New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-07-20
GEN. VILLA shot
And KILLED TODAY


of outlawry In August, 1920, when, at
the head of 900 followers, the rem
nant of what had once been his army
of $4,000 men, he entered San Pedro,
! Coahuila, and, amid the cheers of the
populace, announced the intention of
himself and men of accepting amnesty
and settling down as farmers.
Is Given Big Grant.
A few weeks earlier, Villa had sur
rendered to Federal forces at Sabinas.
He then declared his adherence to
Provisional President de la Huerta
and General Alvaro Oregon, later
elected president to succeed Carranza.
Before captivating. Villa demanded
and was granted by the Mexican gov
eminent, one years pay and a small
farm for each of his men. a grant
equal to 100000 gold.
One of the most notable escapades
of Villa was his raid on Columbus, n.
NJ, on March 6, 1915. in which he
and his followers killed II Americans.
1t resulted in a punitive American
military expedition under General
Pershing crossing the border snd
maintaining a dead or alive" pursuit
of Villa which lasted more than nine
months and cost the United States
government. according to War De-
partment estimate, nearly 100000
0o0.
Americans Killed.
In a battle at Parral, American
troopers were ambushed and num-
Der of them killed. On March 81,
however. the bandits followers We're
defeated at Guerrero. The Ameri-
cans were successful in number of
other skirmishes and penetrated so
far south into Mexico as to meet the
Constitutionalist troops of Carranza
who, ostensbly, were also in pursuit
of the renegade Mexican leader
Villa, wounded but always eluding
his pursuers, lived in a Chihuahua
mountain cave for five weeks. 1t was
located in the center of a perpendic-
ular cliff which rose $50 feet from a
brook on the level plain below and
from this point Villa said be often
watched the American troops. Many
times he was reported dead. Jrpon
the American army's withdrawal from
Mexico Villa renewed his depreda-
tons. On April 4, 1916, he was in
dicted for first degree murder at
Deming, N. NJ, on account of the
Columbus raid.
They call me a bandit and the
worst man in Mexico" declared Villa
when he was welcomed to San Pedro.
Coahuila. but I would preserve our
nationality. I surrendered because
further fighting in Mexico meant in
PREVENTION by the United States. It is
time for peace" In a manifesto he
praised the good faith, honor and pa
trtotism" of Provisional President de
al Huerto and declared it was his rur- |
rose to show the Mexican nation that
he and his men could build as we'll
as destroy"
The former bandit went with his
family from San Pedro to Las Nieyas,
Durango, to settle down" on his
farm there and shortly after wrote
TO de Ia Huerta for school books and
supplies.
Affected BY Daughters Death. /
Villa was said to have been deeplv
"hCNtIN ny liiC utdLn OF q naUghtPr 1
in San Antonio, Texas, q month after
his surrender. Sixteen of his men.
who were among number captured
by Pershing and convicted Of various
offenses were pardoned by the gov
ernor of New Mexico in November.
1920.
The first real tragedy in Villas life
occurred when General Filipe Angeles
was executed as revolutionist bv
Carranza troops in 1919. Villa ad-
mired Angeles not only as a patriot
and soldier. but regarded him almost
as father. He wept bitterly when
he received word that Angeles had
been shot. He threatened reprisals
and later aided in the overthrow of
the Carranza regime.
Villas real name was Doreteo
Orange. He was born in 1868 of peon
in the little mining town of
Las Nievas. As youth he followed
the trade of butcher until the death