The Washington times., 1919-04-27
Ambrose Bierce Mystery
Cleared; Author Put To
Death By Villa General

The April issue Of the Mexican Re-
view. published in Mexico City, that
just reached Washington, contains an
article by the editor Of that publica-
tion. which throws new light on the
fate of Ambrose Bierce, the noted
California author, who mysteriously
disappeared from Ell Paso in 1914.
Bierce left his home in California.
ostensib1y to go to Mexico. Nothing
was ever heard from him, and It was
reported that he had died. No dehnite
information to substantiate this re-
port was found, however, and the
lapse of I'VE years had served only 70
deepen the mystery Of his disappear
ance.
The Mexican Review now, states
that Bierce was executed in 1915 By
General Tomas Urbina, Of Pancho
Villas forces. The authority for the
story of the authors execution IL
given as a sergeant in Villas army.
The Review article follows:
officer Knew HhIn.
a short time since the Review edi-
tor was conversing with a friend, q
former. officer in the Constitutional
army, and casually asked him IL he
had ever heard of an American named
Ambrose BIerce. To his surprise he
replied that he had met him several
times and had, become quite well ac-
quainted with him. This was due TO
the fact that Bierce could speak little
If any Spanish. while the officer Is
well educated and speaks English
fluently.
THE latter declared that he saw
and talked with Bierce several times
in the vicinity of chihuahua late in
1913, or early in 1914. Later-in 1915
he met q sergeant of Villas army
an old acquaintance, and this man
told him about having witnessed the
execution of an American who cor
responded in every manner with
Bierce's description.
This affair took place near Icamole,
a village in the region OF Monterey
and Saltillo, east OF Chihuahua state,
in August, 1918. The Constitutional
lists occupied that village while Gen.
Tomas Urbina. one of Villas most
bloodthirsty followers, was near by,
and between that place and the bor-
der.
American Captured.
"one day an American, accompanied
6S a Mexican, conveying four mules,
in one of which was a machine gun.
while the others were loaded with
ammunition, was captured on the
trail, headed toward Icamole, ana
taken before Urbins. The Mexican
told Urbina that he had been engaged
by another Mexican to guide the
mules and the American to the coz
stitutionalist camp at lcamole. That
was all he knew. The American ap-
parently could not speak or undef-
stand any Spanish. and made no in
telligible reply to the questions asked
him.
THE bloodthiTsty Urbina. who was
never so happy as when killing some
one himself or ordering it to be dom,
wearied of questioning the prisoners
and ordered them TO be shot at once.
''The two were stood up in front
of a firing squad, when the Mexican
threw himself on his knees, stretched
out his arms, and refused to have hts
eyes bandaged. saying he wanted to
"see himself killed" All he asked
was that his face be not mutilatei,
which was not done.
Seeing his companion on his knees,
the American followed suit, but the
Mexican told him to stand up. He did
not understand what was said, but
remained on his knees. arms out
stretched, like his companion, and
with unbandsged eyes met his death
at the hands of the firing squad. The
two victims were buried by the side
Of the trail
Exact Description.
'"The sergeant who witnessed the
affair described Bierce exactly, though
he had never seen him to his knowl- \
edge. Incidentally it may be stated
that Urbina himself soon after met
his death by Villas orders at the
hands of the notorious 'Matador
FierTo,' of Benson and Bauch motor
iety.
1T is to be doubted whether Villa
ever knew about this double eXecu-