IX
WITH THE REVOLUTION MAKERS
The Isla Dolorosa is in the Rio Grande River a few miles below El Paso.It is Mexican territory and is owned by an aged ranchman named JoseEncino. If one should start a camp fire anywhere on the island he wouldbe running a monstrous risk, for so great is the quantity of ammunitionthat has been smuggled thus far on its way to revolutionary war andburied, that any such fire might cause a huge explosion.
It was in the moonshine of a clear November night in 1911 that a boatdrifted down the Rio Grande from the American side, pulled up among thecattails of the north shore of the island and was beached beneath agreat cottonwood tree that stood out against the sky as a landmark. Twomen stepped ashore and waited in the shadows. Fifteen minutes later tworiders splashed into the water from the Mexican side, flounderedthrough the stream that but came to the stirrups, and pointed the nosesof their horses for the same huge tree. Nearing it they halted.
"Reyes," said a voice from the darkness.
"Gomez," responded a rider.
The test of this interchange seemed to have been satisfactory for asmall, dark man emerged from the shadow of the cottonwood and helped theriders to dismount. One of these later proved to be a woman who wastreated with great courtesy by the small man. When the horses were tiedthe four seated themselves beneath the tree in a spot where theunderbrush shut out the world. From the fitful light of an occasionalmatch that served to light the eternal cigarettes of these Mexicans, anobserver, if it had been possible for one to have looked on, might havestudied four interesting faces.
The bearer of news and evidently the leader of the party was the small,dark man already mentioned. As it afterward developed he was Dr. RafaelFlores of El Paso. Doctor Flores, as the flicker of a match revealed,was a man of some sixty years of age, a thin, wiry individual withrefined and almost classic features. He was a practising physician, acitizen of means and repute in the border city. The man who had comewith him in the boat was named Comacho. He was short, square built,deeply pock-marked. He was notorious along the border, particularly inLower California. He was an anarchist and an expert with explosives andwas suspected of having been connected with many dire deeds.
The man who came on horseback was huge and heavy and wore always a redflannel shirt. He it was who had led the assault on Juarez when thetroops of Francisco Villa had captured that city early in the Maderocampaign. He it was who inflicted some of the early atrocities uponprisoners, who plied the torch and who had to be discouraged in hisactivities by even his bandit associates. "Red Shirt" Pena he had sincebeen called. His specialty was smuggling fire arms over the border. Hehad sixty loyal followers in the vicinity of El Carmen.
And the woman! Senorita Josefa Calderon was the name by which she wasknown. She was from the interior, was something of a mystery neverentirely understood, but the current belief was that she was a sister ofGeneral Orozco. That uncontrolled chief of rebels was even thenstationed at Juarez in command of Madero troops and was vacillatingbetween allegiance to the new president and the leading of a revoltagainst him. Senorita Calderon, veiled, dark-eyed, slim as a cactus, wasthought to be his messenger.
"There is news," said Doctor Flores, as soon as the party had settleditself. "General Reyes is in San Antonio. He arrived at New Orleans aweek ago, came on to San Antonio where he was given a greatdemonstration. He has opened revolutionary headquarters there and everymail brings letters and every train brings messengers assuring him ofsupport in overthrowing Madero. He has arranged for money to finance themovement. The friends of Emilio Vasquez Gomez are busily at work alongthe border. The American financial interests in Mexico are back of us.We are to open headquarters in El Paso and begin the active organizationof our forces."
"But the money," said "Red Shirt" Pena. "We can do nothing until wehave money with which to buy ammunition."
"The money," assured the doctor, "is to be immediately forthcoming. Inthat connection I have a mission for the Senorita Calderon. She is to goimmediately to San Antonio to report to the chief and to get the money."
"When the money arrives," said Comacho, the anarchist, "all things willbe possible. There is dynamite cached at Newman and more at Alamagordo.Ramon Sanchez has other stores of it at Phoenix. We can start action athalf a dozen points and wake every dozing peon in Mexico. But providethe money, doctor, and I will guarantee to wake up two nations. There islittle question of getting results either through the overthrow ofMadero or intervention by the United States."
"Likewise will the arms begin to cross the river as soon as they may bebought," volunteered Pena. "I have many men ready to travel back andforth and each will carry a gun and a box of cartridges each trip."
"And the senorita?" asked Doctor Flores. "Can she go for us to SanAntonio?"
"As the senor wishes," said that young woman. "But where shall I reporton my return?"
"Back of my residence," said the doctor, "there is a small buildingopening into the alley. There are no windows. We will meet there."
