The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-21
IT WILL NOT DOWN
Diaz Appears to Be Confronted
by a Real Revolution.
His Soldiers Are Whipped Again
at Nal PasO.
THE LOSSES HEAVY
Government Accounts Of En-
gagements Prove Unreliable.
Force of the Rebels Is Being
Augmented Continuously.

Chihuahua, Mexico, Dec. 20.-(via Ell
Paso, Dec. 21.)-Amplified advices
change but little today's telegraphic
report Of the cutting up of the govern
ment troop train at Nal Paso last Sun
day The official report of 21 federals
killed, 10 missing and AZ wounded
stands, with the addition of 80 slightly
wounded, bringing the total injured to
70, also came On the train. The in
1uries of these 80 are not serious and
it is not customary to carry them In
the hospital lists Most of them are on
their feet.
Rumors have been abroad today that
the federals lost 100 killed, but this
seems to be without foundation and
probably referred to the total NUMBER
of killed, wounded and injured Whlcn
makes about 100. Verisimihtude IS
added to the government report or
losses by the fact that the hospital
train brought in 80 Mauser rifles VI
about the number which their killed
and wounded would have dropped
Also 100 killed to 70 wounded is far
from the proportion which the killed II
battle usually bear to the injured. 1t is
considered a very sangu1nary patLle
where one man is killed to five wound
ed.
The defeat of the troop train with Its
three
tensifed the tension here on the top OF
the drawn battle of Cerro Pr1eto ~
days ago. 1t is taken as continuation
of declarations that Diaz for the tlrst
time in his long tenure of office con-
fronts real revolution. The most
ardent sympathizers with the revolt,
and they include most of the unofficial
population, scarcely hoped the lnsur-
gents would be able to make more than
one stand against the disciplined SOL
diers of the government The govern,
ment stated that the revolt consisted
of but little else save gang of bandits
augmented by misguided poems who
could not handle a rifle and whom 1t
would but take police work to subdue.
Reports row double their estimate of
the number of insurrectos in the field.
A Drawn Fight.
Cerro Prieto was a drawn fight; Nal
Paso was victory for the rebels.
That summarizes in effect the result of
important military happenings in the
state of Chihuahua. Conservative
Americans who have held all along
that the government had job on It's
hands, but would triumph eventually
by force of numbers and resources, are
talking in a different strain. The dis
cussion runs mostly as to how long
General Navarro, with the main force
of federals, can hold out. Reports that
he has been killed remain without con-
firmation. His force, however, it is re-
ported is surrounded in the vicinity
of Pedernales. This story came in
with Americans who returned from
Bustillos a considerable distance from
Navarro's scene of action, with the
hospital train. They had 1t by hearsay
and while stating their confidence n
the report could not assert positively
that their reports were authentic.
Pedernales, which has been the chief
theater of action, is on the plain about
six miles from Nal Paso. Navarro's 3
report of his exploits last Thursday as
given out by the war office at the City
of Mexico are interesting in view Of the
defeat at Nal Paso. 1t is commentary
on Mexican official reports.
The war office said that he disIodged
the rebels from Nal Paso after two
hours fighting.
He then returned with the Nal Paso
c. ntingent to Pedernales where after
six hours OF desperate shooting the
rebels broke and disappeared in all di-
rections. Today comes the story of the
federal wounded. They ran into a very
serious predicament at a place where
the official report declared that the
enemy had been dislodged, and had fled
in disorder. not only from Nal Paso
but from Pedernales.
Navarro Twice Repulsed.
1t is tru though not given out by
the war office so far as known here.
that Navarro later reported here that
he had been unable to hold his ad-
vantage at Nal Paso and had beer
twice repulsed. He had been ordered
to hold NIL Paso to form a junction
with the soldiers of the troop train. He
made an attempt to do so but failed.
His failure in this regard is attributed
to the remarkable augmentation of the
revolutionary numbers. 1t has been
reported all along and asserted by in
surrecto leaders, that a thousand men
were held in reserve, having been or
dered to remain at work in the mines
until called for. This call went forth
over week ago. Whereas, their num-
Der at that time was not over a thou
sand the official reports now put them
at 1000. Navarro, on the other hand
has not grown stronger. Food has
grown scarce with him. Small engage
ments have depleted his ammuniticr
supply. He has been compelled to move
his force to meet the enemy at Peder-
males as well as Nal Paso and to use
some of his men for scouting ani
maintaining his line of communication
Also he has had to place guards at tho
various railroad bridges when it was
determined to use the railroad for tho
movement of troops.
The troop train which was shot W
carried a large amount of ammunition
and this was brought back to Busti1los
Those of the troops who were not killed
or injured returned to BustillOs, whicl
Is between this city and the scene n
the enga cement They wished to re
turn here but it was pointed out thai
such action probably would result II
court-martial, and they concluded t,
take a chance Of joining Navarro b,
some ove~'lnd route, hoping to elud'
the insurrectos.
The Fight at Bad Pass.
The troops train left here Saturda,
morning. The night was spent at Sal
Antonio. 1t had been proposed to dis
embark at that point but the countr
1oked so tranquil that it was decide'
to use the train a bit further. Thi