Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-06-11


Senator Lodge in the United States
senate supplies the following facts:
Francisco Villa was born at Las
Moves in the state of Durango about
the year 1868. He is wholly unedu-
Gated being unable to read and barely
able to sign his name. About the
year 1882. when only fourteen years
Of age, he was sentenced to a term of
Imprisonment for cattle stealing. On
his discharge he settled In the mining
camp of Guanacevi, where a few
months later he underwent another
sentence Of imprisonment for homi-
eide. When he came out of prison for
the second time he organized band
of robbers, which had their headquar-
tiers in the mountainous region of Pc
rico IN the state of Durango, and
were the terror of all that district.
In the year 1907 he was in partner
ship with one Francisco Reza, stealing
cattle in Chihuahua and selling them
in the United States, and then steal
ing mules and horses In the United
States, and selling them in Chihuahua.
In consequence of some disagreement
he shot and killed Reza in broad day
light, while sitting In the plaza In the
City of Chihuahua. During the early
part of November, 1910, he attacked
the factory of Mr.. Soto, in Allende,
state of Chihuahua. and killed the
owner. BY threatening the latter's
daughter he forced her to show where
she had hidden sum of $11 900, which
he stole and used for arming consid-
cradle force. He then Joined Ma
dero's revolution, uniting his band
with Urbina's column In January.
1911. he was at Casas Grandes, Chi
huahua, where he killed Carlos Ala
torre and Luis Ortiz for refusing to
ray him the money he demanded for
their ransom. At Batopilas, state of
Chihuahua, in February of the same
year he tortured a lady named Sonora
Maria de la Luz Gomez until he made
her pay him $4,000. She died from
the effects of the Acknowledgement
she received.
Outrages at Juarez.
When Ciudad Juarez was taken
from the federals in May, 1918, he
killed Senior Ignacio Gomez Oyola,
man of over sixty years of age, under
the following circumstances: Having
sent for him, Villa asked whether he
had any arms in his house, and on
saying he had not, Villa, who was
seated on a table, drew his revolver
and shot him dead After ritiing the
corpse of money and valuables 1t was
thrown into the street.
, After the triumph of the revolution,
villa, in November, 1911, obtained a
monopoly from the then governor of
Chihuahua for the sale of meat in the |
city of Chihuahua, which he procured |
by stealing cattle from the neighbor-
ing farms. Suspecting one of his sub
ordinates, Cristobal Juarez, of steal |
ing on his own account, he killed him !
one night in the latter part of No
vember in the Gale de la Liberadad.
In the early part of May, 1913, Villa,
with rs men, assaulted train at |
Baeza, state of Chihuahua, that was /
carrying bars of gold and silver val
ued at 100000 pesos, killing the crew
and several passengers, including |
Messrs. Caravantes and Senior Isaac
Herrero of Ciudad Guerrero.
Murders in Cold Blood.
Late in the same month he entered
the town of San Andres, Chihuahua,
and assaulted the house of Senior
Sabas Murga an haciendado, who,
with his two sons, tried to defend
themselves. Two of his nephews
were killed, but the Murgas got away.
villa than got hold of two sons-in-law
of Murga who had not taken any part
In the fight, and after torturing them
to say where their fatherin-law had
hidden his money, he had them killed.
Towards the end of the month Vii
las band took the town of Sta. Rosa
liza, Chihuahua, shooting all prisoners
and treating the principal officers with
terrible cruelty. Colonel Pueblecita
was shot and his body dragged along
the streets of the town. The COM
mercial houses of Messrs, Visconti,
Sarli, Cha Harinera, Sordo y Blanco
(Spaniards) and many others were
totally sacked Many private persons
were murdered, one of the worst cases
being that of Spaniard, Senior Mon
tilla, cashier of the house of Cordo
Blanco, who was shot over the head of ]
his wife, who tried to defend him. Viii
la personally kicked her in the face as
she lay on the dead body of her hus-
band. He also himself killed a Senior
Ramos, secretary of the court of first
Instance.
Massacre at Casas Grandes.
In July, 1913, Villa took Casas
Irandes, Chihuahua, and shot more
han 80 noncombatants, violating sew
9ral young girls, amongst them two
Young ladies named Castillo.
He attacked and took the town of
San Andres, which was held by the
ederals In September, 1913, shooting