The Detroit times., 1914-07-23
icture of Huerta by One Who Has Studied Him
BY NORMAN NJ. WALKER.
Copyright, 1914, by the Newspap
Enterprise Association.)


riano Huerta had established his
headquarters out OF the mountains
rode Pancho villa from Parral to offer
his services 10 the Maderista forces
They exchanged the characteristic EN-
brazo OF all Mexicaus. Huerta's little
arms hardly reaching around Pan.
chos ample waist as they embraced
affectionately
villa was given command OF the ad-
vance guard OF scouts Ills experience
in the mountains. his knowledge OF
the country and his native shrewdness
made him a valuable ally TO the grim
old warrior from the south When
Pancho rode into the federal camp he
was mounted on milk-whlte mare
that he had Communicated at Haci
enda Santiago near Parral Huerta
coveted it and asked the loan OF the
animal
Pancho exchanged his mount for a
mule and rode with the column, on
the second day he was ordered 10
ride as Jar as Jiminez with his rurale
command TO scout for approaching
Colorados a courier was sent to HUI
ertas headquarters with the request
that his white mare be returned as
he would need it on the long ride
across the desert
Instead OF the horse being returned,
~ nnffnrf1n.I tnHaralg
appeared placed villa under arrest
and returned him to headquarters.
You are a coyote and deserve TO
die, you brigand of the mountains,
Huerta Kissed at villa in a drunken
rage
why, my general" asked villa as
innocently as a school boy accused OF I!
another's act.
Because you have defied me. your |
commanding general l. who am the !
greatest general Mexico has ever
Known. Victoriano Huerta For /
your presumption you are to be shot |
al once you low bred cur
The hollow square was formed,
with the fourth side closed by an /
adobe oorta well, the firing squad 4
waiting eagerly for the victim Pan I
cho squatted in his high hat and tight.
fitting charro suit The death march .
started. and villa. having refused 10 .
be blindfolded was taking his place i
in front OF the adobe parapet
Down the valley rode a stripping
boy on a little COW pony. He dashed
up 10 the group OF eXecut!oners and
witnesses. his hat gone and his hair /
flying in the wind
Stop this execution, In the name
Of the president OF Mexico | command
you not 10 shoot this man
IL was Raoul Madero, boy brother
OF the president, who had heard OF vii
las sentence, had rushed away 70 Is
Gallon, telegraphed his brother at the
national palace in Mexico City. and 1
had received reply in time TO spare
the life OF the man who is today Mex
ico's best soldier
Drunk as he was, Huerta knew what
il meant 10 defy his commander-in
chief, and Villa was marched back 10
the little railroad station, placed on
train COR Mexico City and taken there
in chains. only TO be released and sent
10 the United States by the little
brown bearded president
SO that's why villa wants to make
HueFta his prisoner That's why Vii
la is in a rage hcCauSC the dictator is
likely 10 escape him. and though HUI
erta gets TO Paris or some other ref
uge, don't be surprised If Villa gets
him yet
But in the foregoing you get
glimpse OF Huerta, exdictator SUI
len, gin-soaked most of the time and
always In an ugly mood except when
in the company OF women. Huerta rs
more OF a Nero than he is an Aztec
In the camp. afeld with his troops,
at the banquet table and in the bar
racks ! have studied this leather-skin-
ned old warrior from every angle
Barring his personal bravery, which
Is unquestioned, and his military
knowledge gained in years OF actual
fighting in the Yaqui country Huerta
lis wholly bad
He chooses 20 refer to himself as
a simple-minded old Indian suddenly
raised to power by destiny But he is
one OF the most arrogant aristocrats
Mexico has ever produced.
In the field with his troops, when
there was not enough for the officers
20 eat. when his staff was unshaven
and he himself was vermin-ridden
and in rags. Huerta insisted upon be-
lDR tTedIeO rs man vi Nup'ii'i biAh |
and attainments When his stan gath
cred for the single meal of Mexican
beans at Conejos. preceding the bat
tie, he insisted that they stand until
he was seated and that no one should
partake OF the food until he had had
his share.
When there was no wine, which was
seldom even In the most remote
places in the northern desert, he
would sit in silence, as ugly as a bee
stung bear.
Skin the color OF old saddle leather
deep-set eyes shaded from the sun by
dark blue glasses, mouth compressed
until little more than a slit Veto
riano Huerta looks every inch the
Oaxaca Indian that he is. He Is I'M
dersized. stopped and bald His face
is scanned with deep wrinkles which
gather In great clusters around his
weak old eyes, and his close.cropped
mustache only half conceals the cru
city OF that slit OF a mouth with its
compressed lips and dropping corners
High cheek bones denote the indian
more than the color OF the skin or the
fiat nose with wide nostrils.
His body is slender. and HIS feet are
unusually small and are always en-
cased In sharp-pointed patent leather
shoes OF French made There is
nothing careless about the old gen
eral for his shoes and putees were
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