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Mitchell-Hedges writes: "So willynilly, I had no choice; but as Hedges did not name-drop him, either in his autobiography or the weeks slipped by my position grew more desperate. The anywhere else. But that is not all: Bierce disappeared under United States Government at last took decisive action and General mysterious circumstances shortly afterwards, and at one point the Pershing marched to the frontier of Mexico with 60,000 troops theories about his death became almost as popular as those most sources refer to only 12,000 troops]. I knew I could never concerning John F. Kennedy's z nation or Princess Diana's take part in any direct military action against the Americans..." death and resulted in a series of books being written on the However logical and understandable, Pershing never marched on subject. the border in 1914 when Mitchell-Hedges was there. This march What we do know is that there is no trace of Bierce after a 26 occurred in 1916, long after Mitchell-Hedges had left for home. December letter from Chihuahua, when he was with Villa's army. In conclusion, there is general acceptance that Mitchell-Hedges It is believed that he might have been killed at the siege of did know Villa, but that he had—or chose—to lie about how Ojinaga on 11 January 1914, but various other scenarios, all recisely he knew Villa. Why? To this, we need to add that equally without any confirmation, have been floated about. But Mitchell-Hedges was back in England in 1914, and in 1915 he according to his autobiography, Mitchell-Hedges was in Villa's took the ship for New York and on the first night of the voyage he —_— inner circle and would have been able to present an eyewitness saw none other than Meyerowitz on board! Once again, Mitchell- account of Bierce's disappearance. It would have been a major Hedges told him he wanted to go to Central America, but selling-point for his autobiography, yet once again Mitchell- Meyerowitz convinced him to stay in New York as his employee. Hedges opted for total silence. As such, by 1915 Mitchell-Hedges was back To make matters even more interesting, where he was two years before, as if the Ambrose Bierce decided to leave for Mexico Mexican adventure had never happened— in the summer of 1913—the same time that which for some sceptics might indeed be the Mitchell-Hedges left. In October 1913, conclusion they want to accept. Bierce was in New Orleans, where Mitchell- But the notion that Mitchell-Hedges was a Hedges was working as a waiter, allegedly spy is not idle speculation. Once back in . trying to get the necessary funds to reach New York, Meyerowitz introduced Mitchell- But according to Mexico. The latter's choice of using waiting Trotsky. The two moved in together as | MiSs autobiography, | itchetistiedges was known to be a top Bronstein was in financial difficulty. Mitchell-Hedges was poker player who would have been able to In the chapter titled "The Man from the in Villa's inner circle win whatever amount he required much East Side" in his autobiography, Mitchell- faster that way than by waiting tables— g y y y g Hedges writes: "One day towards the end of and would have unless, of course, his profile for going into 1919, while I was on a short holiday in Mexico had to be less James England, I received a mysterious letter been able to present Bond-like. on Government notepaper, marked an eyewitness Finally, what are we to make of "Very Secret’, asking me to call on Sir account of Bierce's Bierce when he wrote in a letter dated disappearance. Basil Thompson, Chief of the 13 September 1913 to Mrs J. C. Intelligence Service, at my earliest McCrackin, a long-time friend: "Yes, I convenience. Curious, I dropped in shall go into Mexico with a pretty next day." Mitchell-Hedges was asked definite purpose, which, however, is to go to Russia because he knew not at present disclosable." Was Trotsky, but Mitchell-Hedges said he Bierce, too, on an_ intelligence refused. Though he seems to have mission—as some have concluded—or declined this specific mission, his was he looking after something else? autobiography is nevertheless hazy as Bierce, apart from being a notorious to what happened afterwards, so it is journalist and writer, was also known possible he did actually go—and that to be interested in magic. Mexico, of this may not have been his first mission. After monitoring the course, was replete with shamans and magical rites, there to be Mexican Revolution, either as an individual or an employee of studied, as Gordon Wasson and several others would continue to His Majesty's Secret Service, he was definitely asked to observe do well into the 20th century. the Russian Revolution. Furthermore, what are we to make of his One author, Sibley S. Morrill, in Ambrose Bierce, F. A. repeated "short holiday[s] in England"? Could they have been Mitchell-Hedges, and the Crystal Skull (1972), has underlined the debriefings instead? period of late 1913 to 1914, when Mitchell-Hedges was with Villa, as the likeliest time when he acquired the crystal skull. He The Ambrose Bierce mystery added, without providing further details, that "some high officials His Mexican odyssey becomes even more intriguing when we of the Mexican Government are of the unofficial opinion that the note that Mitchell-Hedges seems to have decided to exclude an skull was acquired by Mitchell-Hedges in Mexico" and that it was important name from his autobiography: Ambrose Bierce. What illegally removed from the country. our adventurer failed to mention is that when he joined Villa and This scenario could explain why Mitchell-Hedges never said stayed close to this leader in November 1913, that same month how he'd obtained the skull, as well as why his daughter might Villa also met Bierce, who joined his command as "an observer" have felt it prudent to relocate the place of the skull's discovery to and also stayed close to the general. This means that Bierce and a different country: British Honduras/Belize. Mitchell-Hedges must have met. But it would also imply that Mitchell-Hedges acquired the skull Bierce was a notorious writer and it is strange that Mitchell- at the time when Bierce disappeared. Indeed, it is remarkable that But according to his autobiography, Mitchell- “Hedges was oe WL) Pe Pee oo) been able to present an eyewitness account of Bierce's The Ambrose Bierce mystery His Mexican odyssey becomes even more intriguing when we note that Mitchell-Hedges seems to have decided to exclude an important name from his autobiography: Ambrose Bierce. What our adventurer failed to mention is that when he joined Villa and stayed close to this leader in November 1913, that same month Villa also met Bierce, who joined his command as "an observer" and also stayed close to the general. This means that Bierce and Mitchell-Hedges must have met. Bierce was a notorious writer and it is strange that Mitchell- 58 = NEXUS JUNE — JULY 2008 in Villa's inner circle and would have disappearance. www.nexusmagazine.com