The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-06
VIRGINIA WOMAN
. TELLS Of AWFUL
MEXICAN

WASHINGTON, Jan. ga dramatic
story of eight months hardship and
degradation as a prisoner in a Mexican
bandit camp was told here by Mrs.
Cora Lee Sturgis, a Nirginian, before
a senate committee investigating the
Mexican situation.
With tears in her eyes Mrs. Sturgis
told how her aged mother, worn out
by long suffering and humiliation, died
Of starvation after their plantation had
been looted by the bandits and how
she had been forced to go into the
hills and cut wood and of a long tramp
to another camp with a secret message
from bandit to bandit sewed in the
sole of her shoe.
Americans were perfectly safe under
Diaz," she said. I'VE had no troubl,
under Madero, because the people liked
Inn. We had no trouble with Huerta,
and folks in my part of the country
Chiapas-hardly knew of him. Our first
trouble was in 1915 when Carranza sent
troops to section TO drive away the
help. AS a result we lost big crops,
right on the eve of the harvest.
II was nearly two years later that
the home of the Sturgis family, com
prising DR.. Sturgis, a dentist, his wife,
the witness, and her mother, was raided
by federal soldiers who charged them
with giving refuge to rebels,
Two of Carranza's captains and a
lot Of soldiers came to our home and
| beat us with guns" Mrs, Sturgis tes-
titled. When my husband protested
and reminded the bandits that we were
Americans they pushed him aside and
laughed, saying your old government
Is only a bluff They found no rebels,
| but they were not satisfied and wanted
to search the roof, insisting that | go
American, not a roof climber, but they
struck me OH the shoulder with q gun"
Reported Raid. VI.
DIR. Sturgis reported the raid to the
American consul at Frontero, who ad-
vised the family to remain at the plan
tation, the witness said.
Mrs. Sturgis said rebel and Carranza
forces frequently worked together and
that both factions disseminated anti
American propaganda, including a
charge that Henry P. Fletcher, Ameri.
can ambassador to Mexico, had accepted
81, 900, 900 to uphold the Carranza gov.
the bandit who made this charge that
1T vas a lie
zone of the bandits. told me that Am
bassador Fletcher could not return to
that country" Mrs. Sturgis said, u
don't think Mr.. Fletcher knew how bad
full. once when ] went to Mexico City
they blew up a train in front Of me
and one behind me-
The most thrilling chapter of her ex-
periences followed capture OF the fam
lily by Zapata bandits who took every
thing movable from the plantation, in
Guiding $23, 900 in cash. They were sen,
40 miles across the country to a prison
camp, Mrs. Sturgis and her husband
afoot, and the formers mother on a
mule.
Some months later Mrs, Sturgis wal
ordered to proceed on foot to another
ann with a secret mission and warned
that unless she returned in two months
other members of the family would be
killed. On the way she stopped a,
Mexico city and reported her trouble:
TO the American embassy. The eM'
bassy. she said, got in touch with Ia.
ipata forces and it was agreed to sent
a Zapata lieutenant back to camp witt
her, Meanwhile a bridge on the way
to the camp where she was to deliver
the message was blown up and thu
shoe, with the message in the sole, wa'
sent by messenger. -.
Returning to camp, Mrs. Sturgl'
found her mother dead and her hus
band dying of starvation. Some months
later she was released. and more deaf
than alive" walked with DR.. Sturgi
over the hills to their old plantation
TO find ii bare as a bone.