Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-06-24
WHY VILLA TURNED BANDIT


OF bandit and outlaw. They have
ranged from a statement that his
sister was offered violence by n
young caballero of Chihuahua, which
Ii Villas native State. to tho more
prosaic suggestion that he was a nat
ural born tough. But / believe that
the story which here follows is the
only accurate one. 1t has never be-
fore been published
Il knew Pablo Villa 12 or IA years
ago." said one OF the largest mine
owners in Mexico. HE worked for
me at that time. 1 am Withholding
this gentleman's name for reasons of
my own. I can say, however, that
he is OF foreign birth and is of de-
servedly high standing in the foreign
colony here. He has not seen Villa
since the latter became a bandit, but
ne Is certain that the robber of today
and the guide and horseman OF IA
years ago are the same. A number
of minor details have convinced him
had a great deal Of travelling 10 10
In the back blocks" said he. 81 fire.
puChtiy u man nanleu PaD-
10 or Francisco Villa as a guide and
assistant He was not only the most
Intelligent Mexican have ever
known, but he was absolutely honest
I have trusted him time after time
with considerable sums of money.
liked him. but was puzzled by the
hatred he showed for all wealthy
men.
Villas great-grandfather settled
on a hacienda in the State of Chi
huahua," said he. "It remained in
the possession OF the Villa family
until after Francisco was a young
man. The villa family enjoyed n
considerable measure of prosperity"
At the time the French invaded
Mexico President Grant interviewed.
In the end he notified the intruders
to leave, threatening to send the
American army against them IL they
did not. They had already found
their position untenable and agreed
to go. Those in the state of Chi
huahua began the slow march toward
the sea.
Then" according to Villas story,
"Luis Terraza, who is still living in
California, at the age of 90-odd and
who Is the head OF the Immensely
wealthy Terraza family of Chihua-
hua, picked up a guerilla force and
began to harry the retreating French.
Every straggler was cut off and
killed. The people of the country
Joined Terraza and by the time the
French reached q place of compar-
ative safety he had about 1000 under
his nominal command. At no time
did he give battle to the French. but
contented himself with cutting off the
small bodies left behind as rear
guard. Some years later. however,
after the country had reached n con-
dition OF comparative peace, he
claimed a reward from the republic
of Mexico. contending that he had
driven the French from Chihuahua
This was not true. He had merely
hung upon their fianks with his ir-
regulars after they obeyed the be-
hest Of President Grant
Poririo Diaz was then president
of Mexico. He granted Luis Terraza
an immense quantity OF iand-the
Terraza family now has title to 32,-
600. 900 acres in chihuahua. although
they have not been able to
cupy 1t lately-and at Terraza's re-
quest permitted him to select the
blocks he desired. Terraza knew the
State like a book and took the best.
At that time land was of no real
value in Mexico. One of the blocks
that Terraza selected contained in it's
center the modest hacienda of the
Villa family. Terraza set up his
monuments and filed his deeds, but
did not make this action public. The
Villas did not know that their pos
session of the home they had held
for three generations was imperilcd.
S"Kfter my fathers DEATH" said
4 Villa to the gentleman quoted, Ter
raza claimed the block in which our
property was located and drove us
of, I appealed to President Diaz.
hut he replied to me that unless
could produce deeds to our estate he
could do nothing to help me. had
never seen any deeds. / did not even
know that deeds existed. but / re-
turned to Chihuahua and went to
the capital to search for them among
the records. BY one of the odd CO.
incidences that sometimes favored
Don Luis Terraza the hall contain
ing the records was burned before
reached the State. BY another odd
coincidence Terraza had withdrawn
his deeds and they were safe in the
possession of his lawyer. went back
!, 70 Diaz, this time taking with me
: }oid men of the country. who knew