Hellraisers Journal: The Progressive Woman: Andrea Villarreal, Mexican Revolutionary -by L. Gutierrez De Lara

Quote Mother Jones Save Our Mexican Comrades, AtR p3, Feb 20, 1909 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday August 10, 1910
Andrea Villarreal, Mexican Revolutionary -by L. Gutierrez De Lara

From The Progressive Woman of August 1910:

ANDREA VILLARREAL.
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L. GUTIERREZ DE LARA.
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When Antonio Villarreal joined the revolutionary party of Mexico about ten years ago, his sister Andrea took a very active part in the movement writing for the different revolutionary newspapers of Mexico. One day Antonio was attacked by a paid assassin and in defending himself he killed his assailant. He went to jail, but his sister took his place in the movement.

When Antonio was released they understood that they could no longer live in Mexico. All the members of the revolutionary junta were compelled to come to the states, establishing their headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.

In the meantime Andrea was the very soul of the junta. She, with her sister, Teresa, went to the university to study sociology for a very short time. Meanwhile the members of the junta were hounded, kidnaped, incarcerated, their printing establishment looted, and in all these hard times Teresa, taking advantage of the fact that she was a woman, was able to be the main supporter of the movement while the others were dispersed, waiting for the time to get together again.

Finally the persecution was so strong that they had to leave St. Louis and go to Canada. They then went to El Paso and finally to Los Angeles where they were arrested. Teresa was in St. Louis, but one day when she was out of the house on her return she found that everything was looted.

The men were then in the jail in Los Angeles and the powerful agents of Diaz in the United States completely paralyzed the movement, but Teresa traveled from place to place with complete faith in the success of the Cause.

Seeing the Mexicans scattered all over the United States gave courage to them to struggle for the defeated cause. About a year ago she was able to meet her brother Antonio while he was being taken from Yuma, Ariz., to Florence. Her first words were: “We have not lost everything and our souls and our courage are stronger than ever.”

She bid goodbye to her brother, and then went to Arizona and Texas for the cause of the workers.

[Emphasis added.]