El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-09-28
VILLA DIDN' 7 Do
Il, So THERE NOW.
Letter Offered to Show He
Had Nothing to Do With
Columbus Raid.

Villas first card in his attempt TO
establish an alibi for himself in con-
nection with the Columbus raid. has
been played a letter purpOrting TO
have been written in Nay by a colonel
on the staff Of the bandit chieftain,
has just been given out for publica-
ton in e Paso. simultaneously with
the announcement that proof is being
forwarded TO Washington that Villa
had nothing TO do with the raid at
Columbus"
Americans generally have accepted il
as positive, without a doubt that Villa
personally commanded the raiders at
Columbus
Differs From Former Stories
The statement Of Mrs. Maud Wright,
q Mormon woman. made prisoner in the
GaSas Grandes country and brought 10
the border by Villa that he was per-
sonally in command. were later borne
out by testimony Of those Of the raid
ers who were tried and executed al
Deming- They swOre that they had
been impressed into the service by
villa These men and various others
made statements from time TO time Civ
ing details Of speeches Villa was al
legged to have made TO his men prior
to the raid. in which he had asserted
that he was making il for the purpose
Of getting revenge for the permission
troops to pass through American ter
riuory to fight him at Aqua Prieta.
Never Before Questioned
ON the whole the question Of Villas
presence al Colum bus has never before
been raised, it has been accepted by
the world that he was there and,
though the opportunity has often pre-
scented itself for Villa or his friends
TO enter denial no effort has ever
been made to do this until after Villas
recent raid on the city of Chihuahua
Then came the declaration that he was
prs pairing TO disprove his presence at
Columbus or connection with the raid
on the town Now a letter purporting
10 be from one Of his colonies. dated
last Nay, is offered in FL PasO as evil
dence that villa not only did not or
der the raid but that he broke with
his leaders for making II.
Columbus Leaders Dead.
pI the TOUR men who are said the
letter TO have organized and conducted
the raid, three are dead Pablo Lopez
was captured by Carrancistas and exc
cuted at Chihuahua; c. Cervantes was
killed by the Americans at Namiquipa
and Jesus Garcia met death in the raid
on Columbus Only one is vet alive.
He is Nicolas Hernandez and his where
abouts are not known.
The letter now put forth TO help
Villa in esta blishing his aIibi pur-
ports TO have been written in camp at
Mesa del OZo. Guerrero, TO a man in
FL Paso and follows:
Although I have promised you that I I
would write you often. 1 have been unable ?
10 do SO because 7 do not always find a con {
iicential crsJE AMI sonnet mes eear that {
you might get into troubie. Today I have /
been lucky 10 find woman who VIII hand /
you this and one FOR my family. together 1
with a bundle
The Columbus Attack
4 would like TO tell YOU all about our i
adventures. but il is impossible. After the I
return Of the division Of the northern army 4
through the mountains from sonora we l
started to organize ard afterwards got 70 1
the border and en- agreement was made be-
tween the four chiefs-Candelario Cervantes,
Pablo Lopez, Nicolas Hernandez ana Jesus /
Garcia-that we attack the American town I
u Columbus. telling the boys that we were
under orders from Gen villa. so the four =
chiefs. myself and Jorge Ttuarte communi-
Gated to the boys that we had orders TO
attack from Gen villa.
villa at Corralifas Ranch.
After the attack we returned % Mexican
.erritOry. but have never known what be-
-ame OF Jesus Garcia and several other com
AIDES who took part in our adventure six
lays after the attack. while passing through
he Corraliros ranch. We met Gen villa.
md he told Us that he had already learned
Z what We had done. and il IS impossible
10 tell you what happened after that on
lccognt Of his Indignation for the attack
without his orders He didn't execute any
lne because Pablo Lopez was seriously
wounded. but he told them to part from
him and each one left with two or three
boys. I don't know whether they all went