The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-16
VILLA TO RULE
NATION, SPECIAL
AGENT DECLARES
Here to Set Bandit Chief
Right He Says Carran-
Will Lose


now Sat the head of an army Of 10000
men in the State of Chihuahua. The
Villa troops are fully equipped with
arms ammunition, stores in plenty,
and between $4,00O,O00 and $5,O00,-
4 600 in gold bullion, says Mr.. Halves.
and Villas double ambition now is
to settle all internal disorders in Mex
leo, put in the Presidency man
whom Mexicans and citizens of this
country alike can trust, and, finally,
to establish beyond question that Viii
la had no part in the raid on Column
bus nor in the Santa Ysabel massacre.
According to Mr.. Halves, no pow.
er now in Mexico can keep Villa from
this achievement. Already, according
to his agent, he is the practical ruler
of Mexico and can make himself SO in
fact whenever he feels the time ready.
The troops Of Nvenustiano Carranza
are deserving to villa daily, says Mr.
Halves. villa is waiting only on the
7 time when the United States shall be
made to see that he is not the ban
dit he has been painted, that his OBJ
Jects are solely patriotic and that in
his leadership lies sole hope of a set
Element of the internal disorders that
have stirred Mexico since the days
of Porfirio Diaz.
Halves is an enthusiastic represen-
tative. He has known Villa for ten
years, he says, anad knows him for a
man Of honor, not cut-throat; a true
patriot not bandit, and the. savior
of Mexico instead Of its Mrecker.A
HAYES, a big, well-fed 4 and we'll
dressed man, is a Scotchman who has
4 lived for years in Texas and Mexico.
according to- the account Of himself
which he gave last night. He be-
came acquainted with villa when he
and his brothers, Hipolito and An.
tonic, were in the cattle business in
ranch.s
Villas Feelings Are Hurt.
ia Panchp Villas word was as good
as his bond even in those days. said
Mr.. Halves; better; in fact, for then
he didn't know what IA bond was"
He was only a cowpuncher, but. as.
he grew to be a power IN Mexico his
friendship with Mr.. Halves endured,
and, as the latter expressed it, he be-
came the Colonel House Of the Villa
administration. Villa was certain
that he was to be recognized by the
United States Aas the provisional ruler
of Mexico.
IF you will pardon the express
sion.n continued Halves, Villas re-
mark when he quit after Carranzais
recognition was literally translated:
They can, all go to hell. And that's
just the way he felt. saw him. in
Sonora, not far from Durango, when
General Pershing's column was
searching for him. Villa and his
friends had even ridden across coHn-
try to get a sight of tlnis|column an
had watced the United States troops
who thought they were chasing him.
Then he went back to Sonora and,
when saw him, a little of the bitter
ness had passed He was worried
over Mexico and the way things were
going and already he was making
Preparations to get into the fight
again. While he was lying dead in
the lmountains, as you thought, he
was coming gold pieces from the
stores of bullion which he had kept
hidden for more than three years.
He was well equipped with money
and ,he had many arms hidden also.
Later, as you know, mhny Carran-
zista6l deserted to him and they all
brought their arms. He got two
batteries Of artillery in the Chihua-l
hua fight.
i"Already had been sort Of agent
Of his since November. 1915, but 1t
was not until Mast month that I as
suned my rresen: post. Il spent the
fummer up here in the north and re-
turned to Texas in the fall In Ell
Paso I saw and talked with friends
Of Villa and, at their suggestion,
finally made the trip to Sonora to
learn Villas plans and to advise him
out Of my knowledge Of conditions
here. I found him again near Dur
ango, and this time he had between
10000 and 1000 we'll armed men
with him. He had machine guns and
ambulances as WELL and in every way
had equipped al regular army.
TT was then we discussed his rela-
tons with the United States and the
necessity for putting himself right be-
fore the American people. I stayed
with him two days and when 1 left
had committed myself to my present
mission
Says villa Wants Peace.
Halves asserted that the stories of.
vita atrocities, of his .connectlon WITH
the Columbus raid and the Santa
isabel massacre weres all inventions
q OF Carranza supporters. who realized
that the withdrawal of the American
troops meant the downfall of. the Car
rama government.
Villa did not attack Pershing." he
( added, although the presence of the
American column - interferes. of
course, with his plans. That is one
thing we want to have thoroughly UNI
derstood in America. Villa will bring
peace in Mexico If the United States
will let him. It need not recognize
Villa. Just let them, fight it out
! and I will guarantee that within 60
days Villa will restore order
General Zapata is with him in per-
son and In sympathy Villa Is the
popular idol and could have practical
" anything he wanted Of the Mexican
people, but neither he nor Zapata as
pires to the Presidency There are
half 4 dozen men of standing in Mex
leo who have the approval of both
these generals and one Of them will
become the President Of Quiet and
reacefu1 Mexico just as soon as the
United States can be brought to un-
derstand Villa and then will permit
him to do his work.
a q.