The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-06
The Rockefeller of Mexico Will
Rent California Ranch
And Try to Earn q Living for
His Family.
WAS ROBBED ON ALL SIDES
The Terrazas Family Has
Borne Brunt of Revolution.
Recently Paid S590,O00 as q
Ransom for . Son.

a Ell Paso, Feb. e.-His immense in
come tied up by three years of revo-
lutions. Alberto Terrazas. OF the fam
lily whose name in Mexico Is a syno-
nym for great wealth. has been COM
PEELED to seek means OF livelihood.
This information, as astounding In
Mexico and along the Rio Grande
border as similar news affecting a
in the United States, became known
here today with his departure for
= Pasadena, Cal. He was accompanied
by his family. but not the usual reti-
nue. Of servants.
Near Pasadena Terrazas expects to
buy or lease small farm, where he
can make a modest living. He Is one
of those who sees no prospect OF
peace in his native land and until
tranquility Is restored tho income of
the vast Terrazas family fortune. es-
timated at $a5.000.000 to $4o.00o.00o
Even in the event OF peace 1t may be
lost, for the rebels have declared 1t
confiscated.
II do not mind going to work: 1t
may be a good thing" he said to
friends before his departure. and
prodigality with money has been a
story. chapters of which have been
written on two continents-in London
and Paris. in Mexico. Texas. Califor-
MIA, New York, and in Chihuahua, the
family seat. from which the estate has
always been administered.
Terrazas has worked as rich men
have. and once he was governor Of the
state of Chihuahua, but he did not
work for a living.
For Bread and Butter.
Now. according to himself. he il to
labor for bread and butter. He learn
ed much of farming and tho breeding
ranches, and his friends say he will be
able to hold his own in wrestling an
income from the soil.
The Terrazas fortune was founded
by Don Luis Terrazas, now an octo-
genarian refugee in this city, in land
President Porfirio Diaz. These hold
ings immense as they were. have been
augmented constantly until now. as
train schedules are in Mexico, it would
take a passenger train making the
usual stops, three days to travel the
boundaries Of this domain. 1t stretches
from Juarez 375 miles south to Jim
inez and west to Casas Grandes. On
1t are whole towns. many hamlete,
mines, factories and fertile farms.
All this was the property Of the
senior Terrazas and his three sons
Juan, now in the City of Mexico: Luis.
1r held at Chihuahua as hostage by
the rebels, and Alberto-until the rebels
declared the whole estate conf1scated.
Beginning with the revolt Of Francisco
soldiers of Northern Mexico on either
side Of that and the succeeding
revolutions. have practically lived on
the Terrazas fortune. Immense sums
were contributed by the family to IA
vcrite causes. or were extorted by the
enemy.
Paid Big Ransom.
A recent instance was the million dol.
lar ransom demanded for the release of
Luis jr. He was incarcerated in the mu-
nicipal palace at Chihuahua but declined
to contribute until he was taken out,
a moose placed around his neck and gently
tiohte1ed. In this predicament he con-
tributed al all n the ready money at his com COM
then permitted to join his family at the
home of his father. He is still there as a
The additional ransom now demanded
IS $o50.0CO. but 1t Is believed that General
Villa prefers to hold him as hostage to
financing a new revol. in the north, to
harass the rebel rear on its march to
In the early days Of armed disorder in
Mexico those Of the Terrazas family who
came to the United States Travelled in al
governesses and dependents came in their
train and whole floors of hotels here in
Los Angeles and other cities were re-
served for the party. This time. however.
they have been living -.verv moderately.
how much money the elder Terrazas has
on this side of the border is not known,
but . intimates say It is comparatively
little.
He. like his sons. always had an anchor
to windward in the wav Of Investments in
the United States. but heavy expenses
have eaten them almost to the bone AL
berto, II IL said, would not accept aid
from his fathers reduced store preferrins
rather to fight his own battle with his
own hands When he and his wife and
, their ch ldren boarded the train there was
but one servant in the party. an old nurse
who has spent her whole lie in the fam
fly.
SCHMIDT IS GUILTY.