After a long discussion of the details of the organization of the junta,this first gathering of the arch-conspirators broke up.
It was a week after this meeting in the Rio Grande that Archie Dobbs,special agent of the Department of Justice, assigned particularly to theMexican border to look after violations of the neutrality laws, began tonotice the frequency with which groups of Mexicans were to be seenengaged in earnest conversation in the streets of El Paso. About theOrndorff hotel there were in evidence groups of wealthy appearinggrandees, such as own great ranches beyond the border. Idling about theMexican saloons were many big-hatted vaqueros, such as make up thearmies of any revolutionary movement when trouble starts across theline.
Dobbs went to see Juan Ortego. This young son of Chihuahua was one ofthe dependable men of Madero. Ortego was a member of the personalsecret service of the new president and his station at El Paso wasregarded as important as an outpost of trouble for the government.
"What is in the air?" asked the American special agent of Ortego.
"Revolution," said the Mexican.
"Whom have they got?"
"Reyes, Gomez, probably Orozco, possibly Villa," said Ortego.
"Have you got an informer among them?" Dobbs asked.
"No, I have failed in that respect," was the answer.
"Who is the one military leader that Madero can trust?" Dobbs wanted toknow.
The Mexican secret service man recommended General Herrera at Chihuahua.He also stated that Doctor Flores was the Reyes representative at ElPaso.
Archie Dobbs acted at once. The Department of Justice has its specialagents who will fit into almost any condition that is likely to arise.Billy Gard, for instance, had been assigned to this work on the Mexicanborder because of his knowledge of Spanish. As he was growing up hisfather had served for many years in the consular service and Billy hadbecome as a native of the Latin countries. It had been his pride as alad to assume every characteristic of the land to which his father wasassigned and it was probably this dissembling that led him into thedetective game. With a bit of a Mexican touch to his wearing apparel anda covering of alkali dust he now became a typical son of the land of thesouth.
Such was the appearance presented by Gard when, two days after the talkbetween the secret service men of two nations, he came into El Paso fromthe South. He bore credentials from General Herrera which it had beenpossible for him to get through Madero's secret service man, JuanOrtego. He appeared much worn and dust-covered when he began a search ofEl Paso for Doctor Flores. Having found that gentleman in consultationwith a party of ranch owners at the Orndorff hotel, he presented himselfand asked for a word in private with the junta chief.
"I am from General Herrera," said Gard. "I bring to you his greetingsand these credentials which will assure you that you may treat with mein confidence. He bids me say that he holds General Reyes in adeferential respect which he gives to no other living Mexican. He awaitsan opportunity to cooperate with you."
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bsp; This news was, to Flores, the best he had heard since he organized thejunta. He was a visionary enthusiast such as would accept such adeclaration without further confirmation. Assurances had come from manysources of support to Reyes who, in reality, occupied an enviableposition in the hearts of the Mexican people. But Herrera, the Maderogeneral, who had been regarded as firmly against them! His coming overwas too good to believe. The doctor embraced the young man, according tothe Mexican custom, and kissed him first on one cheek and then on theother.
Thus did a special agent of the United States become a member of aMexican revolutionary junta.
Through Gard the Department of Justice soon had all the particulars ofthe Reyes revolution as far as they were known to the El Paso junta. Itknew that the aged general had been promised support from many sources,that he had been provided with considerable sums of money, that armshad been bought in hundred lots from dealers all along the border, thatthese were being doled out to individuals who were to cross over theborder at a given time and form the nucleus of the revolution. In ElPaso some two hundred men had already been thus provided. These men werebeing maintained at boarding houses about town and were being handedregularly small sums of money. Gard met every day with the members ofthe junta and talked over the details of these matters.
In the little building which had no windows and which stood back ofDoctor Flores' house, Gard also met the individuals who were thefirebrands of the revolution. "Red Shirt" Pena was always there and wassteadily engaged in smuggling ammunition across the border. Thepock-marked anarchist, Comacho, was maturing his spectacular plans.Senorita Josefa Calderon, slim as a cactus, came now and then, with amessage from Reyes or Orozco. Often she brought large sums of money.Gard once accompanied her to Juarez and used all his charms in an effortto develop a love affair with her, but in vain. He afterward learnedthat she was mourning a sweetheart who had died in fighting Madero andwas devoting herself to this cause in hope of revenge.
