Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-04-17
BY A LOYAL OPERATOR
Eluding His Insurrecto
Guards After His Cap
ture He Sent a Warning
Message - Situation at
Douglas Described.

United States Attorney J. f. Nor
rison arrived in the city yesterday
for the opening of court today. Mr..
Morrison is fresh from Douglas
which he left on Friday night He
was at his home at Bisbee when the
battle of Aqua Prieta broke out on
Thursday afternoon and he hurried
TO the border to look after this gov
eInments interests in the affair
Mr.. Morrison yesterday added sev-
eral details to the reports of the bat
tie sent out on Thursday night by
the Associated Press and special cor
respondents.
The federal garrison at Aqua Pri-
eta he said, consisted of seventy
men. Though Red" Lopez. with a
considerable force was known to be
several miles below, the federals
were not apprehensive of an early
attack. Their surprise would have
been complete but for the loyalty
Of a railroad telegraph operator at
the station below Aqua Prieta. Lo-
pez captured the train there and
took the operator prisoner so that
he had no opportunity to send out
warning.
The train was turned around and
Lopez with $50 insurrectos boarded
It and started for Aqua Prleta AZ
ter the departure of the train the
operators guards relaxed their Vigi-
lance and he managed To reach his
key and warn Aqua Prieta When
the word reached the federal com
mander the train was appearing and
just before it reached the southeast
ern edge Of the town it was stopped
and the insurrectos began pouring
out of it, The battle was then
on.
The rebels could have made their
attack as effectively from the point
where they detrained but they
worked themselves around until they
secured a position north of the fed
erals SO that the bullets of the lat
ter would be sent toward Douglas.
That maneuver is interpreted to be
one Of many in which they have en-
gagged To- provoke Intervention by the
United States
When the train was seen uneX-
pectedly returning from the south a
large number Of Americans. in auto
mobiles, other vehicles and on foot
went across to the station at Aqua
Prieta to see what was the matter.
When they found out there was a
wild scurrying toward the line which
all reached in safety except A. r.
Dickson and his companions who
were fired upon 10y the federals.
Dickson alone was wounded. = nigh
power bullet struck him in the right
leg above the knee and so great
was the impact that the bone was
driven with it. bent and fractured
just below the hip. making a grave
wound. Dickson and his compan
ions found refuge in a ditch where
they waved their handkerchiecs
which for a time had the effect only
of drawing the fire Of the federals.
The two brakemen who were shot,
one being killed and the other fatal
ly wounded. We're not near the lire
but they were on train in tlie
northern part Of Douglas attending
to their duties About a dozen 9TH
er residents Of Douglas were wound
ed while about their business or in
their homes.
Concerning the progress and the
end of the battle. Mr. Morrison said
that the already printed accounts
were accurate After il was over.
MIR. Morrison accompanied by Cap
tain Gaujot i'm command of the Am
erican troops at Douglas went across
and conferred with the victorious in
surrecto leaders. Immediately after
which Mr.. Morrison got into COM
munication with the department.. with
the result that Washington became
quickly active and took steps to pre-
vent a repetition of the occurrence
One of the first acts of the in
surrectos. said Mr. Morrison. was to
install a collector of customs at
Aqua Prieta but he is not overrun
with business and the provisional
government is not likely to derive
much revenue from that post i'm the
present state of things.
on Friday morning. Captain Gauiot
notified the rebel leader that this
country would not stand for another
bombardment and that future bat
ties must be fought at a safe dis
tance from the line The insurrectos
replied that it had not been their
fault that Douglas had been shot up
and that so far as they were con-
cerned. it should not happen again.
Mr.. Morrison yesterday received
several kilograms from Douglas the
first one informing him that the in
surrecto force had moved out to meet
the advancing federals and that the