an aggregate cost, of more than five million dollars Rids for this additional rolling stock aro now being received nnd the orders for immediate construction would ho placed promptly.” Storm Warning Ordered Put Up at Charleston Charleston, 8. C. Tho following storm warning has boon received by the weather bureau officials here: "Northeast storm warning at 9:35. Storm central off South Carolina coast moving northeast. Will cause high northeast winds shifting to northwest this afternoon.” The barometer here at 8 o’clock this morning was holow the normal. It Is now stationary. Time For Filing Judge Speer's Brief Up Today Washington.—-Ooimlderatlon of tho charK<’tt FVdural Judg#* Kpeor of a<*orgln, probably will bo ronumud tomorrow by tb<* house Judiciary nub committee. Th* limit of time for filing of Judge Hpeer’n brief expired today. Action on tho can* probably will be delayed until the truat legislation pro gram in dlapom-d of in the houne. Excited By Reports of Killing 75; Burial Alive Madrid, Bpain.—Stories of the kill ing of seventy-five Spaniards and the hurkil alive of a number of others hy Mexican rebels at Torreon are publish ed at length In most or the newspapers of Madrid and the provinces today. The incidents were narrated by pas sengers on hoard the Spanish steamer Antonio Lopez, which sailed from Vera Cruz on January 27 and has arrived a- Cadiz. PLEADS “NOT GUILTY." Chicago.—" Not guilty.” was the plea of Wm. Cheney Ellis, former Cincin nati leathe# merchant, at the opening of his trial today, on the charge that he murdered his wife in a hotel here last October. iecomes Vice President and General Manager of W. N. Coler & Co. With Headguart ers in New York PARDEE AND DUER EXPRESS KEEN REGRET AT LOSING MR. DEAL aowever, Offer to Head Great Operating Company is Too Attractive to Be Met By Au qusta-Aiken. Spofford Acting General Manager. The resignation is announced of Mr. •I. ,C Deal, vice-president and general manager of the Augusta-Aiken Rail waj & Fleet rio Corporation, to be come vice-president and general man ager of \V. N. Coler & Co., of New York. Announcement is also made of the appointment of Mr, R. W. Spofford, now railway HUperlqt-ndent, to he act ing general manager. The news that Mr. Deal has tendered his resignation to the directors of his corporation will come as a distinct surprise in Augusta. Mr. Ileal was made general manager of the Augusta-Aiken Haltway ft Elec trlc Corporation several years ago when J. G. White Sr Company and as sociates acquired the property from the llarriman interests. I.ast year Mr. Deal was made vice-president and general manager. Vice-President J. 11 Pardee, of the Augusta-Aiken, who is also president of the J. G. White Management Cor poration, in announcing the resigna tion of Mr. Deal expressed his keen re grets at Mr. Deal leaving the com pany. "We were unable to keep Mr. Deal.” said Mr. Pardee, "In the face of such an attractive offer as W. N. Coler & Company made him. We regret ex ceedingly to lose Mr. Deal, as he has made a highly efficient officer, having rendered our company very able serv ice throughout his tenure of office. He has perfected an organization in Au gusta with our properties which ia in splendid working order and he leaves the company with the very best wishes of every officer and director. Here Temporarily. "Mr. Deal has kindly consented to remain as vice-president of the com pany temporarily. It Is the policy of our company never to stand tn the way of the advancement of any of our em ployes and while we regret losing Mr. Deal and would have kept him if we yould, sit 111 we congratulate htm on his promotion and also, W. N. Coler & Company In securing his services." Mr. B. W. Duer, vice-president and general manager of I he. Georgia & Florida Railway, and a member of the hoard of directors of the Augusta*. Aiken Railway ft Klectrlc Corpora tion, also pays a high tribute to Mr. Df*al. "We certainly regret losing him.” said Mr. Duer, “mid if we could have retained him hy making him any rea sonable inducements wm would have done so. However, his offer Is too fil tering for us to meet. Mr. Deal haa given (he company splendid ser\t*’a and wo are loath to give him up. The concern with which he goes la one of the largest operators of street rail roads and lighting plants In the coun try, having plants all the way from New England to Spokane. Wash. "Mr. Hpofford, who has been made acting general manager, will corry out (Continued on Market Page}. “Friends in Need” Are The Herald Want Ads. Many of today’s worrisome little problems —and many of tho big ones, too —find happy solution through the Want Ad columns of The Herald. when the unexpected happens and— New living quarters must be found without delay—another situation must be quickly sought—household or office help Is required at once lidded business capital becomes an Immediate necessity—and so on throughout the long M*t of emergencies that are mat ters of hourly occurrence In a great city like Augusta all find first aid through Herald Want Ads-llttle friends In need, always at quick com mand, alwuys able for every task. To reach all the people im mediately, you may leave your Want Ad at The Herald of fice, phone us to send for It or phone R to Phone 1216.