Toward the end of December the plans for the revolution grew nearmaturity. General Reyes was to slip out of San Antonio and across theRio Grande where he was to pick up his recruits enlisted on the Americanside and those on the Mexican side who had promised to join with him. Atthe psychological moment Pena of the red shirt, and Comacho, theanarchist, were to put on performances so spectacular as to attract theattention of the world.
Comacho had his dynamiting plans well developed. Personally he intendedto place a bomb under the international bridge at El Paso. An associatewas to perform the same service with relation to the American customshouse at Nogales, and the consulate at Laredo was to be blown up.
While Comacho was performing these outrages, "Red Shirt" Pena was to bebusied in the fine art of murder. The sheriff of El Paso, Juan Ortego,and Archie Dobbs were the men against whom the capacities of Pena as akiller were to be directed. But failing these he was to run amuck and dowhatever damage he could. Any representative of the American army, anyMadero official, was to be regarded as a fair mark. The object was to atleast create a great sensation to advertise the new revolution, andpossibly to bring about intervention. At any rate the border should beawakened.
With all this information in hand the United States authorities wereready to act. They wanted, however, to time their coup in such a way asto have the most discouraging effect possible upon the revolutionists.With this idea in mind they postponed making arrests until the lastmoment.
The revolutionists were to be taken into custody by Captain Hughes ofthe Texas Rangers. There were some fifteen of the active plotters thatshould be arrested and the Ranger force was the best fitted agency onthe border to cope with these. Every man was known to the Rangers andall were being kept pretty well located.
The manner of making these arrests was peculiar to this cowboy police ofthe Southwest. The plan was that, when the time to strike should come,operations should begin at the little building without windows where theringleaders of the revolutionists gathered. These should be arrested,none being allowed to escape and give the alarm. They should all be putinto a wagon, inclosed with white canvas, such as is common in theSouthwest and which would attract no attention in passing through thestreets. This wagon, with two or three Rangers aboard and others ridingcarelessly near it, should then drive about El Paso, picking up a manhere and another there until all those wanted were under the whitecanvas. So was it planned that a clean sweep of the revolutionistsshould be made in a manner of raid that might seem queer to thoseaccustomed to the methods of metropolitan police but which was intendedto accomplish its purpose.
But as far as Billy Gard was concerned, the raid came near coming toolate. The position of Gard, the American special agent, in revolutionheadquarters as a Mexican conspirator, was never one of especialsecurity. There was the danger of his identity being found out, whichwould not only spoil his case but might result in personal violencebeing done him, as his associates were not men to trifle with. There wasthe difficulty of getting his information to Archie Dobbs and thence tothe department at Washington without his connection being discovered.Finally there was his part to be played in the arrests.
Eventually the time came to strike. General Reyes had disappeared fromSan Antonio and was believed to be fleeing for the Mexican border. Theorder was issued from Washington to intercept and arrest any of theReyes party that might be found at any border points. The trap was to besprung at El Paso.
On that morning, December 22, 1911, Billy Gard reported at thewindowless building at ten o'clock. Doctor Flores was there and was soonjoined by Comacho, the dynamiter. Presently a ranchman from Sonora wasadmitted. Senorita Calderon was expected from San Antonio withadditional funds, and Pena and other moving spirits were to drop in.
"Is there any news from General Herrera?" Doctor Flores asked Gard.
That young man reported that the Herrera troops would go over to GeneralReyes as soon as his forces started into the interior.
"And is senor, the dynamiter, ready to perform his service to the causeof liberty?" asked the doctor of Comacho.
"The noise we will make will be heard from Tia Juana to Brownsville,"responded that inflammatory and enthusiastic individual.
"Pena is now on the street ready to strike," stated the leader. "Thisafternoon Reyes will cross the Rio Grande and, pish! the powder will beignited."
At this moment a careful knock was heard at the one entrance to therendezvous, and the doctor, who always sat with his back against thisdoor, opened it an inch. He recognized the man outside and welcomed him.He ushered him inside and began his presentation to those alreadyassembled. He was a revolutionist from Los Angeles who had but justarrived.
The entrance of the visitor would have been of no great importance tothe detective but for one fact--he was from Los Angeles. Gard had donemuch work in Los Angeles and a few of the members of the revolutionaryjunta there had learned his identity. The visitor was one of that few.If Gard were recognized he would be exposed and in this desperatecompany would be in a delicate position.
The light in the windowless building was very dim and the stranger hadcome in from the sunlight. His eyes were not adjusted to the darkenedapartment and he therefore did not recognize the special agent whenpresented to him. Appreciating the reason for this lack of recognition,Gard made an excuse for going out and approached the door. Flores againsat with his back against it. When the young man gave his excuse forwanting to go the doctor waved him aside and stated that he desired thathe should hear the report of the man from Los Angeles. Gard dared insistonly to a reasonable extent. Doctor Flores would not hear of hisdeparture. Quietly he settled into the remotest and darkest corner.
