Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-27
Mystery Of Disappearance in Mexico
OF Former D. c. Man Believed Solved

him? ! rather think ] did, Why. we
were good frie DdS-the best of friends.
We used to talk together by the hour
He could speak no Spa nish nd | was
the only one with that corps that Of
Gen. Maclovio Herrera) who spoke
English. and we became fast friends
He was never weary of asking me
questions about Mexico and the revo-
luton. and | was never tired Of Civ
ing him information and talking with
him on all sorts of subjects. ] never
met man whom ] liked better"
Did Won ever know what became of
Bierce finally" / asked His friends
have never heard word about him
rom that time to this. and they are
convinced he must have lost his life
No, l never knew what became of
him finally" replied Don Edmundo
Not long after that / left the Villa
movement and went elsewhere. But
he was with one of Villas corps when
I left"
Mefero identified Rierce's photo
graph. and. indeed. there could have
been no possible doubt as to the &C
curacy of his recollection.
SEVERAL months later Don Ed
mundo came into the ONCE one
day in a condition of censidera BILE ex-
element
II can tell yo,I now what became
of Ambrose Bierce" he announced.
Last evening ] met on the street
an old acquaintance who had been
a sergeant in Gen. Tomas Urhina's
forces under Villa. took him into
cantina. as he was hard up and
hungry. and bought him food and
drink
After l had described Bierce 10
him infinitely. he said that he might
have known him: that he was pres
ent when a strange American had
been executed by Urhina. and that
his recollection correspondent To my
description. There could scarcely he
any mistake. for the snow-white hair
and mustache and strongly marked
face and commanding presence Of
Bferce were as clear in the sergeant's
recollection as they We're in mine
THE sergeant said that after the
break between Villa and Carranza
in the Summer of 1914. Gen. Urbina
was making a forced march to head
off or defeat body of Constitu-
tionalists opposed TO Villa. which
between Monterey and Saltillo re
spectively the capital cities of the
states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon.
While on this march they met 8
pack train OF mules carrying cases Of
arms and ammunition whose desti-
nation was the place mentioned. and
which were being hurried thither
for the use of Villas opponents All
the armed men with the train sue
ceedine in escaping. except one
Mexican and one American-the nne
whose description exactly CORE
Sponded to that Of Bierce They
We're taken before Urbina and oues-
toned. The Mexican admitted his
identity and explained his presence
with the pack train as merely an en-
ploye TO help care for the mules and
not as soldier. He was unarmed
and had made no attempt to esca pc.
AS had the soldiers.
The American. however. did not
understand anything that was said
to him, and only shook his head
when addressed. None of Urbina's
men could speak English. so no com
munication was possible. Urbins
promptly ordered both men to be shot
their presence with an enemy
ammunition pack train being regarde
as ample warrant for summary execu-
ton. With an army on foot and NOV
ing rapidly from one place to another.
there was no time for delay in such
matters and no provision for the
care of prisoners. So the two suf-
ferers for the acts of others were
stood mp before a firing squad with
out delay.
THE Mexican fell on His knees
and extended his arms. beseeching
4 In frct ia. n IA
the sake of his wife and little ones,
and, when he saw this was fruitless,
begging them not to mar his face
with bulIets-the same request that
is almost invariably preferred in like
circumsta noes. The American also
for some reason assumed a kneeling
attitude and also extended or raised
his arms. hut said nothing. Both he
and the Mexican were told to stand
up. but neither did so. whereupon the
order to fire was given and both fell
dead
The trio de gracia Gevolver shot
OF mercy) was administered by the
comma nder of the firing squad, a shall
low hole was dug by the side Of the
road, the bodies dumped into it. and
Urbina resumed his march with his
troops.v
And this was undoubtedly the fate
of Ambrose Bierce-exactly the fate
he had expressed desire to meet
And as this Is the only account of
any kind that dilisent search has
revealed. it may safely be taken as
an accurate statement of his end.
Don Edmundo afterward brought
the sergeant to see the writer, and
ne repeated his account as already
given. also Identifying q photogra phi
which was shown him as that Of the
American whom re saw so surnnarily