Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-14
Villas PLAN IS
TO Be PRESIDENT
Of HIS COUNTRY
Close Friend Declares Former
Bandit Will Not Bow to
Carranza.


CHIHUAHUA, Mexico, March IA
villa, the one-time bandit, will be
| the next President of Mexico. That
| is his ambition, and, despite all re-
ports to the contrary, it will remain
his ambition until he either is dead
or President"
This declaration was made today
| by a friend close to General Villa as
| to give authority to the assertion 1t
was prompted by reports that the
coming to Chihuahua of General Car
rama, recognized as the civil head of
the revolution. was to bring about
conditions more satisfactory to
| foreign governments and to place In
the seat of authority better advisers
| than General Villa appears to have in
handling complications growing out
, of the killing of William S. Benton, a
British subject
That Villa and Carranza might
meet and that they might publicly
embrace as an evidence of their per-
| feet harmony was given out as pos
! sibility.
Not TO Lessen Villas Power.
General Carranza is now on his way
overland from Sonora, and magnifi-
cent marble building has been pre-
pared as the official residence or
capitol, in which he Is to perfect the
details of government But Il was
stated emphatically that the coming
of Carranza is not to lessen in any
way the power now welded by Villa,
who for months has been dictator
General Villa will remain supreme
commander through the progress of
the rebellion" said one of his advis-
ers. His succession of victories
against the Federal army, his sweep
ing away of the Huerta soldiers from
the north of Mexico while Carranza
remained In comparative obscurity on
the Pacific slope have SO exalted him
in the minds of his soldiers as TO
make his subordination to anyone
else improbable.
General Villa could not afford TO
go south at the head of his troops in
the attack on Torreon before he had
FIRST satisfied himself that his going
would not result in the loss of any of
his power"
In the absence of any indication
that General Villa intended to move
southwark Immediately, this city. the
largest In rebel territory apparently
has resigned itself TO an indefinite
state of revolution.
Outward Conditions Normal
Outwardly conditions are almost
normal The military band discourses
operatic music IN the plaza, crowds
promenade in the gay lights, a wan
dering Tarahumare Indian garbed
only in a blanket, q pair of boots and
a silk hat, joins the I,.-.---~ j -
enterprising merchant opens soda
water fouutsil@
The sileng disappearance OF "sus-
| pects," the reports of executions and
| the general knowledge that many
people for months have been hiding
| in the Easements of buildings form
another aspect of life little mentioned.
The "man on the hill" General Villa,
who resides on an elevation a few
blocks from the United States con-
sulate, is the one man who can pro-
nounce life or death for any of those
who stroll In the plaza or hide in the
| Easements.
Residing in his own marble home
not far from the plaza, but held a
prisoner, is Luis Terrazas, jr., son of
one of the richest families in Mexico
under the Daz regime. AS he PAGES
up and down the tiled floor of his
patio, not knowing what moment he
may be called to face the firing squad
/ Terrazas can hear the cathedral bells
! and at night the military band.
Terrazas Hopeless of Release.
When seen today the prisoner ap-
peared to be utterly hopeless of his
release. He has been confined here
ever since General Villas army en-
tered the city last December.
When told that his father, now q
refugee in Ell Paso, was making every
| effort to procure his release, the pris-
oner merely shook his head.
/ More than once since his detention
/ he has been subjected to tortures to
reveal places where Terrazass money
was supposed to be hidden. AS un-
| derstood here. Terrazas Is being held
| by the rebels for three purposes
| These are: So that money may be
extorted from the Terrazas family;
so that by threatening the execution
| of the prisoner the Cientific party
may be dlssuaded from invading Mex
| leo from the north and so that the
prisoner may sign documents turning
| Terrazas's property over to Villa.