Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-05
Rebels Realize Weakness of
Army Near Chihuahua.
STRENGTH is ABOUT $500
Ambition Is to Recapture Casas
Grandes and Free Prisoners.
TRYING TO MAKE FIELD PIECES
Americans With Insurrectos Also
Manufacturing Shells-No Force
Near Juarsz.

Ell PASO, Tex. April 5.-Charles Rich
ards and Jewell Williams. the one a ma
chimst in the MADEIRA. Mexico, shops.
and the other just completing one month s
service with the insurrectos. arrived here
today with the news that the insurrectos
nave no present intention Of attacking the
city Of Chihuahua
Their ambition. said williams. who
makes his home with his mother at No.
500 West 173d street. New York. is to re-
capture Casas Grandes and Iberate the
prisoners. including seventeen Americans.
taken in the recent engagement at that
place.
Cofncident with this information comes
an official announcement that Gen. Rafael
Eguia Lis and the Casas Grandes garri-
son Of 600 federal troops have been or
dered to proceed to Chihuahua. The ad-
dition OF these troops. It is estimated.
Will bring the Chihuahua garrison up to
5000 or more men.
The insurgents realize that with their
force Of not more than 1900 men, equip
ped only with carbines and with no ar
tillery, they have no chance against the
fully equipped and numerically stronger
force in the city. 1t is not unlikely. how
ever. unless the present pourparlers
speedily develop into a truce. that Madero
or some other rebel chieftain will en-
deavor to intercept Eguia Lis on the
march.
Report May Be Ruse.
With regard to the Official announce
ment of this move Of the Casas Grandes
force. 1t is considered by those familiar
with Mexican strategy that the report
may be meant merely to mislead the
enemy. In any event. 1t is practically
certain that Eguia Lis will not attempt
to take his prisoners with him.
Madero IL at Ranchero Bustillos, &C.
cording to Richards and Williams, where,
II present plans do not miscarry. he soon
will receive his father and brother Alton
so to discuss peace plans. There has been
no fighting since Casas Grandes. they say.
The city Of MADEIRA. where there are
big American interests, is 100 miles or
more from Madero's camp. The insur.
recto force there is commanded by Giu-
seppe Garibaldi. an artillery expert. who
has served in Italy and South America
and Capt. Oscar G. Creighton. an Amer
lean.
Ten Americans With Rebels.
There are only ten Americans now with
the rebels, eleven have been killed and
seventeen taken prisoners at Casas
Grandes. Richards said the total dead ir
that fight was ninety-one killed on both
sides.
The Americans meanwhile are busily
engaged in trying to make two good field
pieces out OF two lengths of steel shaft
ing-one four feet in length with a three
inch bore and the other seven feet ir
length with a two-inch bore.
Shells are being made out OF brass cast
ings, black powder and slugs. despite the
fact that recently a cannon made by
amateurs blew UP and nearly killed Ma
dero and Orozce, who were watching the
experiment.
Recent reports that a force of insur-
rectos were across the Rio Grande river,
forty miles east of here, presumably
threatening JuareZ. were laid at rest by
two newspaper men who visited the al
legged camp yesterday. At the village of
Guadalupe. on the Mexican side. reach
ed by fording a river half mud and half
water, the poems said there had been a
small scouting party from Ojinaga there
several days ago. but that it had re-
turned east.