San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-04
ITALY MOURNS.
ACCOUNT OF THE AWFUL BATTLE
IN ABYSSINNIA,
The Slaughter Estimated at l0,000-Hum-
bert's Subject Becoming RiOtOus
in Their Grief-All Fes-
tivities Postponed.

excitement, GRIEF and anger, al
most beyond description. Words
cannot adequately portray the sit
uation, for every dispatch received
from Massowah adds to the gravity
OF the disaster to the italian army
at Adowa, Abyssinia. When the
first news of General Baratieri's de-
feat reached here it said only 500
men were killed. Then, yester-
day afternoon the number ran to
5000 killed, with sixty pieces of ar
tillery captured, and this mornings
dispatches place the number of
Italians killed at 5000, and it is be-
lieved even these figures fail to
tell the full extent of the disaster.
No mention Is made of wounded
and there is good reason, based on
stories of recent italian defeats by
Abyssinians, that those who fell
wounded during the retreat of over
fifty miles, met a more horrible
fate than those killed on the spot.
Throughout the night the garri-
son was kept under arms and
mounted patrols traversed the prin-
cipal streets, which were filled with
people all night and early this
morning every public place was
crowded with excited men and
women. A mum Der of disturbances
occurred today, and the in
dications are assuming a most
threatening attitude, not only
in the city of Rome, but through
out Italy. Demonstrations against
Crispfs ministry, and even against
the crown, are reported from q
number OF towns in the provinces.
In spite of the fact that the author
tiles are straining every nerve to
suppress all alarming news, the
widest kind of rumors are in cir
culation, and in some of the clubs,
the number OF killed and wounded
is placed at 10000. Exaggera-
ted as these figures may
turn out TO be, they show the
state of public mind here. All
fetes are Indefinitely postponed,
masses for the repose Of the souls
of the dead have been celebrated
this morning in every Catholic
church In the city, and crowds of
weeping women and sorrowing
men were in attendance. The re-
ceptions, etc., in celebration OF the
coronation anniversary Of the pope,
have been dispensed with.
1t is said now that the Italian
commander was led into a trap
skillfully baited by the report that
a number Of important chiefs Of
the Shoanes and portion Of the
Sloane army, were attending the
coronation of King Negus, at
Axun, and that, hoping to sur
prise those who remained be-
hind, General Baratieri ordered
an attack on the enemy. Later
it appears, they pretended to re-
treat before the Italian advance
until the troops were we'll within
the passes into Adowa, capital of
Tigre; then the scene changed.
The Shoanes, armed with i'm
proved French military rifles and
supported by modern artillery, di-
rected by French artillerymen,
advanced upon the Italians in
overwhelming strength, while
the apparently deserted passes be-
came alive with natives who
hurled rocks down upon the
trapped soldiers, while others
kept up a terrible fire upon
the troops. There are ugly
rumors that the Italians broke and
fled after making gallant stand
and seeing thousands of their mum.
Der shot down. Then began the
most disastrous defeat in the his
tory OF African warfare, the trium-
plant Shoanes pressing on after
the disorganized soldiers, cutting
them down in great numbers, in
spite Of the repeated formations Of
squares. The troops, In these
stands, behaved with the
greatest gallantry, but all
the reserve ammunition was
captured, and all Italian provis.
ions and artillery fell into the
hands of the enemy. The result
was a number of italian detach-
ments had only their bayonets
with which to defend themselves,
and it is feared, but small por-
tion of the Italian force sent
against the Shoanes reached
Asmara In safety.
Later in the day the news from
provinces became more alarming.
In a number Of places the police
have been unable to cope with the