Show ECE BIERCE EXECUTED BY REBELS SAYS ONE OF VILLAS VILLA'S FIRING FG SQUAD L LAST T AST photo taken of Ambrose Bierce noted American author and sketch showing manner of his Ills de death th in Mexico as d described scribe by one of Villas Villa's s firing squad 1 Pir I I I II f t. c- c r. I American uth l to Ha Hare Have Died e Died asHe as He Oft He 4 tp Hoped d B He iM jv ight f With W th H His s Boots o s On On q L t tC C 45 Ir Mexican exi aI Reh Rebels j f 1 i rr SAN FANCISCO Mar March h 30 Ambrose Ambrose Bierce A American eri an author and critic w whose ose disappearance has b been ones one one of I of the mys mysteries teries of the literary w world for I five years stood before a j Villa firmer squad in 1915 in north northern rn Me Mexico and died like a soldier I I Tt IS This impressive fact tad w told here lere hereby b by James H. H Wilkins San Fran Francisco writer who knew Bierce and who wb has hast just t returned from Mexico I o where City he says he talked ed with fth o on one of ot the eight Mexicans who composed the composed the firIng firing fir tir ing squad and verified the Mei Mexicans Mexican's ans an's story by a picture of Bierce the he former took from the dead Americans American's body Wilkins Wilkins' story stocy has created a profound pro pro- found fourd impression among the literary colony here and In view of ot the fact that Bierce went to Mexico s saying ho he intended to die in battle it it Is is is' is b being ing generally ac accepted a as as the the authentic story of ot the dramatic end endot of one of ol Americas America's most eminent ml ent writers WANTED TO DIE Wilkins Wilkins' search for tor the facts facts facts' of Bierces Bierce's death looked at first hopeless hope hope- less The English s speaking English ak Mexican who saw Bierce last was was as l Edmund dmund Melero editor of the Mexican Review Review Re Re- I Iview view and Melero died the da day Wilkins Wil Wil- kins arrived in Mexico City But Melero Melero Melero Me Me- lero h had d. d told George Weeks another newspaper man that Bierce had been captured near Torreon when as military mili t tOry tary ry adviser t to C fallen fallen fall fail en an Into the hands of ot a Villa raiding party and and with an unknown Mexican soldier lined up and shot In itt a accordance accord cor ance with the rebel chiefs chief's code I 1 want t to die i In battle jf It I cannot can cannot cannot can can- not do that I want to crawl into a a lonely hole in the mountains and die unobserved of ot mankind Bierce told Melero revealing the spirit that r ran n. n through Bierces Bierce's later ater writings LEADS PAC PACK PACI TRAIN Bierce Bierde e and and- Joined Carranza's for forges forces cs but later ter separated The latter latter latter lat lat- lat lat- ter heard vaguely of ot the capture of ot a mule train which Bierce was supposed to command A former who wro was in the c capturing party lived in Mexico City and it was Wilkins Wilkins' good fortune to discover this survivor After Atter promising not to lo divulge his name Wilkins got the the- theold old Mexicans Mexican's taken story corroborated bya picture lc from Bierces Bierce's body which at jat once recognized as the the author FALLS STOICALLY Y Only two prisoners ners were vere taken bYthe b by bythe the a tas-a tas a muleteer and nd a tall tail white-haired white American After a a peremptory peremptory peremptory per per- the were sentenced to be shot A eyed one man would have known this American said the Mexican The Tho Indian dropped to hl his knees and prayed and motioned to the American to do likewise The American hesitated hesitated hesitated hesi hesi- a moment then straightened folded his hands and waited An officer There was no delay signaled and the two men fell tell forward NO BURIAL RITES We se searched their effects I took ook this photograph In the tire hope that it might sometime identify Identity the Ameri Amen can I am a a. nan man of ot humble life lite 1 I might easilY invite the vengeance of ot if It they knew that I l countrymen our even your unwillingly was party panty to the tire killIng killing kill kill- Ing of ot such a man I 1 1111 will destroy the picture And he did |