Show j UI I S' S r I B fU 1 I M D I T I L' L Cecil Connolly I and Frederick Waterhouse Waterhouse Water Water- house Slain Senate Committee Is Told EL PASO Tex Dec 26 Cecil C Connolly and Frederick Water house I American aviators who lost their i lives after being being forced to i descend in Lower California Mexico were murdered According to testimony testimony testimony mony before the senate subcommittee Investigating Mexican affairs given here today today- by Joe Allen AlIen Richards hards an American discovered the bodies September 21 last on the beach of the Baya da d Los Angeles when he went ashore from a R. little Mexican steamer to aid in replenishing replenish replenish- ing the water supply of or the boat JAILED FOR REPORT According to his testimony today topa Richards was arrested b by b the t Mexican T ext ext- can authorities at Santa Rosalie when he arrived there September 25 23 for his action in reporting the discovery of ot the bodies to the master of the American steamer Providencia which I was in the harbor Santa Rosalie He lIe said he was kept in a cement cell for more moro than a day Before he was put in the cell Richards said he was stripped of all clothing Richards testified at a hearing conducted conducted con con- conI I ducted by Major Dan M. M L Jackson of ot ofEl ofEl El 11 Paso secretary of the senate sub sub- committee None of the senate members members members mem mem- bers of ot the committee was present BODY FOUND Richards said he first discovered red an offensive odor while walking the beach awaiting the Mexican crew of the boat on which he was traveling to return from a spring with their water casks Ho lie saw a mound and digging with a shell shall uncovered a skull He continued his explorations exploration and came upon a leather boot Pulling Pulling Pull Pull- Pull Pull-I ing inS at the boot hoot ho he uncovered the I entire body and continued work brought tho the other body to light Richards accompanied the expedition expedition tion Uon that went to Lower California aboard the United States destroyer Ward Yard from San Diego to recover tho the bodies and airplane and said testimony testimony mon mony given to army and navy of- of Continued on page 2 Jr o U U. S. S FLIERS 1 Continued from pa page e 1 fibers aboard the Ward by Mexican r residents of the country and by the Mexican steamer steamer Esperanta was to the effect the An Americans were murd mur mur- d cl dered red Equipment of the he airplane nas as found aboard the Esperanta when that boat was overhauled and made fast to the Ward according to Rich FIlch ards The airplane was found twenty miles from the bodies STEAMER SEIZED The Esperanta was seized when a Mexican ashore told American of officers of- of a. this boat had brought the I aviators to the bay for water v ter from their airplane Wild animals had attacked the bodies bodles of ot the aviators according to Richards who were buried only under six Inches of sand when he found them Flesh from the upper Supper part of at their bodies had been eaten away he I said In the rough grave Richards said I h he found a a. bar of iron two feet long The skull of Waterhouse had been crushed he said and Connolly's body and clothing indicated he had been stabbed Richards related warnings he a al alleged alleged al- al I were made by the Mexican captain of at the boat on which he i traveled down the Gulf GuU of or California against reporting discovery of the I bodies 1 Richards told of or the notes to their families left by the aviators and markings on the airplane wings i which indicated they had been there j j seventeen days and had been forced to drink water from their radiator all aU the time steadily losing strength and hope of or rescue |