To Avenge Hayes's Death.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 26, 1913:
Bryan Reiterates Demands for Punishment of Murderers.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.— Edmond Hayes, the manager of the Madera Lumber Company at Madera. Mexico, about whose safety there has been much anxiety for several days, was murdered in cold blood on the afternoon of Aug. 15, after a band of robbers, under Castillo, a notorious bandit, and affiliated with the Federal force in the Chihuahua district, had attacked and captured the town of Madera. Particulars of the murder came to the State Department to-day from Consul Letcher at Chihuahua. He obtained the story from a large party of Americans from Madera, which arrived at Chihuahua City on Friday.
    Secretary Bryan to-day sent a peremptory demand to the Federal commander of the district, Gen. Cordoba, that the murderers be arrested and punished. Castillo recently allied himself with the Federals and has been acting under the command of Cordoba. The attack upon the town lasted for an hour.
    According to Consul Letcher's report, the Federal troops near Madera have not been paid for some time, and Castillo's men were surly over their failure to receive the money due them. In order to satisfy them they were allowed to loot for twenty-four hours, and it is understood that the killing of Hayes occurred in consequence of this arrangement.
    It is presumed that a demand was made on him for money and he refused it. There is a report, which is not confirmed by any information given out at the State Department, that the bandits, to show their resentment with the refusal of Hayes to meet their demands, stripped his body and inflicted upon it numerous barbaric indignities. It was reported to Consul Letcher that the men who committed the crime had been apprehended by order of Gen. Cordoba and held for trial and punishment. A negro called "Tom" was killed with Hayes.
    Most of the members of the foreign colony at Madera, consisting of 100 Americans, a few Germans, and seventy-five Chinese, all fled from Madera immediately after the fight on a special train for Chihuahua. They rebuilt railroad bridges as they proceeded and reached Chihuahua last Friday afternoon. Arrangements were at once made to send them on through to Juarez, opposite El Paso, and it is expected that they will be able to start to-morrow or Wednesday.
    Secretary Bryan telegraphed Consul Letcher to furnish all Americans who were in need of it with transportation to the United Slates. Six Americans remained at Madera to protect the property of the lumber company.
    Hayes's mother, Mrs. Ella Hayes, lives at Farmington, Maine. She has been advised by the State Department of the information received here. Edmond Hayes made his home in recent years in Buffalo, N.Y., until he went to Mexico. He was regarded as a good business man of high character, and of exceptional courage.
    After the battle to get control of the town of Madera, the Castillo band went out to the Babicora ranch, which is owned by Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, and attacked the properties there. A fierce fight followed. The employees were well armed and abundantly provided with ammunition. After several men had been killed on both sides the bandits withdrew in defeat. A dispatch was also sent by Secretary Bryan to-day, demanding of the Federal commander at Chihuahua the arrest and punishment of the men who made the attack at Babicora.
    A message was also sent to our Embassy in the City of Mexico and to Consul Letcher, urging that the twenty-three independent guerrillas, formerly a part of Gen. Salazar's command, who killed an American citizen. "Ben" Griffen, and brutally assaulted Archer F. Parks, also an American citizen, near Madera, be caught and punished.
    Consul Alger, at Mazatlan, has reported to the State Department that a messenger started overland from Mazatlan, on Saturday, with instructions intended for the protection of Sherley C. Hulse and his party at La Boquillas. It is expected that this messenger will arrive at Bonquilla on Sept. 8. A messenger was sent on the same errand from Chihuahua several days ago. No advices from Hulse have been received since the telegrams of inquiry were sent last week.
    The following persons concerning whom inquiry has been made at the State Department, are reported safe: David L.C. Hoover, at Torreon; Seymour Taylor and family, at Tampico, and D. Haskell, who has just started from Bonquilla for the United States.

    FARMINGTON, Me. Aug. 25.— Edmond Hayes, Jr., reported killed in Madera, Mexico, by Federal soldiers, was the son of Mrs. Ellen Hayes of Farmington, who received a message from Washington to-day informing her of his death. Besides his mother, Hayes leaves a sister, Mrs. Pratt of this town, and a brother in Ontario. He was thirty-four years old, and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1902. He was in the employ of the Madera Lumber Company. Gen. Edmund Hayes, of Buffalo, was his uncle.