New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-08

his ban
should he have to listen to mere
talk? The evidence is completed, the
prisoner protests his innocence,
pleading perhaps that he has a wife
and children and has given faithful
service to Villas army. Down comes
Villas fist with bang. The bang
proclainls the prisoners death or
freedom, according to what Villa has
seen in the mans eye. Justice in
this case is satisfied in about seven
minutes.
More cases are disposed Of. Peo-
pie are catapulted in and catapulted
out. A merchant appears. He wishes
to explain that some of Villas Of
ficers have entered his store and con-
fiscated groceries, wines, cheese and
wearing apparel. Villas little eyes
open and shut like cats. He is in
terested. Groceries, wines, cheese
and wearing apparel always inter
ested him. He permits the man to
tell his story without interruption.
That is a bad augury. 1t is always
bad augury when Villa says moth
ing. Much better to have him hurl
profanity at you.
The merchants case was decided
as soon as he opened his mouth.
Villa has let him convict himself.
"Cientifco" blurts Villa in a
rage. Red is not more engaging to a
bull than cientifico is to Villa. It
means that the merchant is rem
nant of the aristocracy that flour
ished under Diaz. Not only does he
not recover the groceries, wines,
cheese and wearing apparel, but he
is banished, and under penalty Of
death must leave Mexico instanter.
Son a Hostage
Over in quarter Of Chihuahua
City is q great house, in which
thrived during the Diaz regime
rich family by the name of Terrazas.
Terrazas owned a ranch which COM
prlsed almost all of Chihuahua
State. He could ride all day on q
train Yet still be on his own land.
y hen Villa entered the city Terrazas
and his family went out-all but
one. That one, d son, was now CON
fined prisoner in the house in which
he was born The reason that the
son was kept there was that Villa
might sign orders directing that old
Terrazas, fugitive in Ell Paso, pay
a stipulated sum in order to save his
son from death on a charge Of high
treason. Often old Terrazas has
thus saved his son. 1t was as easy
for him to sign checks as it was for
Villa to sign death warrants.
So, after busy day with cringing
women who complained Of
the theft of cows and merchants
who complained Of the theft of wines
and cheeses, it seems not uniting to
Villa that he should sign a death
warrant. The order, revokable only
on condition that Terrazas forthwith
pay 100000 pesos, is issued and
preparations are made for the execu-
ton. But Villa knows that he will
get the check and young Terrazas
will not die-at least not yet. He
who signs a check to-day VIII live to
be shot another day. = For young
Terra2as finally was shot.
Flying into 4 fury was Villas
mildest way Of defeating his oppo-
nents in dispute. Impotence and
Intolerance in an ignorant man who
has power are impervious to reason.
Had Villa listened to reason he would
have ceased to be a leader. Men
who had more brains but less force
than he would have led him. I'M
pressed, doubtless, by Villas sue
cessful onslaughts on the Huerta
forces wherever he found them, Mr..
Bryan, then Secretary of State, as
was indicated in his dispatches tc