The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-21
VILLA PAYS WITH HIS LIFE FOR HIS.
 PAST MTSDEEDS'
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 are searching Chihuahua for his fleeing murderers.
 Scenes of greatest excitement oc- cured in ParraI after the shooting. according to report here. Citizens crowded about in the streets while the military milled around In prepa- ration to attempt the capture of the assassins Authorities Issued orders immediately to clear up the identity of those who murdered the noted bandit chief, while conflicting re- ports were received here as to what had occurred.
 Some inclined to the belief Torillo was named as the assassin to pro stated Torillo had been shot by Villas men out of revenge. Still another stated that Villa and Torillo and three members of the Villa party lad been killed at the same time from ambush.
 feuds that have waited long for ven geance against Pancho. While the robber chief has been variously hailed as sort of Robin Hood, a patriot and a defender of the op- pressed. in reality his past was one of sordid crime, lustful murder and treason against his country and his followers.
 Criminal At Large.
 Villa had been criminal at large, revolutionary leader. potential candidate for the Mexican presidency and q bandit chieftain at intervals from 1900 until three years ago. when General Obregon, now President Cf Mexico definitely smashed his ca reer-an act which put ObregoD into the presidency and forced Villa into a life of peace as Chihuahua rancher.
 Born of peon parentage, his father being a stableman, the man who was later to disturb the peace of two goyernme ents by his depredations be- gan his career of crime early as Do- reteo Orange, a wild youth of San Juan Del Rio in the state of Du- rango.
 Betrayed Employer.
 As go-betwcen an army officer and 8 village belle who were iu love, young Orange betrayed his employer. was beaten for it by the officer, and shot the officer in the back. For this, the first of his long chain of murders. he was sentenced to death.
 But the states seemed always to charm the life of this man. He es capped the penalty for his first crime by promising to do another. He murdered the guardian of two wealthy girls in order to aid another illicit love affair.
 Four years later-in 1904-he be- came the leader of d bandit gang, proud of a dozen murders by his own hand. Raiding ranch at this time, he committed one of the most brutal outrages in his record. staying the .bI wifi a n his home.
 His band was increasing in promi- hence: the whole north of Mexico vas terror-struck at his name. Burned ranches. raided towns and the bodies of the dead marked the track of the bandit crew and their. blood hirsty leader. His victims sei- com saw his face. A shot in the back, from ambush, took toll of h.s victims
 Kills Americans.
 In 1909 his first murder of United States citizens occurred when he faided She Pittsburg San Jose Re duction company's smelter. tied two Americans to posts and shot them Again in 1910 his name came into prominence when. posing as a cattle buyer, he visited wealthy ranchers and engrossed them in conversation so his bandits could surround their homes, kill and rob them.
 Perhaps ambition stirred in the savage breast of the half-animal chieftain. Perhaps he saw only that he could loot and kill more freely by officially declaring himself an enemy of the government Whatever the cause, Villa proclaimed himself the leader of a revolution in 1911. Mur- ders continued.
 On November Is. 1913. Villa en-
 
 torious rebel army. He celebrated by -bloodedly slaughtering 300 prisoners. Another battle was cele brated by a mighty holocaust in which Villa heaped dead and wound ed alike upon blazing fire.
 Villa was at the height Of his glory. His was a name with which to conjure in the north of Mexico Living by terror. he was worshlped by the peous. Half mad with his triumphs. he organized an army to fight Huerta.
 | Crosses Border.
 In March, 1916. he crossed the American border, raided the town of i Columbus, N. NJ. and killed r Amer icans. A punitive expedition under Cen. John Pershng followed him 1 back into Mexico on a dead or | alive" pursuit. Numerous skirmishes followed until Nilla. wounded, eluded 1 his pursuers.
 For five weeks he lived in a Ch!- ! huahua mountain cave, located in | the center of perpendicular cliff, l from which he watched the Amer | ican troopers searching for him on l the plains below. The expedition failed, but cost the American gov ernment S100,000000.
 Villa was reported dead time and again. Yet he invariably reappeared. But his power waS slowly waning. In August, 1920, he entered San 1 Pedro. Chihuahua. at the head of 900 | men, the few tattered followers who remained true to him. Greeted with cheers. lie announced his intention of 1 settling down, reforming, anu re- Questing amnesty from the govern ment
 1 The amnesty was granted. He de- ! handed and received, one years pay and a small farm for each of his men, a grant totaling $2,O00,0O0. 1 on his own farm Villa lived quiet l ly. Then vengeance came upon him l Rancho Villa had truly reformed. There was a touch or pathos in the 1 story of hopes and ideals of new life which the eN-bandit generalis- sino told correspondent in re cent interview which was destined l to be his last
 one of his greatest dreams was ! the education of his people. walk ! ing about the streets of Canutillo, he pointed to the school house he 1 had built, a modern concrete struc- ture
 q designed this building myself" |" 1 he said. T laid out the walks, the shrubbery What a different child hood than my own is given to these i children I had never known what