Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-16
Z Fl FOR VILLA TO
DO. BUT KILL CApTIVES
- suddenly

J fusillade ceased a. suddenly
as It had begun.
Some boys who had gone out "a
breath and reported having seen II
Colorados sinking of behind the east
erly ridge. This same band fred Al
WAS trains the following eyenfnp and
tore up q small piece OF track before
tney were captured and executed, With
In 9 Few hundred yards or our q by
men OF General Robes.
lt may seem absurd that Villa had
mol put out thanking forces to proteci
MS trains: but the flank movement
4 other simple military tactics, is
almost unknown In exico, Therein Is
the most salient reason why in battles
between large and cumbersome armies
Mextcans would be easy prey for
me american regulars. Warfare In
Mexico. aside from the guerrilla variety
consists In finding out where the enemy
~ and h marching straight up to
MIN. Villa was the man to defy the
tradition that only the daytime IL
suitable Tor fighting, and he has also
rutniesSly upset presidents in fol
lowing up" his victories instead OF
si.1ing down and celebrating until the
nemy IS ready to come. back to take
MIN unawares; but ever Villa has only
the crudest knowledge Of accepted
military strategy.
villa, The Man."
VIVA plenty OF faults. but they
are the faults Of the man Of action. To
those whom he calls friends he shows
traits Of justice, gentleness, and quizzi-
q humor, wholly lovable, and belong
ing to n part In his repertoire called
rancho Villa, the Man." rather than
to his more celebrated role, "Francisco
VIVA, Conqueror and Man Of Destiny"
one torrid afternoon two or three OF
US We're seated in Villas private car.
which had stopped at a small lake to
aIIoro men and women q chance to
pathe. Villa came in, du~st-covered and
n from his ride to Paredon and back
and began stripping for a swim. His
dtsrobing was Interrupted by a lieu
tenant who pushed ahead OF him two
soldiers that had been caught wasting
ammunition on pigeons, an offense
punishable by execution. The culprits
Wen set-up, but stupid, owl-faced fell
lows We're visibly trembling tn their
boots.
The lieutenant finished his charge.
Villa looked sternly at the offenders,
MS lips half opened to pronounce sem
tence; h his eyes wandered to the
milky waters of the laguna, irridesGent
IN the oblique rays Of the sun.
His mouth lost its cruelty and
screwed into he slanting. good-na-
0AS AAAAA VI HIS ChI0-IT0o, outlaw
days: his small. bullying eyes twinkled.
oh, ~pobrecitos (poor little fellow.
p~obrecitos! Take them out and give
them q couple OF sword slaps."
He looked al US; the lire in his ayes
went out. he became confidential and
reminiscent.
They call me many unflattering
names-thief. assassin. and bandit. 4s-
pecialiy bandit-but. yesterday, when I
was a poor 'sandalfoot' in chihuahua,
no one bothered to call me anything;
and tomorrow, when I'm in Mexico City,
they will say: Villa, the hero; Villa,
the %liberator.' Pah! their tongues are
as soft as their brains. I guess)Tm not
quite SO bad IS I'm painted. Anyway.
FL Largo" said he, turning to me and
giving me the nickname thatTstruck
MISUNDERSTANDING you needn't fear
me. You legs are so long I couM new
er catch you" And. roaring at his own
Joke, ne U a bath towel around his
middle and slouched out Of the car to
the lake.