Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-03-11
VILLA DEMANDS BIG RANSOM.
He Weighs the Life OF Luis Terra
ZaS, Jr., Against II.

Eel Paso, Texas, March 5.-Gen.
Luis TerrazaS this afternoon appeal
ed to Marion LetCher, American con-
sui at Chihuahua, now in this city
awaiting instructions, to save his son,
whose life has been made the forfeit
| if 100000 pesos ransom money is not
paid over to Gen Francisco Villa, the
rebel leader.
Consul Letchcr declared himself
deeply moved by the appeal of the
oCtOgenarian head Of the great MeXi-
can family. whose wide possessions
have been COntiSCatcd by the ConSti-
tutionaliSts, but he had to reply that
he was helpless in the matter.
81 am so years old and neither
life nor moncy mean much to me"
said Gen. TerrazaS, with a ,.emor in
his voice. "My son, Luis, has 13
children and they need him. would
gladly return to Chihuahua and Villa
could kill me instead of my SON"
While Gen. Tcrrazas did not say
as much, the interview left the i'm
preston that he is not now in pos
session Of the sum demanded. Luis,
the son, is about 80 years old and for
several months has been held prison
er by the rebels.
At the time Of his arrest the rebels
demanded $650,00O gold as the price
Of his life. This sum was slow in
being paid, and Luis was taken out
and moose adjusted about his neck.
Then he was gently hoisted from his
feet. The torture was repeated until
he Signaled that he would pay the
sum dcmanded-all that he had in
the Chihuahua bank.
A hn
from the palace where he had been
confined and allowed to live under
guard with his family in one Of his
fathers houses. Women relatives
some time later appealed to Villa to
release him, but Villa was adamant.
"lf the CinCtificos had Pancho Vii
la prisoner in the same circum-
stances. do YOU think he would be
restrained in a palace and treated
with the consideration have shown
Don Luis?" Villa replied.
"No: Pancho Villas head would
have been placed on a spike and pa
radcd about the city. The Tcrrazas
family has accumulated its great
wealth through oppression Of the
people and now the people demand
PREPARATION"
Seemed Much Shaken.
Gen. Terrazas LETT Consul Letchcr's
room and appeared in the hotel lobby
visibly shaken. His beard is white
and his figure below the medium. He
walks with cane, but erectly.
He was surrounded by friends and
relatives on whose faces anxiety for
the son and pity for the father were
plainly written.
a personal appeal to Secretary
Bryan was suggested, but the old
man only shook his head. The ap-
peal, however, may be made, unless
it is possible to raise the ransom
money. The great bulk of the Ter
| razaS fortune, formerly estimated at
$40, 900 gold, was tide up by the
cOniiScatiOn order and most of the
money available in foreign countries
| has been spent in the last three years
1t was said tonight that the most
serious obstacle in the way of a set
| tlement Of the matter is Villas re-
fusal to allow Don Luis to leave Mex
| leo after the money is paid.
Gen. TerraZas in replying to Villa
made payment Of the money cOntin-
gent on his son being brought to the
| centre OF the international bridge
here while the sum was changing
! hands.
This Villa fatty declined to do.
Gen. TerraZaS regards any other ar.
rahgements as folly. as his son,
doubtless, he thinks. would be used
merely as a means OF further eXttr-
ton.
Villas messenger to Gen. Terrazas
said the money must be paid within
five days or Don Luis will be killed.
The five days will expire tomorrow
but it is thought by refugees that
Villas desire for the money, despite
his enmity towards the Tcrrazas fam
lily, will persuade him to delay ex-
trcmc measures pending further ne
%ot!ations. which were suggested to
him in kilograms to-day.