The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-10
Villas Vicious Threat.


boast made By Francisco villa In the
hearing of an American woman, she
ia Mrs Wright. who, with her hus-
band and baby, had been captured by
Villa several days before the attack,
The three were set at liberty just be-
fore the fight began
Further evidence that villa planned
a reckless massacre of Americans mas
5 bAeu given to Colonel Slocum, COM
mandinr the American troops here,
by another captive Of the bandits VINO
escaped at the height OF the raid
He In Mexican ranchman-
we left the BosQues Grande on
Tuesday" he told the colonel, and
started north at an easy, cautious
pace. Yesterday afternoon the expe-
tittion struck north from Boca Grande
and headed for the border. In the
middle of the night we crossed the
lire west of Columbus. Villa was In
command and he had with him Pablo
Lopez General Jose Fernandez. Cen
srei Beltran Colonel Pandelaric
svantes. Colonel Cruz Chavez, Martin
Lopez and others of his chief men,
villa was full of Roasting He said
he was going to XIII as many amer
leans as possible soldiers and civilians,
women and children. as we'll as men.
10 punish the United States for the
way 1t had treated him and TO prove
that CarranZa could not keep peace'
in Mexico He said that by raiding
American territory, killing, burning,
he would fierce American Intervention,
There were 500 men in the troop,
includin a machine gun platoon. Villa
said that ne could lead an army or
900 men across the border at any
time
Don't Think Had Gun Along.
The story of the machine gun
platoon is doubted by the military
authorities. who argue that IL Villa
had brought a machine gun with him
8 he would not have failed to use IL in
his attack on the sleeping town.
Two troops Of the Thirteenth United
States Cavalry. encamped III the out
skirts of the town. were taken as com
pletelv by surprise as were the IN
habitants. There was no suspicion or
Immediate trouble. from across the
border owing TO preliminary strategy
on Villas part. He had caused a tele
gram to be- sent last night from a
ranch at Nogales forty-four miles
away. saving that he and his band
were there.
At the. border there lie ravine
which runs all the way to the little
town Although 1t passes the army
! camp. no guard was posted there
villa led his men. into the ravlne and
they reached the town without raising
an alarm. Silently the bandits tool
I their assigned stations. 1t was i3e il
i the morning when the attack began.
A Surprise Attack.
\ 1t began with rife shots, wells anc
Z outbursts OF flame at selected points
The first objects of attack were Tho
railroad station, the custom house, anC
the Hoover and Central Hotels,
The Central Hotel was set on fire
s The proprietor, A. l.. Richie and one
& of his guests w. r.. Walker. made 4
dash for the street, and were instantly
shot down.
Among the guests of the Contra
Hotel were Mr.. and Mrs. Walter II
Walker. OF P1ayas, New Mexico, dele
gates 10 New Mexico State convention
of Sunday Schools
One of the bandits entered tn,
= building AM started to drag Walker
out, Mrs. Walker threw her armi
about her husband. begging the Mex
lean to spare him. The bandit replied
that he wanted her husband 10 e.
down stairs and shake hands witt
+ his captain.
A Vile Murder.
He dragged Walker away. A few
Z moments later Mrs Walker heard
shots from below. Her husband was
dead.
Then the bandits threw oil on III,
building and set fire 10 IT, Mrs
4 Walkers life was saved by two Gnitee
/ States customs border riders
and Aguirre. They tied sheets abou'
E her and lowered her from a window
Her husbands body was cremateC
by the flames, which consumed the
hotel.
d Meanwhile, the cavalry had spruns
= to arms. citizens had pulled on their
clothes and seized revolvers anc
rifles, and bullets were flying in al
= eafreetionEify the fitfuf tight 0fetorcfre'
and burning buildings.
Lieutenant Casteman. officer of tbs
day rushed all his men into towf
and dispatched a courier to Major
Lindsay, at Gibson's Ranch, fifteer
miles away. asking for reinforce
Dents.
( Fight Hour and il Half.
Although vastly outnumbered, the
soldiers did great execution and the
streets Were soon Uttered with dead
and dying bandits. The fighting con-
finHeti for art hour and Il haff, be-
4 fore the invaders were driven across
the border.
Several buildings We're now on fire
4 AS fast as the inmates sought tc
N escape from the flames they were fired
& 81 by snlperS VINO mad Deen stationed
at strategic points Several citizens
say that they saw Villa directing the
slaughter.
Shots few through the windows oi
the Hoover house. The proprietor. Z
W. Hoover manag ed TO hide himseli
with his wife and children and they
+ escaped injury.
Other citizens pursued the policy oi
outsniping the snipers. shooting from
. darkened windows at the sneakinp
figures Of the bandits. If light APP
peared in widow 1t was greeted Will
q volley of bullets.
In the railroad station L. jaeger ant
his wife and two children barricadet
themselves behind mattresses. w
Riggs. with his wife and two children
adopted similar tactics in the. custom
house. as did S. III. Mccullough. witt
his wife and four children, in the sec
ton house.
Wires All Cut.
All efforts to telegraph or telephone
for assistance were fruitless. villa hat
cut the wires.
Hare and there the bandits not dar
Y ing to enter dark and silent houses
would try to throw the occupants Of
their guard by calling out 10 them ii
English. BY this use ]. s. Dean wa
int 4txn q