Mexican Banditry

A Southern Pacific train last week chugged swiftly over the rails in the State of Nayarit, Mexico, belching steam and smoke into the night air and spewing fine cinders over the countryside. Sleeping soundly in comfortable Pullmans were eleven U. S. citizens on their way back to the U. S.

At 4 a. m. up rode a large group of skulking bandits with an eye to robbery and a will to violence. Madly they raced along with the swaying train, their horses' hoofs beating a drum rumble on the arid land. Half a hundred shots screamed through the air and clattered against the sides of the cars, some of them piercing the woodwork and windows. But all in vain; booty was denied them.

Inside a Pullman a girl awoke with a scream, rolled over with a moan, exclaiming, "I'm shot!" She was Miss Florence M. Anderson, Los Angeles schoolteacher, returning home from a summer course at the National University, Mexico City. Her friend, Miss Louise Rider, also of Los Angeles, summoned help and administered first aid. It was found that Miss Anderson had been shot in the left side toward the back, the slug piercing her intestines.

At Mazatlan, the first stopping place, she was removed from the train to a hospital and operated upon.

Miss Anderson had become engaged to one Frederick Boehme, Stockton (Calif.) schoolteacher, a member of the U. S. student group attending the summer lectures. He stayed by the side of his fiancee until she died next day. Thus was a romance cut short and thus died the third U. S. citizen to be killed by Mexican bandits within the past two years. Fifteen others were killed or wounded in the attack, none of them U. S. citizens.

Said Miss Rider: "We were all sleeping when the firing began. It sounded like a Fourth of July celebration. We were warned by the Pullman conductor that the train was being attacked and to be careful.

"It was several hours before we could do anything for her (Anderson) but first aid. At Mazatlan we were met by Dr. Chapman and the American consular agents. Dr. Chapman pronounced the wound grave and her chances very slim. All this time Florence was brave and never lapsed into unconsciousness."

At Mazatlan U. S. Vice Consul J. Winsor Ives made urgent repre- sentations to the Governor of Nayarit and the military authorities of the State asking speedy punishment of the bandit criminals. He also wired Teacher Anderson's relatives informing them of her serious con- dition and subsequent death. Then he reported the outrage to Wash- ington.

The U. S. State Department, expecting rigorous action by the Mexican Government, declined to take action, but its attitude was not without indication that action would be taken if the $100,000 demanded as compensation by Teacher Anderson's aunt was not forthcoming.