Today -100: February 21, 1914: Of bentons, bliss, and coves

William Benton, a British citizen ranch-owner long resident in Mexico, complains to Pancho Villa about the destruction of his cattle by rebels. He is promptly tried by a court-martial and executed. Or, more likely, shot dead on the spot by Villa, or by Villa’s men acting on his orders, we don’t really know. The Huerta side hopes this incident will turn the US against the rebels.

Two more Mexican generals escape from Fort Bliss.

Oregon Gov. Oswald West is targeting another town and the saloons it loves: he will send his secretary, as he did to Copperfield earlier this year, to Cove, a town which was voted dry in a referendum but whose officials have refused to comply or indeed to declare the result of the election. (Update: Ah, I see: they didn’t declare the result of the town’s election because the county voted wet at the same time, which over-rode the town’s vote).

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