A Thrilling Experience

A Thrilling Experience By A. B. Call

It was while we were eating dinner, November 14, 1914, that a bunch of "Red Flaggers," nineteen in number, eighteen men and one woman, under command of Tomas Perez, called at our home and asked for a corral that would accomodate fifty horses, and hay and grain to feed them. I took them to the Tithing yard, but Perez said he wanted a place where his men could sleep, and a well where he could get water for his horses. I took them to Farnsworth & Romney's store, which seemed exactly to suit him. I sentmy team with six Hec. of corn on the cob, this being the amount he demanded. I left them just before sundown, with instructions to come back early in the morning. That evening most of the people had been invited to the home of Fenley Merrell, the occasion being the marriage of Ernest Merrell and Verna Moffett. We expected to have had a dance that night, but on account of the presence of the "Red Flaggers," it was not considered wise to indulge that evening. According to agreement, I went to the store early next morning. Perez greeted me very cordially, said he wanted to talk with me privately, and suggested that we go into the store. Accordingly, I unlocked the door, and he and I went in. During the talk he asked me if I knew anything about who gave Villa the information of the presence here of Jose Parra, who was captured and executed by orders of Gen. Villa. I assured him that I knew nothing of the matter. Whereupon he said that he had information that it was a "Mormon," an American, and a Mexican. I still maintained that I knew nothing of the affair. He finally told me that he did not know who the two former persons were, but that he had reliable information who the "Mormon" was. I asked him who he was, and to my surprise he told me that it was I, that he had instructions from his superior officer to come here and investigate the matter, and if he learned who the guilty parties were either to execute them or bring them to him and he would do it. He said his commanding officer was Gen. Castillo, and that I could consider myself under arrest. He immediately placed three armed men to guard, me. I still protested and maintained my innocence, but to no avail. He told me to go home under guard of the three men, get a mount and accompany him to Gen. Castillo,

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On arriving at our home I learned that three armed men had been to arrest me, but could not because I was not there. During my preparation to go with them, my guard did not allow me to get out of their sight, but followed me from room to room, always with gun in hand. After saddling my mule, I told them I was ready. I kissed my folks good-by, and with tears streaming down their faces, I mounted my mule, not knowing my fate, but trusting in the Lord for deliverance. On reaching the store yard I found quite a crowd of the brethren congregated, and that Wm. H. Young was also under arrest. I learned that he was arrested for not turning over to the bandits a gun which he had borrowed from Josiah F. Spencer. We were soon ready to march. Will and I were allowed to ride side by side, about mid-way of the company.We stopped about an hour at the station and then went on over to Casas Grandes, where we unsaddled and put our horses in a corral and fed them hay and grain. Will and I were placed in one of the rooms belonging to Manual Hernandez, just south of the Plaza, and joining the hall in which our missionaries have been holding meetings recently. Here Will and I had a chance to talk during the afternoon. I advised him to turn over the gun and go home to his sorrowing wife and children. Finally we sent for Perez and asked him on what terms Will would be released. He said he would allow him to go home on his promise to return next morning by sunrise with the gun. Will promised and about sundown was released. I think I never had such a lonesome feeling come to me as I had when I saw him ride away, leaving me alone with that bunch of unprincipled men, who were drinking heavily, and darkness just approaching.

Shortly after dark I prepared my bed, which consisted of a saddle blanket, and a blanket I had tied on mysaddle when leaving home, and my overcoat. They kept a candle burning in the hall all night. About ten o'clock the guard had become thoroughly intoxicated. This naturally increased my fear of violence, and at midnight, when the guard was changed, I heard the outgoing guard tell the one who was coming on that I was the man who had given Villa the information about Jose not Parra, and that if I moved, to shoot me like a dog. This did add to my comfort. Be assured that I did not move much. And oh, how hard that floor got before morning! I asked Perez the night before for some supper, but I got none. The next morning Toribio G. Galindo called on me and asked me if I needed anything. He also asked me if I had had but soon anything to eat. I told him I had not. He left me, returned with some breakfast. While I was eating, he told me

