Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-09-17
A YANKEE
TAR
And the Many Deaths That
Hung Over Him In Mexico
By JOHN Y. LARNED

low, but inclined to be wild-that is,
he was one of those boys who have a
passion for adventure. His father sent
him 10 college, and since he could get
his lessons without much study he de-
voted his spare time to mischief Be
fore the close of his sophomore year
he was caught laying Il fuse to set off
cannon cracker under the chair of
one of the professors and expelled.
Going home under such circum-
stances was not to JaG1's taste. SO he
enlisted III the Unite States navy.
But. exciting the antagonism of petty
officer. his life on Shipboard was not a
happy one. One evening when the of
ticcr was giving him Il tongue flashing
Jack Knocked him down and jumped
into the water. The ship was lying ut
anchor at Vera Cruz. and under cover
of the darkness that was coming on
Jack swan ashore, and, although a
posse was sent after him, he was not
found. and his ship sailed without him.
This was at the time when Madero
was deposed from the presidency of
Mexico and General Felix DiaZ was
making himself prominent in the af-
fairs of that country, famous for its
revolutions. Jack enlisted under Diaz,
was captured In arms and with a num-
Der of others set apart to be shot. Be
ing an American citizen, he would
have had an excellent chance for his
life by applying to the American con
SUI to interfere in his behalf. But by
this course he you'd be turned over to
the United States navy to be punished
for mutiny and deSertion, either one of
which was pretty serious Offense.
But Jack, who seemed born for troU-
bic, made more for himself. Just be-
fore the prisoners were to be shot they
were given an opportunity to enlist in
the federal army in the service of
Hucrta, and Jack awaited himself of
it, thereby again becoming a.deserter.
The new recruits soon found them
selves in the City of Mexico, where
Jack lived the life of an inactive sol
der During this time he picked up
enough knowledge of the Spanish Ian
guagc to be able to converse in it. His
bINl'pSlll'll lpl nun III ciNlllI tSIdlIOS
rendered his stay ut the capital irk-
some, and he persuaded himself that
the ConStitutionaIists We're the true
friends of good government, and their
activity also attracted him.
Fortunately, as he considered it, he
was sent out with his regiment to OPP
pose General Villa and at the first 6p-
lngartn1 tn IN; ~
of that chief, adding one more to his
offcnses punishable with death. This
was Jacks last desertion, for he was
captured With Il number of others in
arms against the Huerta forces and
again ordered to execution.
Jack, now being in the interior,
thought he might claim to be an Amer
lean citizen without being turned over
to the navy. so he sent in protest
against being executed on that ground.
An order came for him to be taken to
the commander of the force that cap
turcd him. and he appeared before that
officer for examination. During the
questioning Jack incidentally referred
to his having been student at a uni
VcrSity in the United States At this
the officer pricked up his ears and
asked if he was competent to prepare
Il boy for college Jack said that he
was. The officer asked him to repeat
something in the Latin language, and
Jack gave him the first few lines of
Nergirs "Acneid." This appeared to
satisfy the officer, who said to the
guard who had brought the prisoner to
him:
leave him with me. He is Unit
ed States citizen"
When the guard had departed the
general told Jack that he had a son
sixteen years old who desired to enter
one of the United States universities
and if Jack could get him ready to do
so within Il year his life would be
spared; If not he would be turned over
to the Mexican army officials to be shot
for dcScrtion.
Jack, who had not been SO far from
death since he deserted from the Unit
ed States navy, accepted the terms
gladly. Besides, year was long
while for Mexico to remain under one
government, and quite likely Huerta
would within the period give place to
another.
The general turned Jack over to his
orderly, who was ordered to take him
IL his hacienda. not far distant On
reaching the hacienda the prisoner
tutor was received by the major domo,
Ramon Casio, Il crafty looking man, Of
half Spanish, half Indian, Hood. He
introduced Jack to the family, includ-
ing his pupil
There was no need TO watch the tn
tor for fear he would add another to
his many assertions. The moment he
set eyes on the generals daughter,
Rosa, two years older than her broth,
er. Alfonso, the candidate for college,
he was perfectly satisfied to stay
where he was. Rosa was dark eyed
beauty. with an olive complexion
tinged with red and melltluouS
voice 1t was not long before she
learned Just how many executions the