The Washington herald., 1914-04-27
LATHIRSTSFOR
HUERTA'S BLOOD
Has Never Forgiven Dicta-
tors Humiliation of Him
Before Army.
HIS HATRED EXPLAINED
In 1912 Huerta Ordered Him Shot for
INSTRUMENTATION and Spared Him
When He Begged Mercy.

One Of ~he recent developments in the
Mexican situation that has puzzled Wash
ington has been the difference between
Carranza and Villa over the American in
vasion of Mexico. Carranze was quick
to resent it and issued a note which
amounted to a warning to this govern
ment to withdraw from Vera Cruz. Villa
Immediately made a statement in which
heSssured the United States that he had
no intention OF making a campaign
against this government in Northern
Mexico.
The Carranza statement indicated that
the United States might force him to
make common cause with Huerta against
the invader The Villa statement showed
that Villa was certain there could be
no cooperation between the constitu-
tionalists and the HGertistas. Since then
there have been other evidences of a
sharp difference of views between Car
rama and his general.
Now Explained.
Washington has been casting about for
some explanations and it came through
information obtained yesterday regarding
the fierce personal enmity between Vic
toriano HUerta and Pancho Villa.
Those who know intimately what passed
between them two years ago say they
cannot imagine that the two ever will
make common cause Villa, with his
bandits, at that time. formed part of the
federal army commanded by Huerta and
sent north by Madero to put down the
new revolution under-Pascual OroZeo, jr.,
who had put him in the Presidential
chair. The event is WILDLY recalled by
witnesses and by others who were in
the Mexican capital at the time.
There was great excitement in Mexico
City on the night of June 4, 1912, when
the Alameda and San Francisco street
rang with cries of extras" telling of an
attempted amutiny by PanCho Villa
against his commander-in-chief. Gen.
Huerta, and of the latter's order to have
Villa summarily shot before the entire
forces drawn up at headquarters near
Jimenez, to witness the manner in which
INSTRUMENTATION by prominent chief was
to be punished. And Mexico City was
amazed TO hear that the man who had
faced death a hundred times in battle,
weakened before the firing squad, fell on
his knees and whispered, 'perdon, mi
general, perdon!''
saved by Naderos.
What had happened? The official YER
sion differed considerably from what
the witnesses say. According to these, |
Pancho Villa had asked permission to at
tack a certain town in the vicinity of
Jimenez Huerta refused, telling him
grufly that he would have no more loot
ing and ravishing. Villa punches
Huerta's nose and Huerta orders Villa
shot at daybreak. But fate interceded
in the shape of two Madero boys Raoul
and Emilio, who were at headquarters.
These two Maderos. for reasons OF their
own, stepped in as Villa was begging
for his life and forced the commander
in-chief to send him to the capital for
trial That the Maderos had it in their
power so to force Huerta was accepted |
as a matter of course in Mexico City, |
since the entire republic was practically |
run by the Presidents brothers, uncles |
nephews, cousins and other relatives of
innumerable degree. The case, IL mem |
DRY serves right. was further aggra- |
waited by sharp complaints lodged by Am |
bassador Wilson against Villas recent
looting of the big American cotton es-
tates at Tlahualilo. With the same train |
that brought Villa to the capital, to be
locked up in the military prison of San
tiago, there came also the resignation of
Gen. Huerta, deeply wounded in his
pride and prestige by the Madero rela-
tives.
The official version given out in a
bulletin by the then minister of war,
Gen. Angel Garcia Pena, was quite diff
ferent. 1t consisted of two reports sent
in by Gen. Huerta, one from Jiminez.
where it had happened. and the other
from Santa Rosalia, the next stop to
the north. There was no blow, no med
ding by the Maderos. no resignat ton.
Simply case of gross characterization.
Ordered to Retarn Loot.
Villa Lad heen ordered IN make rasti-
tuition CT some $4,000 Mexican money
horses and other property he and his
men had got by lOOtinG the town of
Parral, and in reply Villa had ordered
his cutthroats to arm at once and re-
sist any command from Huerta. II
HueTUa's two reports are available