The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-14
CLAIM FEDERALS l MURDER AGED MEN A Two Days Fight Occurs
 Near Mulata ABOUT 20 ARE KILLED Dramatic Incident When Ortega Prevents Murder of Federal Sol
 der By the Enraged
 Insurrestos
ABOUT 20 ARE KILLED

I eoi uery ,, wa Maria, Tex, February 13. \ Tn the recent fight near here between Mexican federals and the insurrectos uhcer Generals Oretaaa, in which the for mer were forced to retreat an Associated
 fress correspondent was with the nsur- fectos The bodies of the four old non
 combatants whose deaths are laid to the feoerals were found in farm house near
 Mulata. They were Eucavio de la Cruz Cruz Samaneijo, DeCederio Carrasco and
 Matias Carrasco One of the men was 90 years old, another was blind, and another cripple. All were white haired This morning the insurrectos found these old men with their hands tied behind their
 hacks, laying riddled with bullets. One was slashed across the face by a sabre. Several Americans viewed the bodies and photographs were taken and several signed an affidavit describing the inci- dent, This sworn statement will be sent to Washington
 dramatic incident followed the dis
 eoVery or the four murdered men. A gov I efnnent soldier had been lying wounded
 Tn the field. He had been cared for and
 fed When the murdered men were found
 several insurrectos made a rush for the
 piaza Tn Mulata to get revenge by killing
 this wounded soldier. He was a son and
 nephew of one of the martyrs
 Like crazy men they ran yelling into the plaza and dragged the soldier into the I street. Many argued against him, but y others, maddened by the sight of the
 outehered old men, drew their pistols and declared that they would kill any men
 that tried to stop them. At that moment I oretega, the insurrecto commander. rode into the plaza and called halt. My children" he said, T have had A
 home laid in ruins and a wife and babies driven naked and starving into the hills,
 and l am not yet ready to kill an un- al n ed, wounded man."
 The rage faded from the eyes of the crowd, and only one, the son, stepped for ward to take the soldiers life Ortega drew his pistol. Tt would break my heart 10 have killed a comrade," he said, but We shall not be murderers."
 The wounded soldier was picked up
 mumblng his praise in terror and re- moved to shanty.
 About Twenty Killed In the two days battle the federals
 lost 10 to 20 men and the pronouncendoes lost one man killed and one wounded The dead man, Hilaro Sanchez, was shot while battering in door of house with \ the Scotchman, F. S. McCombs, to get at a squad of soldiers.
 McCombs entered the house alone and E drove the federals out, killing ope of them. McCombs is the soldier of fortune G who has earned the title of Fl Diable among the insurrectos. His home is in E Seattle. Wash
 During the entire fight the insurrectos \ forced the fighting The federals ad . vanced along the road to within 800 yards of the town. When fired on they halted
 and for two days did not advance. Their two field guns and machine gun were
 kept playing upon insurrectos lines. but did no serious damage.
 A battle line was formed with the in- c fantry on the left on the Rio Grande and the cavalry guard of the right flank A 1ankng party of 16 insurrectos drove in the infantry and the cavalry was E driven in three times
 The battle started at 10 O clock February \ ' and lasted until o'clock the night of | the eighth. The federals had 600 soldiers \ in the field and the insurrectos mustered E about POO men. During the second days | fighting the federals were completely sur rounded and were driven back each time
 a sortie was attempted.
 Ammunition Low \ In the evening Ortega made an inspec- N ton of the different detachments and \ found their ammunition was almost ex- | hausted When the federals began their
 retreat the insurrectos were not able to l. halt them, but gave chase for several l. miles down the road.
 In the official report General Luuue and \ Colonel Dorantes claim that only seven
 soldiers in uniform were killed. The As
 sociated Press correspondent was present II when 12 soldiers in uniform were dug up from their graves and several other graves were found at another spot and
 three dead men, including one captain, were brought into Ojecada.
 These men were wounded and died
 on the road. Twenty-Five dead is a | lconservative estimate. The federals n had about 50 men missing when they returned to Ojinaga, but it is known that at least 12 deserted Bullets fre- quently fell among the American sol | diers and federal officers guarding the American side of the Rio Grande. Cap tain Williams, commanding the troops, II may make report of the incident to Washington.
 III The insurgents announce their in- ltention of capturing Ojinaga as soon
 las they get a supply of ammunition. lCoyame, 35 miles from Ojinaga, is sur lrounded by band of insurrectos under
 
 ulsurrender of the government stores and ularchives. The town is garrisoned by Ia small company of rurales and com Ilpany of armed citizens. Siagado could easily capture the place but says he will give the garrison an opportunity | to surrender in order to avoid the &C., cidental killing of nom -combatants. III Five boys, all American citizens. were NIcaptured by Mexican rurales yesterday utwhile bathing in the Rio Grande The rurales shot at them and compelled them to wade across the river and sur render.
 III The boys were released this morning | lafter being locked up all night. Cap tain Williams, commanding the Amori- can troops at Presdio, was on the point of ordering the commander of Ojinaga Ito release the boys when they returned \ Ito Presidio.
 McCombs From Washington seattle. February 13.-Francis s. Me- Combs leader of detachment of Mex Ylican insurgents in the battle at Mulata, N lis the son of James McCombs, veal II tthy retired farmer who lives near this city, and relative of A. A. Deny, \ tjfounder of Seattle.
 si The dispatches telling of the battle lof Mulata conveyed the first informa- : nltion MT. and Mrs. McCombs had re- utceived since their son went to Mexico lto fight with the insurgents.