The Washington herald., 1912-08-25


gion" of Mexican bandits, and an.
other of the horrors of the unset
tied conditions of government ir
the country is revealed in the
story told by Senorita Dolores Es-
candon, who has arrived here from
Zapata's fortified hacienda, where
she and twenty-five other women
were held prisoners by the bandit
Nearly all of them had been kid
mapped. None entered his hacienda
willingly. A mock marriage was
performed to satisfy some of them
The story told by Miss Escan,
don reveals a condition of life
among the wealthy men of Mex
ico of which little has been known
in the United States. Miss Escan'
don is twenty years old. She was
accompanied here by her baby, the
child of Zapata. The bandit lead
er turned the twenty-siN women
from his home when he formed an
attachment for another young wo-
man, whose father was of such
great wealth and influence that the
bandit could have her only in mar
rage.
This is Miss Escandon's story:
Lured to Kidnappers.
1 was born at Santa Rita, little vii
Iage Thirteen miles by trail from Villa
Ayala, the home OF Emfliano Zapata, and
therefore about sixty miles from Mexico
City. Ny father was a fairly wealthy
haciendado farmer, who lived in the
village and worked his ranch of 1900
acres, just outside. On the night Of Sep
tember u, 1903, as / was walking down
the street. was approached by an old
woman, an Indian whom l did not know,
who said to me in Spanish:
Your Aunt Juana wishes to speak with
you at her house and has sent me TO
have you come to her"
Ny aunt lived on the other side of the
village. but as / knew nearly every in
habitant of the little town, and did not
fear any of them, l followed the old
woman away from my own home to-
ward that of my aunt. We turned of
on the street which runs along the base
OF the hill just below the church, and as
We reached a deserted part of this street
seven or eight horsemen, all dressed In
black, all heavily armed. and all masked.
galloped up, surrounded the old woman
and myself. 1 heard the leader of the
band ask a question OF the old woman,
who replied:
There she is
The moon was shining brightly but
could not recognize any of the men. two
A.. q. vA1
me as 1 tried to run. bound handker-
chief about my mouth as / began to
scream, and lifted me to the horse of the
leader who, holding me with one arm.
galloped away. followed by the remainder
of the band. I never saw the old woman
again
Gagged md Carried Away.
1 knew 1 was being kidnapped, but 1
had no idea of the fate that was in store
for me- / could not scream on account
OF the gag IN my mouth, and the horse
man who carried me held me so tightly
in his arm that I could scarcely breathe
Not a word was exchanged for nearly
two hours in which we rode steadily
due north, as nearly as I could tell, from
Santa Rita.
Then the horses were halted, allowed
to rest a few minutes. and l was given
a drink OF WdIeT Htn thc gag WAS it-
placed in my mouth, l was blindfolded,
put back in the saddle. and once more
we started off, this time at a slower
gait. My captor did not speak to me,
nor did he offer me any insults in any
way. Evidently. l felt. / was to be
cared for, probably TO be held for ran
som. as l knew that there were many
bandits in that part OF Mexico, some of
whom probably knew that my father
was a man of means, and that of all his
seven children / was his favorite.
to me then. and 1t was well that l
did not know of the future. else should
have killed myself.
We entered a yard, for l heard gates
creaking. 1 was lifted from the saddle
and carried across a yard to a door.
through which I was carried and stood
on my feet. The bandage was removed
from my eyes and the gag was taken
from my mouth.
In Zapata's Hacienda.
The room was lit by A large electric
Light up close to the ceiling, which was
high. There were no windows; apparent
ly the only opening was the door by
which I entered. The room, was large.
but the only furniture was a couch. and
in one corner a cement basin filled with
water. something like holy water bowls
in the churches.
Beside me were two women neither
one of whom was less than forty years
Of age They began speaking to me in
low voices. asking me II 1 knew where
/ was. When / replied that / did not
the one on my right said:
In the house of Emiliano Zapata.
Villa Ayala."
I knew what that meant, for one of
the girls in our village had disappeared
the year previous, and il was reported
that she had been forced to become an
inmate Of Zapata's household. / tried to
scream. TO fight the old women. anything
to escape, but they held me fast. even
tually undressed me, gave me a bath and
put me to bed.
1 was not disturbed that night. i had
been so exhausted dropped asleep, and
woke somewhat refreshed This time
the door was partially open. but one
)f the old women was seated in the door
way sewing while outside / could see
an armed man, also dressed in black, |
pacing up and down in front of the house
I Judge II was then about 3 o'clock, and
almost Immediately a good breakfast was
to me by the other old woman,
who had been In the room the night be- |
lore. / was hungry, but II seemed that
could not eat, and / had scarcely
ouched the food an hour later when /
5oung man, also dressed in black. came |
% the door and spoke TO the old hag on |
yuard there.
THE master wants to see her imme- /
lately he said, and walked away.
The old woman arose and came over !
% my couch.
Get up.n she said don Emiliano Is