Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-03-16
ALMOST ESCAPES
on VILLAS HORSE
Woman Ready to Mount When
She Is Caught.
HEARS HUSBAND Is SLAIN
Mrs. Wright Says Mexican Rebel Chief
Expected Help Of Germany and
Japan In Trouble With the
United States.


Wright. the American woman who
rode nine days with the Villa troops
preceding the raid on Columbus. N.
NJ. learned that her baby, which had
been taken from her and given to a
Mexican family, was safe at Pearson.
Mex and that her husband had been
murdered by the soldiers short dis
lance from their home. Mrs. Wright
arrived In Ell Paso with Mrs. H. j.
Slocum. wife of the 18th cavalry COM
mander
81 want to 20 to my baby" Mrs.
Wright said. 1T would only take me
three days to walk to Pearson"
She was informed that the child
probably would be brought to Juarez
on the train which is to bring the
Mormon colonists.
Stoical, She Tells Story.
Dry-eyed and stoical after the terri
Bile experience in which she had suf-
fered hunger. thirst. exposure. facing
almost inevitable death, in addition to
the sorrow and worry over the loss
of her husband and child. Mrs. Wright
told her story to representative OF
the Associated Press as though II
were commonplace. She had suffered
so much she apparently had lost all
sense of fear. Because she suffered
in silence, never complaining, and
holding herself aloof from the horde
of soldiers, fugitives, derelicts and
vagabonds on the border. she was
called La Reyna." queen of the VII
listas, by the troops. villa had told
one of the officers that he preferred tc
have her die of exhaustion rather than
to kill her outright-and because she
proved to be able TO withstand hard
ships better than his own men he
promised he would release her after
he had sacked Columbus He also
agreed to give her 500 gold and per
NIT to travel unmolested through any
part of villa territory.
Villa Expected German Aid.
villa only talked to me twice" Mrs
Wright said. II avoided talking WIKI
admired him and would have forced
me to accompany him. He told his
officers how ne would wipe out The
town of Columbus and when the Unit
ed States tried to invade the Mexican
territory Germany and Japan would
step in to intervene. Villa believed
this firmly. | have overheard hin
make such remarks from time to time
Whether agents OF these two coun
tries are making him believe this o,
whether it is an idea which came Il
him | do not know. But he Is con
WINGED that he will be assisted in thu
| fight he has started
How l wanted to escape to tell tn,
people Of Columbus about the attack
But | was watched all the time, Thu
| first night was allowed to sleep in al
abandoned adobe hut which was pre-
pared for me. About thirty saddles
were piled In front of the door. Thu
guards slept with their heads to thu
door. and their feet to a fire just be
yond.
Tries to Flee on Villas Horse.
Il lay down. but not to sleep Abou
| midnight. heard the snoring Of tn
Mexican guards. peered through tn
opening of the saddles and spied vii
| las charger, splendid steed, abou
| fifty feet from the hut. One by one
| removed the saddles and stepped owe
| the sleeping forms until | reached thu
horse
The horse was tangled in his rope
began to untangle the horse ant
| then one OF the Mexicans turned over
| He saw something was wrong. | stoo,
behind the horse. But the horse re
| fused to stand still and it kept III
| busy keeping behind the animal. Final
| ly the guard came out to where tn.
horse was
What are you doing here asked
| What are you doing here?' he asked.
'Untangling this horse, ! replied
| Then he finished the task started,
longed for hatpin. dagger a pen
knife. anything to kill the man.
| could have shot him had had a gun
| But If could have killed him coult
have escaped. since none of the othe
| horses could have overtaken me
Il returned to the hut. From theT
| on | was watched constantly. Fo
| three days and nights We were withou
| fire in the frast-covercd mountain
country Of northern Chihuahua Fo
| thirty hours we were without water
But the soldiers often did without
| rather than see my canteen empty.
When we neared Columbus Majol
Nicholas Hernandez one OF the mean
est men ! have ever known. said
Average Age Increasing.
The number OF people who affair