Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1916-03-31

IS LIKE FICTION
tFron Douglas. Arisons, Daily
International.

tEfron Douglas, Arisona, Daily
Internationally.
Gen. Francisco Villa, known
as "Pancho" to Mexico's war
ring poems has had a surprising
In four years he rose
from an illiterate bandit to the
dictatorship of most of the coun-
try ruled before him by Spain.
by Iturbide. Santa Ana, Diaz,
Madero and Huerta.
He has been outlaw, revolu.
tionary man of destiny, retainer
of the poems lands, possessor of
the republics chief executive
power, dealer in foreign govern.
ments. discredited wager of civil
war and outlaw again, within
that time.
His real name was Doreteo
Orange, or Arrange, he was born
in 1868 in the small mining town
of Las Nievas in the state of
Durango. He stayed in the viii
lage until the death of his father,
a meat dealer, fer whom he herd
ed cattle. Then he became the
protector of his mother and Sis
ter against the bands of raiders,
bandit and federal. that infested
the state.
At the outbreak of the Madero
revolt against Diaz in 1910 Villa,
unlimited joined the forces of the
lidealist, who latter was murder
ed BY Huerta. Madero did not
fancy a follower of Villas type,
but the latter forced himself in.
to prominence by his daring and
military cunning. Later, dissat'
listed with Madero's executive
facts, Villa began a revolt of hi
Town. Against him Madero sem
Gen. Huerta, each despised thu
|other. Huerta arrested Villa
and had him condemned to dea tn
This order was conntermande(
By Madero, Villa was imprisoned
lin Mexico City, but soon escaped
to Texas.
| Almost Immediately he re
crossed the Rio Graude with TIVE
Icompanions, six horses. not pur
Ichased, 81 in money and a small
supply of beans, sugar and cot
flee. Less than one year later HI
commanded a we'll equipped arm,
lof almost 20, 900, had a war ches
of millions, and within two years
Icontrolled most of northern Mex
fico.
His star rose from this time
His forces were augmented BY
1.-THE overthrow of Madero in Mex
leo City BY Huerta he began t.
act in cooperation with the rev.
Iolutior started in February
l1913, by Veuustano Carranza il
iCoahuila. Early in 1914 he ell
tered Ojinaga, several thousand
lfederals, including many gen
erals, fleeing across the border
to be interned.
The shooting, some say by
Villa himself, of William S.
Benton, an English rancllman,
in this same m nh, Trough,
Villa into his first serious trouble
with the United States govern
ment. His guilt in this was
never officially established.
His forces took Torreon, an
important Mexican citv, after a
bloody battle in April, 1914. In
June his troops entered Zacetecas.
The belief that he could not be
lbeaten almost became a religi-
Gus faith among his soldiers.
Trained military observers
agreed he displayed strategic
Qualities of a high order. AL
ways in the battle himself, APP
pearing among his troops hat
less and with shirt open, he
nevertheless began to be less un-
lcultivated and banditlike.
Through all this period he pro-
fessed himself the warm friend
| of the United States.
With Huerta forced from Mex
lean control and the ascendency
| of Carranza, as first chief of the
constitutionalists. Villa began a
revolt in July. 1914. In Septem-
| Der fighting between his forces
and Carannzistas began in So
nora. A month later war was
openly declared by the two fac
tons.
Gen. Oregon, Carranza's right
hand man, captured Puebla from
Villas men in 1915. Villas
power began to wane, although
he won a week later a three
days battle at Satillo and early