New Britain herald., 1916-03-11
Woman Held Prisoner by Bandit Chief Says She Heard Him Tell Officers
FORGED TO REMAIN SILENT
 KNOWING OF COLUMBUS PLOT
Closely Watched by Captors Although She Nearly Succeeded in Escaping First Night On Outlaw Kings Charger But RestlcsSness of Horse Awakened Guard and She Was Forced to Return to Adobe Prison.

El Paso, Tex, March 11.-Mrs. Maude Hauke Wright the American woman who rode nine days with the Villa troop preceding the raid on Columbus, N- M., is here today await ing the arrival of her baby, which was taken from her and given to a Mexican family at their home near Pearson, Mexico. The baby is safe and she expects it to be brought to her today or tomorrow. Her husband vas killed by the bandits. Mrs. Wright retold her story of the nine day trip with the bandits, as though it were common place. She had suf- fered so much that she had apparent iy lost all sense of fear. Because she suffered in silence and held herself aloof, she was called "Laroyna, Queen of the Villistas," by the troops. Villa Tad told one of the officers that he preferred to have her die of exhaus- ton rather than to kill her outright and because she proved to be able to withstand hardships better than his own men promised he would release her after he had sacked Columbus. He also agreed to give her $100 gold and a permit to travel unmolested throughout any part of Villa terri tory.
 Expects Germany and Japan to Help
 Villa only talked to me twice." Mrs. Wright said 1T avoided talking with him because he would have thought I admired him, and would have forced me to Accompany him He told his officers he would wipe l out the town of Columbus, and then when the United States tried to in- !! wade the Mexican territory, Germany | and Japan would step in to interfere. 1 Whether some agents of these two countries are making him believe this or whether it is an idea which came to him, I do not know But he is convinced that he will be assisted in the fight he has started.
 "How I wanted to escape to tell the "peop1e of Columbus about the attack. But I was watched all the time. The first night I was allowed to sleep in an abandoned adobe hut, which was prepared for me. About thirty sad dies were piled in front of the door. The guards slept with their heads to the door and their feet to a fire just beyond.
 Mrs. Wright Tries To Escape.
 "I lay down, but not to sleep. About midnight I heard the snoring of the Mexican guards. I peeped through the opening of the saddles and spied Villas charger, a splendid steed, about fifty feet from the hut. One by one I removed the saddles and stepped over the sleeping forms until I reached the horse.
 "The horse was tangled in his rope. I began to untangle the horse, and then one of the Mexicans turned over. He saw something was wrong. I stood behind the horse, but the horse refused to stand still and it kept me busy keeping behind the animal. Finally the guard came out to where .the horse was: What are you doing here?" he asked.
 'Untangling this horse, l replied. When he finished the task l started back to the hut. I longed for a hat pin, a dagger, a penknife, anything to kill the man. If I could have killed him I could have escaped since none of the other horses could have overta<en me.
 q returned to the hut. From then on I was watched constantly until l was released at Columbus.
 DENIED NEW TRIAL.