Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-16
had THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
American Who Was Compelled to
Look Down Winehesters, and Shout
cd Viva Francisco Madero.

Bert Wirshing, a Kansas boy, en-
joyed the sensation a few days ago
of looking down the muzzles Of rs diff
ferent Winchester rifles, one at time.
Every time he took look into a gun
he was forced to shout viva Francis
co Madero." But he wasn't alone in
that achievement. All of the other
passengers on a Mexican railroad had
to do the same thing.
1t is a thrilling story that Wlrshing
relates in a letter to his father at
Sterling, Kan. The young man was on
his way to Monterey to build a big
electric power plant for an American
syndicate, when the train was held up
by a squad of revolutionists. He tells
the story in this entertaining manner:
Dear Father: Were you ever forced
to look down the muzzles of IS Win
chester rifles?
There Is a sensation connected with
it that I can't fully explain, al
though / have realized it. The first
thing that dawns upon you is the
question, what to do? Should you
pray, sing, dance or beg; but before
you have time to decide, you find your
self responding to the commands Of
the voices behind the cannons and
shouting, viva Francisco Madero."
secured a contract in Monterey on
Wednesday, and that evening bought
ticket to Torreon. The International
and Central lines run almost parallel
from Monterey to TOrreOn, and owing
to bridges being dynamited and burn
ed on the International, 1 took the
Central, it being the only line out OF
six i'm operation. Knowing that we
would be late in getting into Torreon,
and that sleep was not interrupted un-
til $50 the next morning, when / was
awakened by the firing of shots and
shouts from outside and the screams
Of women i'm the car. The train was
slowing down. The little nerve that
had left prompted me to sit up in
my berth and raise the curtain. Upon
looking out, saw mounted 'revolutos'
dashing out from behind mesquite
bushes from every direction. 1t did
not take them long to form line as
long as our train, and upon a signal
from their "Jefe" they let out "grito,"
viva Madero!" The engineer and
fireman were ordered to dismount and
Join the file of the "revolutOs." The
conductor, a little Irishman of about
65 years, rushed out and gave the
captain a Methodist handshake and
told him in his crude Spanish that the
train was at his disposal, even to the
passengers. The captain pointed to-
ward the burning bridge ahead OF us,
to which the conductor nodded ap-
proval, stating that he did just right,
that we did not want to go to Torreon
any way, and pleaded that he allow us
to turn back. His request was disre-
garded and the soldiers given orders
to come forward.
Every tenth man dismounted and
drew a long saber, which to me looked
longer than the Pullman car, and pro-
ceeded to cut the fence down. Then
they formed in Indian file and marched
around the train, each pointing his gun
into the windows and asking each
passenger "Quin Vive?" to which each
had to reply, viva Francisco Madero."
AS the rebels passed from one window
to the other each individual had to-
respond. and when the IS had
passed we had each answered Viva
Francisco Madero" rs times. 1t was
comical but hardly the place to laugh.
Can you imagine me sitting up in my