Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-04
General "Pancho" Villa

Juarez. Mexico.-'so you Ameri-
cans bave-what tou call it?
nick-dug- dubbed. that is
the word. So you Americans have
dubbed me Nero H. eh?" began Cen
eral Pancho Villa. For why?" falling
into his Characteristic inversion Of
speech peculiar only to the Mexican.
! Because of your reputeI cruelty
and your fondness for your more or
less gladiatorial amusement, no
doubt" returned the interviewer
Your many executions following
your capture OF Juarez did much to
earn you your title. Then. too, your
I forcing the holding Of a prize fight
at an hour OF your own choice that a
bull fight could be Witnessed by you
before your march TO the front be
gan had much TO do with it,"
All" he calculated. smiling one
OF his rare smiles. You Americans
are-are-queer' emphasizing the
last word. Here / come in and take
Juarez without doing hardly any
danger to your FL Paso and you call
me Nero II because | am cruel.
Blu; We are amigos he added
hastily.
Maybe you call it cruel to execute
my captives. But / do not" shruV-
ging his shoulders. They killed
Madero: our Madero must be
avenged" Here his Geep black eyes
narrowed ominously.
Your United States senator.
Senior Catron; he came to see me
about my executions. told him the
same as ! tell you. They killed our
Madero; his spirit must be kept alive
in Mexico. II is for this ! execute
my prisoners. But | do not Kill
them all; only the Ulcers and the
traitors. How many did l kill? Oh,
/ don't know. Maybe IS. maybe 20.
Why did I become a Constitution
alist? II is plain. ] could not stand
Diazs iron hand. II was only the
favored and the few that could.
Now / fight not DiaI. but his man.
II is all the same-Dia.. Huerta-
Huerta. Diaz. all the same.
But now / am a ConStituti0nalist I
Yes. indeed. Soon we will win. To-
morrow ! 20 TO meet Huertas men. +
Victory on the plains southeast OF +,
here means the capture OF chihuahua I
and the control OF northern Mexico I
by US. Then We will join forces. all .
OF us rebels. and soon Will come
Mexico City-and victory"
General Pancho Villa is not hard
to make talk. He likes Americans:
likewise he likes publicity He. like
the suffragets OF England. seeks TO
come before the public at any cost /
With II. he says, comes later or
sympathy for his cause This makes .
for the lifting Of the embargo. he .
believes.
General Villa was born ~ years
ago in a little Mexican town in the
state wherein he is now operating. The
son OF weil-educated. weIl-to-do Mexi-
cans. he literally had brigandage and +.
warfare thrust upon him.
When still in his early youth he
saw the holdings Of his father torn
from him by the iron hand" rule of
Porfirio Diaz. Thrown as he was
upon an unprOductiye country and
without resources he organized a ]
band OF brigands. sons Of men whom
Diaz had oppressed. and began opera
lions on both sides OF the Rio
Grande OId-time Texans recall
gividly battle after battle with Pancho
villa, bandit leader and outlaw. His
raids upon pioneer American ranches
we're frequent and fraught with death. =
Texan rangers grown gray in the serv-
&c tell OF many. many running fights
with PanchO Villa and his band Of
desperate brigands.
With the beginning OF the Madero
revolution three years ago Villa i'm
nediateiy profered his and the serv-
ces OF his band OF outlaws TO the
,ause OF oyerthrowing Diaz and for
, democratic Mexican. Madero. said
II first TO have been dubious of
Villas sincerity. was finally con
7inced. having in later months his +:
thoroughly satisfied ,
villa proving TO be the most faithful
md courageous OF his many officers A.
Beginning as a petty officer under
dadero he was latterly promoted 10
,olonel Pancho Villa, and he won
lonors on the Mexican battlefield.
Following the election Of Madero 4
anne the split between Madero and
lis lieutensnts. Orozco and SaIazar
)nly Villa remained Trustworthy.
Il pledged my word to fight for
he cause Of right and the consti-
ution." he replied when solicited b.
'ascuaI OroSco. Jr-, and Ynes Sala-
ar 70 revolt against the late Fran
isco l. Madero. Should you prove