Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-31

they would be taken care of without hav-
ing to make the journey to the capital.
When no appointments came they, too,
went on to see about it.
Among these was Maxine Castillo. In
the fighting in the north he never had
trouble getting to see Madero, the revo-
lutionary leader. Seeing President Ma
dero in the national palace was different.
Hundreds Of others were also waiting to
see him Castillo was several days in
obtaining an audience, and then the pres
ident was unable to provide his old friend
and supporter with the position wanted.
The same thing has happened with Pres
idents in Washington.
Castillo returned to Chihuahua soured.
disappointed and complaining bitterly of
the ingratitude Of the new adnQ1nlstra-
ton. After a time he took some Of his
old followers to the hills and resumed the
life of brigandage. He did not side with
Huerta or join the federal troops. His
band was simply a free lance bandit
band. He did not come in conflict with
the constitutionalist troops. 1t is still
said that he had too many followers In
Chihuahua for that to happen. and that
there was a tacit understanding that he
was to be allowed to roam over a definite
zone unmolested.
One of Castillos exploits was to seize
100 horses belonging to the transporta-
ton company in Juarez and run them
off to the hills. This varied the cattle
stealing and other free lancing.
officials of the Northwestern railway
received demand from Castillo for
money under penalty of having their
property destroyed Possibly relying on
the effective protection which Gen Villa
troops had been giving them, the demand
was refused.
Horror and atrocities had been too
common in the anarchical warfare of the
last three years for an ordinary atroclty
to excite much attention along the poroer.
Castillo perpetrated an extraordinary one.
One day the news came that a pas
senger train had been burned IN the
Curnbre tunnel near MADEIRA, station
between Juarez and Chihuahua
freight train had been wrecked ana
burned in the tunnel and the passenger
train had been allowed to run into it.
Fifty persons. including seven Ameri-
cans, were roasted to death: The mend
ish wrecking was declared TO De the
work of Castillos band.
fortnight later it was known that
Castillo and some stragglers from his
band. which had divided, had crossed
the Rio Grande. They were captured
by the American patrol troops and taken
to Fort Bliss with evidences of popular
execution which made them thankful
for the protection of the military escort.
Question was at once raised as to what
to do with Castillo. One suggestion was
to take him to the middle of the Interna-
ional bridge between Ell Paso and
Juarez and deport him as an undesirable
alien, although this would have been
embarrassing to the constitutionalists.,
The military authorities, however, did
not undertake to pronounce off hand on
his guilt and Castillo and his bandit
comrades were guarded like the federal
refugees, but not in the same stockade
with them Later they were removed to
Fort W1ngate in New Mexico.
1t is understood that the military
authorities have gathered authentic in
formation concerning the destruction of
the tunnel Castillo. of course, disclaims
though one story is that some members
of the band. not being hopeless fiends,
begged him to send back and flag the
passenger train and he refused. 1t
cannot be claimed that the firing of the
tunnel was a war act, since Castillo S
band was not operating as part of either
the Huertista or the Villaista troops,
When the United States recognizes any
government in Mexico, Castillo will be
turned over to the Mexican authorities,
since the crime was committed in Mex
ican territory. Should he ever be tried
by ordinary court process. 1t is stated,
somewhat significantly, that he still has
a following in Chihuahua. In the mean
time he remains the problem and the
thorities.
Physically Castillo is said to be the
most magnificent specimen of Mexican
manhood that can be seen. When he