Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-06
GENERAL TERRAZAS IS MAKING
LAST EFFORT TO SAVE SON
FROM DEATH.
SPECIAL AGENT cARoTHERs
MAY BE APPEALED TO
United States Consul leteher Tells
Aged Paren. He Can Do Nothing
Louis Tarraxas Previously Tortured
and compsiIed to Pay $e5o,0oo in
Gold.


Terrazas. has until next Sunday to pay
the 100000 pesos ransom for his son,
Luis, who Is held by the rebel general,
Francisco Villa, at chihuahua. This
sum is equal to $25O.OoO American gold,
but the once multi millionaire Of Mex
leo has not that much money, accord
ing to his own admission to friends.
The letter demanding the money was
dated March 8. and stated that if the
ransom We're not paid within five days
Luis would be taken .south" with Cen
eral Villa.
This threat General Terrazas con-
strues in only one way and that is that
his son will fall a victim to the notori-
Gus fugitive law unless the money is
not forthcoming.
Father Greatly Shaken.
Under the convenient provisions Of
ia fuga" the prisoner is always shot
while trying to escape" f
General Terrazas is so years old and
is greatly shaken by the peril to his
son. The latter has been a prisoner
for several months and has already
submitted to the extortion Of $650,000
Of American gold to save his life.
1t Is probable that George c. Car
others. special agent Of the depart
ment of state at Washington, will be
appealed to use his good offices with
General Villa, whom he has known in
timately for many years. 1t Is hoped
Carothers may prevail upon the rebel
leader to put milder Interpretation on
the "trip south
Appeal to U. s. in Vain.
General Terrazas appealed yesterday
afternoon to Marion Letcher, American
consul at Chihuahua. but now Is in
this city awaiting instructions from
Washington, to save his son Luis.
whose life has been declared forfeit II
500, 900 pesos ransom money, Is not paid
to General Francisco Villa. rebel leader.
Mr. tLetcher declared himself deeply
moved by the appeal Of the octogenarian
head Of the Mexican family whose mil
lions have been confiscated by the con-
stitutionalists but he had to reply that
he was helpless in the matter.
II am 80 years old and neither life
nor money means much to me-" said
General Terrazas. my son Luis has
thirteen children and they need him. l
would gladly return to Chihuahua. ana
Villa could kill me instead OF my son.
While General Terrazas did not say
as much, the interview conveyed the
impression that he was not now IN
possession OF the sum demanded. Luis,
the son, is about so years of age ana
has been held prisoner by the reoels
several months.
Tortured by Villas Men.
A. the time of his arrest. the rebels
demanded s650.O00 gold as the price OF
his life. This sum was slow In being
Maid and Luis was taken out and
moose adjusted about his neck. Then
he was gently hoisted off his feet. The
torture was repeated until he signaled
that he would pay the sum demanded
all that he had In the Chihuahua
bank.
After this incident he was removed
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 ap-
nealed TO Villa to release him, but Villa
was adamant.
"If the Cientificos had 'Pancho' Villa
a prisoner in the same circumstances,
do you think he would be restrained In
the palace and treated with the con-
sideration I have shown Don Luis?
Villa replied. mo: Pancho' Villas
head would have been placed on pike
and paraded about the city. The Ter
razas family has accumulated its great
wealth thru oppression Of the people,
and now the people demand repara-
tion."
After his vain appeal to Letcher a
personal plea to Secretary Bryan was
suggested to General Terranzas, but
the aged man shook his head. The ap-
peal, however, may be made, unless it
is possible to raise the ransom money.
The great bulk Of the Terrazas for
tune. normally estimated at $40,000.000
gold. was tied up by the confiscation
order. and most of the money available
in foreign countries has been spent in
the last three years.
Abandon Benton Commission.
washington, March 6.-From the
british point Of view, which Will
doubtless be adopted by the state de-