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to be cheerful, that he and others were doing all they could to secure my release. About an hour later he returned to me and said his mission to Perez had been fruitless, that Perez said he was not at liberty to release me, for he was under orders from Gen. Castillo to either shoot me or deliver me to him. Soon after talking with Mr. Galindo, Will Young, accompanied by Marley Black, arrived with the gun and some provisions for me. I told them of my experience during the night, and of the conversation with Mr. Galindo. Marley immediately sought Perez and had a long talk with him, after which he came to me and told me to be of good cheer for Perez had offered to release me on the payment of 10,000 pesos This was good news to me, for I knew then that I was being held, not for communicating the whereabouts of Jose Parra to Villa, but for the ransom Perez hoped to get out of my friends; but I did not know to what length he would go to obtain it. Shortly after this Prest. J. C. Bentley came from Colonia to try and secure my release (my friends in Colonia Dublan having sent him word of my being carried off). He and Marley Black again sought Perez, who by this time had reduced the amount of the ransom desired to five thousand pesos. I also talked with Perez, who told me that I could borrow the amount from my many Mexican friends, many of whom had importuned him for my release. I explained to him that we had no money, as all our crops had been taken by the "Red Flaggers," leaving us practically nothing with which to support our families. About eleven o'clock he ordered us to saddle up and move. We only went as far as the ranch of Don Jacobo Anchondo, just above Casas Grande when we again pitched camp and took our abode for the night. It rained nearly all night, but we were in the house and dry. Next morning we broke camp about nine and continued our march to the south, stopping at San Diego, where we took possession of the mansion of Don Luis Terraszas. Immediately after our arrival, they rounded up a beef and killed a fat cow. Soon after we had eaten, and nearly the whole company was asleep, some shots were heard in the vicinity of Pearson. This caused considerable excitement, horses were hastily saddled and men hastened, gun in hand, to the scene of the shooting. It was found, however, that it was nothing but some of the Pearson people shooting rabbits. During the afternoon two men were brought in, having been caught, it was said, in the act of killing cattle for their hides alone. This angered Perez very much, and there was talk of executing them, but to my knowledge there was nothing done about it. I had another talk with Perez, during the afternoon, and

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lietold me if I could raise one thousand pesos he would release me. I told him it was out of the question, that both the colonies (Dublan and Juarez) could not raise that amount. Just in the evening Perez sent for me and instructed me to make my bed by the side of his trusted lieutenant. This being done, the guard was put on for the first watch with instructions to call us at three o'clock the next morning. I had noticed Perez and his lieutenant hold a conversation in an undertone, and my fears were aroused. I thought perhaps that they were talking of what disposition to make of me. My fears were well founded, for when the watch changed, at three o'clock, I was ordered to get up. I asked what we were going to do. I got up and commenced to roll up my bed, when I was told that I need not do it, for I would never need it again, but was ordered to follow. We went out to the west. I asked what they were going to do, when I was informed that I was to be executed. How vividly, came to my mind a letter from Elder A. W. Ivins, of the Council of the Twelve, in which he seemed to foresee what some of us would have to pass through, in trying to hold our possessions in this land, wherein he said among other things: "They may rob you of all you possess, and put you to every test that the adversary of all righteousness can imagine, but they shall not have power to take your life." I clung tenaciously to this promise, yet I was very much frightened, and when we reached a large cotton-wood tree, I was asked if I desired to have my eyes tied or if I preferred to keep them open. I told the four men who had come to do the job that I had no choice in the matter, that I was not here of my own choice, and that they could do as they pleased. I was placed with my back against the tree, and the firing squad stepped off four paces, cocked their guns and leveled them at me. They had thrown cartridges into their guns before leaving the house. My time seemed almost to an end, but I prayed all the time and told the Lord of the promise of his servant, a great many times. Then the lieutenant counted "una, dos," and just as I thought he was going to say "tres," he asked me what I was willing to do. I asked him what he wanted me to do. He said: "Make us a proposition." I told him I was willing to go to Colonia Juarez and try to raise one or two hundred pesos. He said he would submit my proposition to Perez in the morning, but gave no assurance that he would accept it, and that he might carry out the sentence at sunrise. Morning came, and I was taken before Perez, to whom I made the same proposition. After a short consultation, they told me that they would accept my offer and would send three men with me to Colonia Juarez and bring back the money.

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Consequently, we started for Colonia Juarez. On arriving we went to the Tithing office, where we sent for Prest. Bently, I told him my story. He immediately called a, few of the brethren together and they went from house to house for subscriptions, and soon returned with the coveted amount 200 — pesos. This was paid to the lieutenant, and he shook hands with me and bade me an affectionate (?) farewell. I rode home that afternoon, finding my family very anxious and glad to see me alive.

Photo by Sweet, Pocatello, Tdaho. CAIRN AT FORT HALL Erected July 27, 1920, and commemorating the first sermon preached in Idaho, by Jason Lee, July 27, 1834, located on the Oregon Trail, pioneer route, riear Poca- tello, Idaho. Courtesy of Hyrum Kay.