Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-03-17
MEXICAN REBELS
MEET REvERSES
Hundred Killed and Wounded in
Two Battles.
DIAZ IN STRINGENT MOVE
President to Ask Congress for Sum.
mary Application of Death Penal
ty for All Caught in
Serious Crimes.

Mexico City-Conditions border
ing on panic reign throughout
northern Mexico. According to re-
ports received here the federal troops
were victorious III three battles
fought against the revolutionists in
which 200 men were killed and
wounded
Near Saucillo sixty insurrectos
were killed in two engagements with
federal troops. Among the dead are
six Americans. The federal loss is
not given.
At Aqua Prieta, across the border
from Douglas, Ariz., 500 rebels attacked
300 federal troops, but were unable to
withstand the fire Of the machine guns
and retreated The rebels were armed
with rifles only The total casualties
are placed at 35.
A body of 100 insurrectos was cut to
pieces by state rurales at San Barto-
Ito Pueblo. More than fifty were
killed, eleven seriously wounded and
twenty-seven captured. Owing to the
fact that the rurales have adopted the
revolutionists' tactics of ambushing
their enemy, none of their number was
Killed and only a few wounded
Colonel Guerrero, in command of the
rurales, upon learning the rebels were
marching to attack the municipality
of Nativitas, sent 100 of his men to
meet them. Fifty others were ordered
to cut off their retreat
The first force selected a favorable
position overlooking a ravine through
which the rebels must pass, and when
they were in the trap opened merci-
less fire upon them. The rebels are
said to have made stubborn fight, but
at the end of a half hour were COM
pletely demoralized.
The rebels have answered President
D1az's order suspending the civil guar
antees with an order to give no quar-
ter. This is taken here to mean that
the fighting hereafter will be marked
by all the savage barbarity of medieval
times.
President Diaz has decided to take
advantage of provisions of the consti
tuition SO that summary death may be
imposed by the military authorities for
any acts of violence and the Mexican
government has decided, to wage
sharp and decisive war of extermina-
ton speedily to end hostilities.
Resurrecting a provision Of the
Mexican constitution not used for Is
years, and acting under it's authorize
ton, the government will set aside
Tor six months certain personal guar
antees.
All persons detected in the act of
highway robbery, of raiding village
or farm, or train wrecking, or cutting
telegraph or telephone wires or even
OF removing spike from a railroad
track or throwing stone at train
Will be summarily shot.
The bill providing for this drastic
measure was sent to the permanent
commission Of the federal congress. 1t
was signed by Miguel Macedo, sub
secretary of the department of the in
terror, and says it's enactment is the
wish OF the president.
That the measure did not immedi-
ateiy become law is due to official
form. The permanent commission is
a body endowed with power to act
when congress is not in session. The
members Of the commission unani-
mously approved the measure, but,
under the law, it is necessary that the
bill come up for a second reading.
1t was referred to a subcommittee
and this subcommittee was instructed
TO report it to the commission at a
special session. 1t will be favorably
acted upon.
The decision to ask for the "sus-
pension of personal guarantees pro-
vided for by the constitution was
reached by the president in confer
ence with the members of his cabinet.
This provision of the constitution
is one calculated to permit the federal
government to put into effect at times
of extraordinary conditions a form of
government approaching that of mar
tial law