The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-02-22
AMERICAN HEROINES
IN MEXICAN HORROR
Many Endearcd Themselves h.,
Bravery in Ten Days
of Battle.
TELEPHONE GIRLS on Duty
Mrs. Wilson Praised as tho
Cheerful Spirit at the
Embassy.
GIRLS on Duty
Sta6 Correspondent Of m.
United Press.

played by Americans in general ana
American women in particular during
the ten days horror of the bomhnrd
ment was of such character as to cap
for much praise. or the long list of
women who suffered checrfuly and m.
complainingly the dangers and hard.
ships of the battle four names stand
out prominently: Mrs. Harry Lane
Wilson, wife of the American Ambas.
sador, who won the affection of tA,.
entire foreign colony by her tirelcss
attention to the needs of the women
who sought a refuge near the om-
bassy: Mrs. Paul Hudson of Kansas
wife of the editor Of the Mexican
Hcrnld. who remained with her husband
In his newspaper Office in the hear,
of the battle zone throughout the
lighting; Mrs. Burgc McFall, wife of
another newspaper man, who with her
hildren lived for a week in the base
ment of her house with machine gun
firing from her front porch and sharp
shooters on the roof. and Victoria Hast
ings, an English girl, who acted AS
volunteer newspaper correspondent ana
braved great dangers throughout tho
battle.
OF the other heroines the Mexican
telephone girls, VIII, remained at their
posts until all the wires had been ca.
by shells and their building partly de
molished, won great admiration.
Mrs. Wilson knew better perhaps tha,
any other woman in Mexico how crucial
was the situation and on what a slender
thread hung the chance Of American
l,.g,
prevent slaughter of foreigners once
the ant!-foreign feeling should reach
dcmonstrativc stage. But, encouraged
by her husband, Mrs. Wilson moved
gayly among the fear stricken refugees.
cheering them with assurance that the
American Government was keeping sucl
close watch on the situation that there
could be no real danger and giving an
the aid in her power to those of the
women and children in actual waL:.
Mrs. Wilson was assisted by other
equally fearless American women. many
of whom seemed to enjoy the novel and
exciting experience. even while fully
realizing their peril.
Mrs. Hudson refused to leave her
usband's office while the building
shook and rocked from the detonations
of the shells bursting overhead or qulv-
cred under the impact of a storm Of
bullets from the machine guns. She
fed and cheered the stranded
refugees who came to the building. and
1t was not until the armistice Of last
Sunday that she consented to leave and
go to her home on the outskirts of the
city
McFall. serving in the centre of the
city as correspondent, was unable 10
reach his home during the first seven
days of almost inCessant fighting tha:
preceded Sundays brief armisticc. He
frequently called up his wife ON the
telephone during lulls in the battle
but she never told him of her dire peril
1t was not until the armistice came
and McFall went home that he learned
the truth Mrs. McFalrs cheerful tcle-
phone messages. meant to deter her
husband from risking his life TO reach
her side, had been sent in the face o.
the fact that the upper stories Of her
house were riddled with bullets and
battered by the exploding shells aimed
to rout the group OF Federal soldiers
who had seized 1t as a fighting posi-
tion.
-'AN' ga '''N itluEt Ill lut DdSe-
ment There she remained with her
children during the bombardment. com
ing up stairs during the lulls in III,
nshtlng TO prepare scanty meals ana
answer cheerfully her husbands cage
inquiries over the telephone.
Victoria Hastings was conspicuously
brave. Speaking six languages fiuently
she was Of inest!mable value In setting
news in the foreign quarters. throuGh
which she circulated. chatting witt
Mexicans, Frenchmen. Germans. Italian
and half breed Indians, and penetratns
the most dangerous sections Of the bat
tie zone. She passed through the line.
when the battle was at its ficrcest seek.
ing news. Equally at ease with dlplu-
mats and pilados, deputies. beggars
generals and privates, she gathered In
formation and mn risks enough o..
make Il novel or adventure AnG
throughout 1t all she called it "iol'v
good sport"
There We're countless instances OF
herosm shown by the women who
cared for the wounded and who visited
the homes Of the poor to aid. soothc
and cheer The women, the ma iorlty Of
them Americans, We're as brave as any
soldiers who fought in this already his.
toric battle OF the city OF Mexico.
How imminent was tho danger Of
general massacre was known only 10
those in official circles and the news
paper correspondents During tho early
days OF the bombardment there was q
menace in every moment of excitement
The word had been spread by firebrand
politicians that the American Govern
ment had started troops toward the
capital and the half crazed popullce
was stirring with hatred against the
"gringoes."
These reports, engendered by IN"
news that American battleships had
started for Vera Cruz, grew with the
telling until the movement took on an
aspect of an actual invasion Of United
States troops. one old Mexican soma
tor drove about in a carriage, stopping
to harangue the people, telling them
American troops had been landed and
that intervention was sure to follow
This aGitator was promptly muIzlen
by an American newspaper corre'
spondent, who told him and his auditors
that American intervention would come
only if Americans were shot down IN
tentionally. and that the Senator ny
his fiery Grafton was trying 10 encourage
just such massacre, The corr-'
spondent advised the Senator to 60
home and keep his mouth shut, Whlcn
advice the orator hastily adopted