The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
LIFE IS CHEAPEST
 THING IN MEXICO
 DECLARES LEWIS
Birmingham Man Tells of Escape From Sonora Min ing Field = Magdelena Dwindles From 10000 to 100 in Year

Mexico is a blot on civilization; there is no law. practically all means of travel except by horse and auto mobile have been suspended, and law less bands of desperadoes are pillag ing the country" said T. B Lewis, formerly interested in gold mining iu the state of sonora, who has just re- turned to Birmingham, after having thrilling adventure in escaping from the revolution torn country of Mexico.
 We abandoned our mine some months ago on account of the bands of cut throats who made war upon any one who had anything, and I then com menced to figure how l could get back home with a whole skin" he continued. uehingly. "1 can afford to laugh now, but when l look back over that jour spine
 We started out in a machine early one morning and rode all day. Toward dusk We noticed a band of men on horseback approaching. As they came up the leader informed me that Mex ico was for Mexicans and not for 'grirgos. while he coolly appropriated all our provisions and rode off with his bloodthirsty crew. We turned back and succeeded in getting some corn, which had been mashed up with the aid of a stone, and d little canned food, for which we paid a fabulous price. once more We started for civilization, this time keeping on the roads which were less travelled than the others We made fair progress and finally got to the town of Magdelena.
 "I could hardly believe my eyes. Less than year before l had visited this city and it then had a population Of not less than 10000 souls; now it had less than hundred inhabitants, near ly everything having been abandoned I saw the body of one young boy who had died from starvation the day pre- yious to my arrival. The people We're gaunt. their cheeks were sunken and anyone could tell they would soon succumb to starvation. No one in this country can possibly realize the fright full conditions now existing in Mexico.
 At length I arrived at the border and crossed to the town of Nogales Fart of this town is in Mexico and part in Arizona. The people told me that just a few days before wealthy tour ist named Ford from New York had been assassinated by the soldiers as he crossed to the other side of the town. which, as l said, was in Mex ican territory. He had started out in a machine to see the sights and was oilNluS IL HiiHScii- oht ot tht SoitieiS Q in the barracks shot him and as he released his hold upon the steering heel the machine plunged into the all, carrying his dead body with it.. The soldiers did not bother with even removing the wreckage, much less the body, and it remained against the wall in the machine for several days until some Mexican child told an American child of it and the child in turn told its parents. Of course the citizens at tempted to investigate but it did no good; the Mexican soldiers merely said they knew nothing of it and nothing was ever done.
 q tell you, life Is a cheap thing in Mexico and if it is an American 1t is worth nothing. These bands who are terrorizing the communities II Mexico swear no allegiance to any par ticular chief; they are just robbers and murderers banded together for the purpose of doing as they please. Noth- ing but intervention on the part Of the United States will ever stop this reign of terror. Unless we take a hand in it they will be fighting for the next 10 years In the meantime we men who own something and have helped de- Velop the country must stand by idly and see our property confscated and fellow countrymen shot down like dogs This is what I want to know How long are we going to stand for if 2'