The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-03-16
VILLA EXPECTS
OUTSIDE HELP
Mrs. Wright Tells Of Bandits
Boasting Of Power Over
America.
HEARS HER HUSBAND IS DEAD
Woman Freed by Raiders After Co
Iumbus Massacre 6egs for Her
5aby-Relates Her Experiences
While Being Held.

Maud Hawk Wright, the American
woman who rode nine d s with the
Villa troops preceding the raid on Co
lumbus, N. NJ, learned that her baby,
which had been taken from her and
given to a Mexican family, was safe
at Pearson. Mexico, and that her hus-
band had been murdered by the SOL
diers . short distance from their
home. Mrs. Wright arrived in El
Paso with Mrs. H. j. Slocum, wife of
the Thirteenth cavalry commander.
Il want to go 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 stRe train which is to bring the
Mormon colonists.
Dry eyed and stoical after the ter
rible experience, in which she had suf.
fered hunger, thirst, exposure and
faced death in addition to the sor-
row and worry over the loss of her
husband and child, Mrs. Wright told
her story as though it were common
place. She had suffered so much, she
apparently had lost all sense Of fear.
Queen of VlIlistas.
Because she suffered in silence,
holding herself aloof from the horde
of fugitives, derelicts and vagabonds
which comprise the Villa soldiers, she
was called la reyna," the queen Of
the Villistas, by the troops. Villa had
told one Of the officers that he pre-
ferred to have her die of exhaustion
rather than to kill her outright-and
because she proved to be able to with
stand hardship better than his own
men, he promised he would release
her after he had sacked Columbus.
He also agreed to give her 500 in
gold, and permit to travel unmolest-
ed throughout any part of Villa ter
ritory.
Villa only talked to me twice, "
Mrs. Wright said. Il avoided talking
with him because he would have
thought | admired him, and would
have forced me to accompany him.
He told his officers how he would
wipe out the town Of Columbus, and
then when the United States tried
to invade the Mexican territory, Ger
many and Japan would step in to
interfere. Villa believed this firmly.
have overheard him make such re-
marks from time to time. Whether
some agents Of these two countries
are making him believe this, or
whether it is an idea which came to
him, l do not know. But he is con-
vinced that he will be assisted in the
fight he has started.
How wanted to escape to tell the
people of Columbus about the attack!
But was watched all the time.
The first night i was allowed to
sleep in an abandoned adobe hut.
Door ls BarrIcaded.
About thirty saddles were piled in
front of the door. The guards slept
with their heads to the door and their
feet to a fire just beyond.
Il laid down, but not to sleep. About
midnight l heard the snoring of the
J Mexican guards. peered through
the opening of the saddles and saw
Villas mount, splendid horse, about
fifty feet from the hut. One by one
l removed the saddles and stepped
over the sleeping forms until reached
the horse.
THE horse was tangled in his rope
| began to untangle the horse, and
then one of the Mexicans turned over.
He saw something was wrong.
stood behind the horse, but the horse
refused to stand still, and it kept me
busy keeping behind the animal.
Finally the guard came out to where
the horse was.
What are you doing here?'
asked. What are you doing here?'
he asked.
'Untangling this horse, / replied.
Then he finished the task l had start
ed. longed for hatpin, dagger, a
penknife, anything to kill the man. l
could have shot him If had had a gun.
But If l could have killed him |
could have escaped, since none of the
other horses could have overtaken
me.
Il returned to the hut. From then
on ! was watched constantly.
Thirty Hours Without Water.
'for three days and nights we were
without fire in the frost-covered
mountain country of northern Chihua.
hua. For thirty hours we were with
out water. But the soldiers often did
without rather than see my canteen
empty.
When we neared Columbus, Mai.
Nicholas Hernandez, one of the mean.
est men have ever known, said was
to be given rife to kill the grin
gos' in Columbus. told him would
shoot him first.
II believe you would he said"
Mrs. Wright was guarded outside of
Columbus, about 500 yards, while the
attack was made on the city. She
asked to be released, but the guard
said he would have to have Villas con-
sent. When the troops retreated, she
started toward Columbus. Villa, one
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