New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-13
WOMAN WARRIOR
THREATENS VILLA
Miss Simonton Says Her
League Was Ready to
Capture Bandit.

us a good thing United States troops
are chasing Villa. Otherwise 900
women, led by Ida Vera Simonton,
armed with honest-to- goodness rifles,
might be hot-footing it through Mexico
in pursuit Of the bandit chief. And
they'd have got him, too, Miss Simon
ton says.
Miss Simonton is secretary of ne
American Women's League for Self
Defence. Yesterday she sent the fol
lowing telegram TO Mrs. Maude II.
Wright, the woman whose husband WAS
killed by the Villa band, and who her
self was forced 70 ride nine days be-
fore she was released
THE American Women's League for
Sslf-Defence thrills with pride because
of your dignity and courage during
your terrible ordeal as a Villa captive.
We offer our sincere sympathy for the
loss of your husband, and we regret
with you that you did not have a
weapon at hand with which to kill
Villa. What aid can we render you
and your baby?'
Miss Simonton Pushes Campaign.
Miss Simonton killed one man, saw
age, in Africa. and handles q gun as
neatly as n member Of Wild Test
show and as nonchalantly rs most
women do q darning needle. She has
been in every country Of the world ex-
oepting those of South America, is sc-
quainted with many OF the crowned
heads, is a writer. and is now busy
pushing the preparedness campaign for
women throughout the country
The league. which IS Endorsed by
Major General Wood. aims to drill
women in armories and prepare them
for active work in times Of war. Any
woman joining the league will learn
how to use a regulation rife, and will
be taught in trap-shooting practice 70
hit something.
In times Of war the women will go 20
the front and make up the second line
Of defence. They will give first aid
treatment. run soup kitchens and CT
courage the men TO fight
Dangers 20 Miss Simontcn are part
OF lfe's negligible factors. She has
been into every kind OF an adventure
but matrimony- twenty-nine proposals
in Africa failed to lure her into that.
She once slept on royal python,
twenty-five feet long. but didn't know
it. When she awoke she killed it. She
has the skin in her apartment, at $50
West Fifteenth Street. with a collec-
ton Of African relics that would give
variety OF Nightmares to the average
woman.
The skull Of native who was 1e-
youred by cannibals is over a fireplace,
resting beside a savage's idol. covered
with human skin. Hanging from walls
are Mahometsn prayer mats. knives.
blood-stsined skins Of blue monkeys,
otter. cheeteh, msn-hunting leopard.
African wildcat, chicken eating snake
and African bush COW, poisoned ar.
rows. huge spears, arrow heads and
African death masks.
In cabinets are combs. wooden toilet
articles, tom-toms, small African
pianos. carved worries, ebonies, idols
and baskets made in Central AZ ica.
Her sofa pillows are made Of skins
from the "River OF He'll as the Niger
is known. They are died with a secret
process.
Miss Simonton penetrated Africa
right to the equator, and went far mo
the jungles where Du Chsillu disco7.
cred the gorilla. A small body OF
Senegalese troops she drilled when she
was there is now fighting for the
French. II was in the Ashirs forest
that she awakened in her tent and
found native robbing her trunks. She
shot him dead with a single bullet.