The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-08
World War Veteran Suffering
From Gas Is Victim.
Captured by Pancho Villa in
Raid on Train.
DEATH is THREAT MADE NOW
Three Hundred Raiders Used
Dynamite on Engine.
Passengers Robbed and Left to
Suffer in Desert.

Washington March s.-Francisco
Villa is ION the warpath" in Chihua-
hua, according to official dispatches
received here today.
On March 4, he captured a train
near Chihuahua City, kidnapped Joseph
Williams, an American engineer, and
made a speech threatening to take
other trains and towns in that section
at will, a state department message
received today said. Williams is held
for ransom.
Want $4,000 Ransom.
Ell Paso, March s.-Joseph Will
liams. an employe of the American
smelling and refining company plant
at Pedricena, Mexico, is a captive in
1.-THE hands of Francisco Villa, held for
$4,000 ransom, according to passen-
gers from Southern Chihuahua who
have reached Juarez.
Williams, who is an American citi-
zen. served in the world war and suf-
fering from the effects of German
gas. was returning to the United States
for treatment when the northbound
Mexico City-Juarez train. on which he
was travelling, was held UP Thursday
morning last. near Corralitos, Chihua-
| hua, 400 miles south of Ell Paso.
| In battle between Villas men and
the train guard, ten of the bandits and
nineteen of the train guard Were slain
and the balance of the defenders, fifty
in number. either wounded or driven
off. The train and Pullman car con-
ductors were among the dead, the
latter being killed by a shot from
Villas pistol.
| Villa Threatened Death.
| When the fighting ceased, the ban
| dts herded the passengers to a small
hill near the track where Villa har-
tangued them and threatened them
! with death. Later, according to eye
witnesses, he broke into tears and told
them he would spare their lives out OF
respect to the memory of General Fe-
| lipe Angeles, who recently was exc
cuted by the CaEranza authorities al
/ Chihuahua.
Williams and an Arabian merchant
NJ. Nasar, were forced to accompany
the bandits when they rode away
leaving the balance of the passengers
marooned in a desolate country bereft
of their belonging and many of them
without their clothing, which had
been taken by the robbers.
| According to r. j. Peltier. an Ameri
y can citizen resident of Mexico City
I who was roughly handled and threat
ened with death, the bandits num-
bered about 800. They stopped the
train by placing a charge of dyna-
mite on the track which wrecked the
engine.
| An unIaInOHdDle feature OF the sur
vivors' story was Villas motive in per-
| mitting Robert ]. Peltier of Nogales
Ariz., passenger, to go free after con-
demning him to be shot. Another re-
| markable version of the train holdur
was that Villa addressed the survivors
! saying he was not a robber and assas-
sin. but was fighting for civil liberty
and would spare the remaining pas
sengers out of honor for the memory
of Gen. Felipe Angeles. Villas former
comrade, executed by the Carranzistas
in Chihuahua City several months ago
Federal Troops Mobilize.
| Juarez, Mex, March S.-Mexicar
Aderal troops were reported mobiliz-
ing today preparatory to an attempt
to round up Francisco Villa. reported
to be operating with a bandit force
within fifty miles of the American
border.
According to passengers who arrived
here from Parral. who reached there
after their train was held up and de-
stroyed south of Correlitos Friday
said the bandits were led by Villa
Seventeen persons were killed, they
said, and an American whose name
they did not know was taken pris-
OIler,