New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
Wilson Must Be
Caught on the Fly

II was when | went to Washipgto,
to get the heads Of government that
| found out how war President |,
filmed for the movies. The only w,v
to catch President Wilson is on n.
fy. He never speaks when posing "a,
the camera, and | ought 20 know. he.
cause | filmed him at Long Branch.
Mobile and Princeton, as well.
General McComb, of the War Col.
lege, made another good subject. Tina
adjutant general came out and thsN
members Of the War College, PLAYING
their game, with a referee, acted th.i,
parts before the camera. There wers
Daniels, Garrison and every head Of
the government that has played on the
chessboard Of this great war since Ia
clouds began to gather. They were
good actors, but shy Of the movie
camera. had to lead them up TO il
IL was when General Scott had lust
gone through his stunt of posing for
me at the State Department portico
that his Texas aide. Colonel Mchi.
came up. That morning newspapers
had stated that Villa had been capt.
ured and was TO be executed and Col.
onel Niche, whom / had filmed with
General Scott and Villa, sang out:
Hello see they've got your friend,
the colonel, down there in Juarez!
Wouldn't you like 70 be down there TO
get the execution"
This Gllusion referred 10 the time
when General Scott, then chief Of stat.
was in Fl Paso, attending to the mix.
up between the Mexicans and the
United States. | had come from San
Francisco to take pictures of Villa and
Scott in conference. But Villa was
nervous about trusting himself out Of
Mexico. He came across the border,
FASTENED to the house where General
Scott was standing, and entered imm..
diately. When they came out Villa
beat it right back 70 Juarez with Gel.
onel Michie, who escorted him. Twas
not 10 be done out of my picture and |
buried after them, taking them both,
before returning 70 put General Scott
in the scene.
| knew Villa pretty well eventually
and travelled with him on his dirty
private car into Chihuahua. vas
going on to Torreon with him wren
my recall came.
Villa is very accommodating sesf
posing for movies, and doesn't leet he
desperate at all. He has big bulgag
baby eyes, one foot turned inward,
pigeon-toed, and a slouchy walk All
appearance. He always takes one d
his wives travelling with him.
Villa had recently shot Benton. an:
was ordered TO also procure plctun
Of Mrs. Benton a very nice Nexlesa
woman.
1 For three days focused my Gamers
in the window Of a house next door
TO Mrs. Benton. | had rented room
for the purpose. A hundred people
came in and out of the door, but never
Mrs. Benton. Finally, my peculiar
actions. jerking up my window snsd.
whenever there seemed possibility o.
photographing Mrs. Benton, created
suspicion, and | was asked TO leave.
Nobody knew what kind Of spy might
be. or even what manner OF dangerous
weapon my camera might prove.
NJ first meeting with Villa vas a.
a cockfght. where | found him after
an all day search through the tough
cabarets of JuareZ. The lid was VIDE
omen in that town. Villas brcusi'
Hippolito, ran a gambling house snd
. there | learned where the genera
might be found.
It Is said of Villa that he can nei'hr
read nor write. but on this oceasea
an orderly handed him a mesar.
Villa read the note and wrote ID
answer without hesitation. he as
read a letter | brought from Gsnsn
Jesus Carranza, then associated w
Villa against Huerta. o.. u,.
"This letter Is no good" said VIZ
"The district il would pass you tnf~'
Is not mine"
had received the letter al Gs'e.
.Carranza's headquarters at Matsn'I.
with an introduction to Villa. ga
passport to any part of the Can''~
lines.