Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-07-15
Prisons Are W and Fed
erals Word Is No Good =
Kind to Wounded.
REBEL HAS CHARMED LIFE

Gregory Mason, Staff Correspondent OF
the Outlook. writes from Mexico. under
the title, campaigning in Coahuila."
We had not been in Hipolito halt an
hour when five stretchers passed u
ear. going toward the hospital train
behind us. Suspecting that an outpost
skfrmish had taken place, we rushed
to the Quartet general for information,
only to learn that the stretchers con-
tanned the first days toll OF accidental
s~hOOting-one dead and four
Soon the doctors had their hands full
with the men by careless gun
handling and with those who rolled
from car roofs or th%oughtlessly went to
sleep under trains.
A Mexican is careless OF life. includ-
ing his own. Though trains were
clanking up n down the eight tracks
ct Hipolito all day long. women and
children played tag under car bottoms.
and I even saw a slit eyed soldier place
and onpose himself for a nap with no
apparent e of decapitation. Two
ladies on the car just ahead Of ours
quarreled over the attentions OF an
Adonis of the ranks. n one. a big
black woman who looked like a ne
gress. lighted a hand grenade one e
ming I'M blew off her rivals head.
1u N0V0V0u8 tNusSOOs
AS we were pulling out of Hipolito
for Fraustro, a town by virtue of a
railway switch, but at that time a ter
minus, thanks to the Notwithstanding
federals. word came that 5000 men UNI
der Generals Raoul Madero and Pablo
Robes had taken ParedOn in a fight
that was fined before Villa could get to
alists lost only 30 men and captured
one-fourth OF the 1000 defenders of the
town: SO men and 35 officers of the
enemy. including three generals. being
reported as KILLED in action" A NOR
tality of nearly o officers for every
five men is rather suspicious; n 1t
was also a curious coincidence that the
only federal officer who came alive out
Of Paredon as a prisoner had been a
classmate of a constitutionalist general
at q French military college. II Villa
does execute captured officers. how
ever. he cannot be greatly blamed for
It. The parole Of an officer Of Huerta
is worthless, and the constttutionaltst
prisons are already o~vercrowded. 1t Is
to Villas credit hat he offers all he
captured regular federal rank and file
an opportunity to enlist with him. and
treats the wounded soldiers Of the en-
envy with as much consideration as his
own.
Shot at 10 Times.
Inc luSV0E OI Win - UhIklC lS UElIl6.
ing him scores of recruits every day,
and foreigners who have just come to
northern Mexico via New Orleans from
Mexico City assure me that thousands
of federals. Disguised with the bung-
ling of their officers. are itching to
get into the command of the former
Chihuahua mule driver. The federals
arc convinced that he bears a charmed
life. Time and again their sh%arpshoot-
era have tried for him IS he loomed up
suddenly on his big bay horse. direct
ing the aim Of the artillery with quick.
deep commands: Mas derecho"
("more to the right"); or POGO mas
as he rode up where the bullets whined
louder and dismounted to take q rifle
in the trenches. One Of these keen
eyed federal riflemen when taken pris-
oner had the brazenness to tell Villa
Of his efforts to bag the big leader.
II fred at you 10 times. mi general.
but it's no use. you bear a charm. and
my old girl (his rifie) knew 1t and
baked"
The frown that had begun to cloud
Villas unshaved face broke into q
smile.
THAT'S right, boy. No use wasting
tell that to yOur companions" He
waved toward the hills that sheltered
the enemy.
"But. mi general. 1 want to fight for
you" pleaded the little sharpshooter.
do as I say; andale (hurry up)"
beloved Villa, and motiOned to three
soldiers who threw the poor federal
onto q knock kneed, razor backed mule.
which under the urge Of 9 bayonet
thrust in the flank. sped for the distant
hills at a jack rabbits speed with the
unhappy soldier bounding on the anil
mails sharp back like q live crab on q
grill.
Hell tell his friends some good
stories if they don't shoot him before
he reaches Them" said Villa, with one
Of his characteristic facial pucker-
ings. as he turned to help q brother
officer who wac having trouble with
new saddle.
Might Fighting.
Five or siN miles from Fraustro our
train stopped for fine night In a deep
place that could have been selected. Tor
our TANKS were unprotected. and 5.OO0
ct the enemy sweeping overland from
0alttllO, only 10 miles away, could have
destroyed the seven trains with ease.
torn up the track, and cut villa on
nom hts base Of supplies. Moreover.
4yooo men who had been driven from
plredon wore lurking In tho neighbor-
hopd. We had just two sources OF 70
MISUNDERSTANDING, the fast that villa
.ha6 never been surprised, and that No
hAd thus far been the only Mexican
general 70 indulge In night fighting.
odly uneasy. and went n tar ~ TO take
CanDue OF onr fighting strength and
- make plans for ASdefenoe. Including
- Mexican captain and b " adj
voukl1refps we had ten fighting men In
stA0scar. With four rifles and 10 auto
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