Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-10

ed to be released" Mrs. Wright added,
but Seryantes. with a smile. told me
that instead, he intended to give me
a 5000 rifle and force me to fight with
the Mexicans against the Gringoes. l
told him if he did that l would throw
it into the river. If you do he said,
II will throw you in after it,
Il then told him could die but once
and that the first one l would fire up
on would be he and then l would try
to shoot some other officer
"Servantes turned to some other Of
ficers and said: I really believe she
would and will not give her rifle
Just before the march for the Dor
der began l spoke to Gen. Villa again.
asking him to set me free because l
did not want my own countrymen, the
American soldiers. firing upon me IN
the ranks of the Mexicans. But he
laughed and said that when we got to
Columbus he would give me my pa
pers in the office Of the bank there.
"Torchss" Of Inhabitants
I'VE left Boca Grande yesterday and
crossed the border vest of Columbus
before 4 O'Clock. The officer in charge
Of the company was with said: we
will lay the town IN waste and viva
said: We are to make torches or every
man. woman and child to be found
LAS we entered the ditch Leading
past the American army camp below
columbus the captain of my compan!
told me that he and 20 other officers
had crossed the border yesterday as
spies and found that only few Amer
lean soldiers were in camp, that the
others were farther west He aooeo
that everybody expected an easy tlnle
capturing and burning the town an"
DESTROYING every American in 1t. Inc
Mexican inhabitants, he told US, were
to be spared.
81 was in the line Villa threw along
the railroad tracks after his troops nae
swept eastward through the unlteo
States cavalry. A bullet hit the saddle
of NV horse as l stood dismounting be
hind H. Villa sent his men across tins
tracks into the town. Soon ! saw puiio
;nrs on fire. then the American troops
anparently got into action and i'll Nttie
while the Mexicans came back.
"yilla rode among the men cursing ahe
threatening to shoot any man VINO raj
away. An old soldier named Manuel VINO
said he was too sick to fight had peer
detailed to guard me. He said II M
| could ne would run into American tern
! tory with me, because he had had enough
| If war but he was afraid. and l wen
back with the retreating forces until
| rearhed a point near the house where
NJ Moore was killed and his wife wound
| ed.
! "Here Villa came upon me. Again
asked him to set me free.
! ".You go; you are at liberty ne saio
| 7 went to the Moore house and foun'
Mr.. Moore lying face down on the steps
dead; his wife was in a nearby nel'
wounded. She had seen her husband sho
but did not know he was dead. SOM
American soldiers came by. They calle'
for an ambulance and | came to Column
bus with Mrs. Moore"
g.! Mrs. Wright assisted surgeons who at
tended Mrs. Moore and in the army CAM
| she again assisted in helping wounded
soldiers. She was then taken in charg
Z! nv Mrs. Slocum, who put her to bed an'
kept her there all night and today, let
ting her rise only to eat a little OF wha
she described as real feed and drini
| few cups of tea.
| 81 have had nothing for nine days blu
mule meat and scorched beef without
| SALT she said