The Washington times., 1936-01-23

But Tex O'Reilly, soldier of for
tune, who has fought in 10 differ
ent wars under eight different
flags and who was one of Pancho
Villas trusted lieutenantS during
the bandits reign Of terror in
Mexico, does not agree with Tom
Mahoney. He has what he says lie
knows is the true verSion-Am
broSe Bierce was shot to death
with his own pistol in the Sierra
Mojado region Of Coahuila, Mex
ico-and died laughing at his exc
cutioners! Documentary proof OF
that, O'Reilly claims, he has placed
in the hands of Government Off
cialS.
This Tex O'Reilly Che signs his
name E. S. O'Reilly) is six foot
three, gray of hair, slow and draw
ly of speech. His vocation is body
guard-he is happy right now be
cause a friend is getting him
new 10-gallon Stetson similar to
one he wore years ago as COW
boy. He looks to be, say 45-I
understand he is close to so. He
is one of the few remaining sol
diers of fortune.
And this is how he tells the
story: 81 wandered into a bar
room in Ell PaSO, Tex. That was
on Nov. 4, 1913. Johnny Chase,
q neWSpaperman, was standing
at the bar, looking pretty for
lOrn. He asked me to have a
glass of beer with him. He said
he was in an awful jam. He
had sent q story to his paper
about a battle between the
Huertistas, the forces Of General
Huerta, and the Carran1iStS, the
combined forces of General Car
rama and PanchO Villa. Unfor-
tunateIy, he had written an
eyewitness story Of a battle
that had taken place so miles
from where he was. RuefuIly,
he asked IL I knew of any way
in which two armies could be
moved so miles in two hours. l
said would take it mp with
Pancho Villa and maybe Villa
would stage q special battle for
him.
Then Chase asked me if I had
seen Ambrose Bierce. Surprised,
I said Mo- this being the first
indication I had that Bierce was
looking for me. I didn't know
him, although knew of him and
felt he was one of the greatest
living writer's in the world, which
sentiment I expressed to Johnny
Chase.
"He then told me the reason
Bierce was looking for me was
that he wanted to meet Pancho
Villa and spend some time with
Villas army. I replied to Johnny
that I could fix that easily.
Then I asked what Bierce looked
like.
"'Once you see him, Tex,
you'll never forgot him. Chase
replied. He must be 70 years
old. TaIl-Over six feet, I'd
say. A head like a lion and
a white mustache. A big voice
and he's no guy to argue with.
He'll shout you down in a
minute! He takes his drinks
like a gentleman
"I expressed my regret at hav'
ing missed him and then asked
Johnny if he knew where Bierce
was at the moment. He replied
he didn't know but that Bierce
had said something about going
into Mexico by himself.
"DOeS he speak Spanish?'"
/ asked.
81 don't think so,'" Chase
answered.
"'Not so good. Mexico is no
place for anyone who doesn't
speak Spanish these days. Let's
see. It's 8 o'clock. I've got to
leave for Chihuahua at mid
night. I'll try to find him.
"I went over to my hotel to
check out, and the clerk told me
that tall old man with a white
mustache left a note for me about
an hour ago. The note was from
Bierce. He said in it he, would
be back the following day looking
for me. But I had to get across
the border by midnight so I left
a note that we would get together
later.
I'm Chihuahua City, I bumped
into Bob Dorman, one of the best
news photographers in the world
He was covering the fracas-and