The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-07-16
Prisons Are Crowded and Fed
erals Word Is No Good
Kind toWounded.
REBEL HAS CHARMED LIFE

Gregory Mason, Stan Correspondent OF
: the Outlook, writes from Mexico, under
the title. Campaigning In Coahuila-"
| We had not been in Hipolito half an
hour when Ave stretchers passed our
| car, going toward the hospital train
behind us. Suspecting that an outpost
skirmish had taken place, We rushed
/ to the Quartet general for Information,
only TO learn that the stretchers con-
tanned the first days toll OF accidental
! shooting--one dead and four wounded
Soon the doctors had their hands full
/ with the men hurt by careless gun
handling and with those who rolled
from car roofs or thoughtlessly went TO
sleep under trains.
/ A Mexican Is careless OF life, includ-
K ing his own. Though trains were
clanking up and down the eight tracks
at Hipolito all day long. women ana
/ children played tag under car bottoms,
and even saw slit-cyed soldier place
| his blanket roll on rail for q pillow
and compose himself for a nap with no
1 apparent fear OF decapitation. Two
ladies on the car just ahead or ours
| quarreled over the attentions OF an
Adonis Of the ranks and one, big
black woman who looked like ne
gress, lighted hand grenade one eve
ming and blew off her rivals head.
All Generals Killed.
AS we were pulling out Of Hlpolito
| for Fraustro, town by virtue OF
railway switch, but at that time q ter
minus, thanks to the track destroying
federals, word came that 5000 men un-
der Generals Raoul Madero and Pablo
Robes had taken Paredon In a Tight
that was fined before Villa could get 70
| the scene OF action. The constitution
alists lost only 80 men and captured
one-fourth or the 1000 defenders OF the
town; SO men and S5 officers OF the
enemy including three generals. being
reported as killed in action" A NOR
tally of nearly four officers for every
five men Is rather suspicious; and II
was also a curious coincidence that the
only federal officer who came alive out
of Paredon as a prisoner had been q
classmate of constitutionalist general
at French military college. II villa
does execute captured officers, how
ever, he cannot be greatly blamed Tor
II. The parole Of an officer OF Huerta
Is worthless, and the constitute
prisons are already overcrowded. II IS
to Villas credit that he offers all the
captured regular federal rank and hle
an opportunity to enlist with him, ana
treats the wounded soldiers OF the en-
envy with as much consideration az his
Shot at 10 Times.
"The luster OF Villas name Is bring
ing him scores of recruits every day,
and foreigners who have Just come TO
northern Mexico via New Orleans from
Mexico City assure me that thousands
of federaIs, disguised with the bung-
ling OF their officers, are itching to
get into the command of the former
Chihuahua mule driver. The federals
are convinced that he bears charm ed
life. Time and again their sharpshoot-
erg have tried for him as he doomed up
suddenly on his big bay horse, direct
ing the aim OF the artillery with quick.
deep commands: Mas derecho"
(amore to the right'); or POGO mas
isquierda" ga little more to the LETT ,,
as he rode up where the bullets whined
louder and dismounted to take 2 rine
in the trenches. One of these keen
eyed federal rifiemen when taken prts-
oner had the brazenness to tell Villa
of HIS efforts to bag the big leader.
1T fired at you 10 times, mi general,
but it's no use, you bear a charm, and
my old girl CHS rihe) knew 1t and
The frown that had begun to cloud
Villas unshaved face broke into a
That's right, boy. No use wasting
ammunition on me. Now go back and
tell that to your companions. He
waved toward the hills that sheltered
ssBut. mi general, / want to fight for
yoli." pleaded the little sharpshooter.
'sDo as ] say; andale (hurry up)"
beloved Villa, and mottoned to three
soldiers who threw the poor federal
onto a knock kneed, razor backed mule,
which under the urge Of bayonet
thrust in the flank, sped for the distant
hills at Jack rabbits speed with the
unhappy soldier bounding on the ami
mails sharp back like live crab on
grill.
ohr hofO
he reaches them" said Villa, with one
OF his characteristic facial quicker
ings, as he turned to help brother
officer who was having trouble with
Night Fighting.
Five or six miles from Fraustro our
train stopped for the night In deep
and narrow canyon, the worst possible
place that could have been selected, for
our TANKS were unprotected, ana z,OOO
OF the enemy sweeping overland from
Saltillo only 40 miles away, could nave
destroyed the seven trains with ease,
torn up the track, and cut VIVA OH
from his base OF supplies. Moreover,
there was the danger that some or the
5000 men who had been driven from
Paredon were lurking in the neignpor-
hood. We had Just two sources OF re-
Overwhelmingly, the fast that VIVA
had never been surprised, and that ne
had thus far been the only Mexican
general to indulge in night fighting.
Nevertheless, we gringoes were decid-
edly uneasy, and went so far as to take
q census OF our fighting strength ana
TO make plans for a defense. Including
the Mexican captain and the two adj
1venturers, we had ten fighting men In
the car, with four rifles and 10 auto
matte pistols. The two Cinnamon
didn't count Upon learning that we
had enough mattresses and blankets
to make passabie breastworks, we
turned In for an uneasy night. About
midnight the Mexicans must have de-
cided that they were putting too much
faith In Villas foresight and the apathy
OF the enemy, for the trains were moved
out to where the valley was much
to the east. "&
I was awake before sunrise and got