The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 79, July 1975 - April, 1976 Page: 12
528 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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12 Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Villa's persistent control of Chihuahua proved the despair of Zack Cobb.
Despite United States recognition of Carranza, no effective way existed to
keep Villa from exporting livestock into the United States. He used El Paso
as a major market for the sale of cattle taken from the massive haciendas
of Luis Terrazas. In exasperation Cobb declared: "Villa has long since
ceased to be a revolutionist. His organization of pirates, manned by Mexi-
can soldiers and captained by American grafters, continues to exist and
thrive solely because this port [El Paso] is open to their loot.""
Villa's attitude toward the United States soured after the recognition of
Carranza. His forays against American-owned properties in northern Mex-
ico intensified, and he became less discriminate about the victims of his
raids. In December, 1915, he declared expropriated the Babicora Ranch
of William Randolph Hearst. The Babicora, one of the larger foreign-
owned outfits in Chihuahua, possessed cattle in abundance, with estimates
varying between 20,000 and 6o,ooo head of livestock. While Villa's con-
fiscation decree proved an empty gesture, it certainly indicated a turn of
mind in his view of former friends north of the Rio Bravo.40
Pancho Villa's evolving distrust of the United States reached its climax
on March 9, 1916, when his forces raided Columbus, New Mexico. His
motives for the raid continue in dispute, but no doubt exists that the raid
was planned well in advance. Two days before his troops struck Columbus,
Villa stopped south of that sleepy town and rounded up cattle belonging
to the Palomas Land and Cattle Company in order to have a ready
supply of provisions when he and his soldiers took flight."4
Yet the necessity for money persisted. Villa, despite an aversion for the
Wilson government, continued to trade with United States citizens. In 1917
and 1918, reports and protests came to the secretary of state about Villa's
negotiating with Colonel Charles Hunt (an El Paso cattle dealer and
former Arizona politician) for the sale of stolen cattle. Implicated in the
deal was Senator Albert Fall of New Mexico. By 1918 Hunt secured a
permit to pass 2,000 head of cattle and 500 mules into the United States
from Mexico, stock ostensibly purchased from the villistas.42
39Cobb to Lansing, November 3o, 1915, File 611.1224/75, RG 59.
40New York Sun, December 24, 1915; Lister and Lister, Chihuahua, 279.
41Cobb to Lansing, March 7, I916, File 812.oo/17361, RG 59.
42Ram6n P. De Negri to Lansing, April 4, 1917, File 812.oo/2o886, ibid.; Mexican
Consul [Presidio, Texas] to Mexican Embassy, Washington, D.C., September I8, I918,
File 6 I.27/319, ibid.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 79, July 1975 - April, 1976, periodical, 1975/1976; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101203/m1/30/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.