The man from Los Angeles began to tell of the part he had played inlighting the fuse that was about to start a revolution. His remarks wereaddressed to Doctor Flores and to Comacho, the dynamiter, an associateof his. The man in the corner was given little attention. But as thetalker's vision became adjusted to the darkened room, he turned hisglance occasionally in the direction of the special a
gent.
That young man sat as one hypnotized with the possibilities of thesituation. He felt very sure that, as time passed, the visitor'seyesight would adjust itself and he would be recognized. His mind ranahead and saw the scene that would then be precipitated. The thrill ofit held him taut, ready for any emergency.
It was the third time that the eye of the visitor passed him that itlingered a moment questioningly, and passed on. He looked at thedynamiter during a long explanation of some detail of bomb making beforehis glance again returned to Gard. By this time his eyesight had becomeentirely readjusted.
He started forward, mouth agape. He sprang to his feet. He pointed anaccusing finger at the special agent and fairly screamed: "By the HolyVirgin, a spy, a traitor! He is an agent of the perfidious UnitedStates. He is a detective, an informer. I knew him in Los Angeles. Hepeeped into our windows and stole our papers. He has already betrayedyou and the cause."
A vile oath was ripped from the throat of the pock-marked dynamiter.The Mexican ranchman stood agape. The nervous little doctor sprang tohis feet and started as if to spring at the throat of the special agent.But as he advanced he found himself looking into the muzzle of a bigAmerican pistol. He recoiled.
"Don't make a great mistake," said Gard. "What this man says may be trueand it may not. Granting that it is true I am then in the best positionright now I could hope to be in. If one of you advances a step toward meI will fire. None of you dare fire upon me, as the shots that wouldfollow would expose you. Now sit tight and talk business. What do youpropose to do about it?"
"'IF ONE OF YOU ADVANCES A STEP TOWARD ME I WILLFIRE'"--_Page 188_]
"Gringo pig of a spy, you shall die and be fed to the buzzards!" hissedthe dynamiter.
"Mother of Mary, we have been betrayed!" almost sobbed the littledoctor.
"It may not be as bad as it seems," argued Gard, talking against time."The four of you should be able to get me if you insist on shooting itout. I will get one or two of you, however, and the police will get therest. I would suggest that it would be wiser for you to let me backslowly out of that door and that you all beat it for Mexico."
The little doctor stiffened stubbornly against the one exit, but beforehis proposition could be seriously considered there came a loud rappingat the door. The noise of it sounded as though it were made with thebutt of a revolver. The Mexicans present stood transfixed with fear. Theknocking was repeated with greater vigor. Then a drawling Texas voicesang out:
"Oh, you greasers, lift the latch. This ain't no way to treat visitors."
"Break it in, Captain," called out Gard, who recognized the voice of theRanger chief. "This bunch is half captured already."
Then came the creaking of door hinges as though a great weight was beingthrown against them and, finally, a mighty crash. As the door came innothing could be seen but the blank side of a thick cotton mattress. Fewother things will stop bullets like a cotton mattress and it istherefore an excellent breastwork in an attack which is likely to be metby bullets fired through a door. This was not the first time such anobject had been used in Ranger strategy.
Presently the head of a Ranger peered cautiously around the mattressand a request for a parley was made. The Mexicans decided upondiscretion and surrendered without a fight. Gard was thus relieved of avery delicate situation.
The four prisoners from the windowless house were loaded into thewhite-topped wagon. It moved on unostentatiously to other parts of thecity and around it the Ranger dragnet tightened. "Red Shirt" Pena wasfound in the act of boarding a street car to cross the bridge intoJuarez. He made fight but a Ranger floored him with a blow from a bigforty-five six-shooter. In two hours fifteen of the ringleaders of theEl Paso revolutionists were behind prison bars and any expedition thatmight have been launched in this vicinity was leaderless.
At Brownsville a similar dragnet had operated at about the same time.General Reyes himself succeeded in getting across into Mexico. But theleaders from the American side had been discouraged and failed to followhim even where they were not under arrest. The Mexicans did not rally tothe aged general's cause after he entered his native land, as had beenexpected. Discouraged and heartbroken he surrendered to the Maderoauthorities a few days later at the little town of Linares, and hisrevolution was at an end.