For his courage in killing and capturing several enemy soldiers on the Marne River, Charlie was decorated. One week after receiving his medal for valor, he fell to a German mustard gas attack. The poison severely damaged his lungs. He spent the remainder of his life in a veterans’ home in Lexington, Kentucky.
Jonesy fought on through the long summer and into the late fall of 1918. Four days before the Armistice was signed, he was killed by a sniper’s bullet to the head.
Juan Parilla never left Camp Furlong, finally retiring from the United States Army on January 1, 1919. With the horrible destruction of the Revolution finally drawing to a close, he took his family to Mexico. Joining with Daniel, Mr. Jones, and Grover, they bought more land and became cattle ranchers. By 1922 the Washington rancho had grown to become one of the largest in Chihuahua State.
Not content to live the less exciting and more sedentary lifestyle of a rancher, Daniel left in 1920 for New Orleans. Several years after Daniel’s departure, receiving no word of his whereabouts, Juan went to look for him. He searched the gaming halls and pleasure establishments of black and white New Orleans. He engaged the efforts of the city police, but still found nothing. Daniel had simply disappeared. Finally, in late 1923, Juan returned home. Daniel was never heard from again.
Jackson Smith attempted to flee to Mexico, but he did not leave quickly enough. Bureau of Investigation agents intercepted him at the border. The charge of murdering Constable Amos Arnold was dropped. There were no witnesses or evidence to prove he had hired Carlos. Smith, real name Andrew Cobb, agreed to testify that he saw Blaine meeting with a German agent in El Paso on three separate occasions. In July 1918, Smith was convicted of violating the American embargo against selling weapons to the Mexican belligerents. Throughout his trial, he refused to reveal who he worked for. After serving six months of a five year sentence, Smith was released from prison.
But justice often works in its own way and time. In October 1929, Smith took his own life by jumping from the 15th floor window of the Chrysler Building in New York City, having lost everything in the stock market crash.
Harrison’s mother died rich but alone in Miami Beach in 1934. She refused to speak with her son, and saw him only once more before her death. Her faithful servant, Jonathan, had died quietly in his sleep in 1920. Harrison returned from Europe alone to attend both funerals.
With the coming of 1919 and peace, Harrison and Maria left the Washington hacienda, first for New York, and then Paris. They avoided Chicago. Even before leaving the hacienda, Harrison ordered that his mother be removed in all capacity from Randolph James. He then turned over his duties as President to a trusted aide, one who believed in the law. Content to travel the world with his bride, he never again involved himself in the business. Following the stock market crash of 1929, the two, with their small children, returned to Las Palomas to live.
Every year at Christmas while traveling, Harrison and Maria sent a special gift to Juan. The accompanying note always read simply: “Still searching for Pancho Villa.” Juan understood.
The End
Chasing Pancho Villa Page 28
