Iditarod pioneer., 1916-05-20
HERE'S ANOTHER VERSION
 OF BANDIT VILLAS LIFE
(El Paso Letter to United Press

wealth. outawed bandit-solder hero; de voted husband barbarous bigamst; just, free handed leader-cruel and vlndlctlve die tator cool and clever political adventurer raving and bloodthirsty murderer; shrewd tatesman-ignorant malofactor Such a man is Francisco Villa The Tiger" as seen by his friends and by his enemies.
 Rvaling Robin Hood in the varied career of his life, but lacking the polish of that famed old English figure, Francisco Villa is character about whom there has been more written, perhaps, than about any other Mexican of his generation; a man whose name will go down in history as that of one of the most picturesque and widely known, though little known, men of in trgue ridden Mexico
 Villas personal history and life have been as much mooted question as has been the right and wrong of his cause. His birth Is shrouded in doubt-place, time ancestry.
 Mexicos man of blood" has been claimed as a brother of negro, as a Mexican negro blood, as a half breed of Mexican Indian blood, and as full hedged Mexican of pure Spanish extraction.
 The Rev Alfred Young, q negro minister of Baltimore claimed Villa as his brother. His hair is short and 'kinky" like that of the African; his check bones high and prominent like those of the Indian; his complexion that of the Mexican; his tenn perament that of the Ca5tlian.
 Perhaps the most direct line upon Villa $ birth comes from the Mexican state of Du- rango, south of Chihuahua. It was in these mountain foothills that Francisco Villa was born in 1876, the son of peon farmer, according to best reports While Ee was child his parents moved to the state of Chihuahua, the scene of the greatest ac- tivities of Villas lfe-a state that trembled with fear at his name. yet whose people benefited by his generosity.
 While Villa was in his early teens his parents died and left in his charge an elder sister, beautiful dark eyed senorita whom Villa loved.
 This very devotion to his sister led Villa into open conflict with the power then in control of Mexico Rurales the rowing armed policemen of Mexico, were wont to carry away for the magistrates of the gov ernment any pretty woman who declined their attentions.
 Villa returned home one day from hi poW ;o ind his sister gone-and in that moment of discovery was born Mexico 2 fury, "Pancho the Tiger"
 Villa at once suspected the magistrate of the town. He seized his revolver. mounted q swift horse and, compelling 3 priest to ride with him, started in pursuit All day and all night they rode and at : o'clock cne morning. almost a week later. they caught up with the party.
 At the point of Villas revolver the prie>t performed the marriage ceremony, the magistrate signed his own death warran'. and in less than five minutes the magis- tratc was dead and Villa rode for the noun tains of Chihuahua fugitive from jus tice
 Thus began the career of the man who caused more trouble for two governments than any other one man in history. He was outtawed and price was FIaced on his head Kindred spirits dockcd to his banner, and for eighteen years they deaed the rurales raiding, pill9ging, murlernS, pIunderng.
 Villas rife carried forty-eight notches, worthless obituaries of rurales who sought to capture him and win the reward. But his friends of those days stoutly assert that never did Villa rob or steel from anyone who was of his people the peon class. And always with them lie was generous and open-handed, free-giyer and a kind man.
 In the foothills of the mountains lay a typic;l Mexican village. Its inhabitants had Villa and the ruralas, of the p!uniering raids of The Tiger on unsuspecting towns, and they feared him.
 One night the magistrates and sclIiers announced dance and plans were made for royal merry-making.
 An hour before the dance started power ful, black muatached man. clad in the fuI uniform of an officer, strode into the small general store and bought out the entire stock of provisions. A pretty senorita the belle Of the town was the saIeswoman.
 I'm glad you have bought our goods, '" she said to the officer; I've were afraid The Tiger would come and rob us"
 The officer laughed then invited her to the dance They danced throughout the evening, he the gayest of the gay. During the last dance he chided her for her fear of Villa
 What would you di if Villa were to come here now" he asked.
 T would die of fear" she answered with a shudder.
 q have secret to tell you" he said and whispered in her ear: T am Villa"
 Brazenly Villa danced throughout the night with the very rurales who were seek ing him, dead or alive, to claim the 10000 pesos reward. Openly he courted and mar ried the shop girl
 Then good fortune came Madero re volted, and Villa and his followers 1900 strong placed themselves under Madero's command. Many are the tales that are told of his work in that revolution. He came to the front like s true leader of men strong forcefuI, resourceful, daring. He never sent a soldier where he would not go himself Always he was in the fight.
 His powerful sorrel charger-Nilla had passion for sorrel horses always carried him at the head of the column. He cap- tured Juarez by strategy -selzing a federal troop train and all telegraph operators along the line and entering the town before the defenders had discovered his ruse.
 From outlaw to general in seven months, 41o IL