The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1911-04-21
CLAIM AMERICANS SENT LEAD
THE TONE OF THE NOTE TENDS
TO pEPREss V. S. OFFICIALS.
MEXICO SEEMS TO BE sPARRlNe
The Allegations Made by Mexico Are
EmphaticaIly Refuted by Associated
Press Man Who Was OF Is. Ground.
Situation Discussed In = s..
Douglas, Ariz., April 20

Douglas, Ariz., April 20 Il;
tails of Minister De LaBarra's
Spouse to President Taft's protest
against the firing into Douglas by the
Mexican federal troops and rebels,
were received here today. One Of the
claims of Senior De LaBarra is that
federal army was wounded by a shot
from the American custom house, that
constantly during the struggle, and
that 1t made no difference whether
the shots came from revolutionists
who might have taken possession of
the custom house or from American
sympathizers with the revolutionists
who were in the United States build
ing.
The Facts OF the Case.
The Associated Press correspondent
who is on the ground makes the fol
lowing statement:
"On the day of the battle the insur-
gents did come very near the Amer
lean custom house, which was situat-
ed near the west of Aqua Prieta, but
at no time did they take possession Of
the building or cross into American
territory. The American cavalry ar
rived Immediately after the battle
opened and took possession Of all
ground on the American side near the
custom house. The American troop
ers ran a patrol from both sides of
the building extending along the Amer
lean side, both east and west. Two
rebels who were firing from the west
of the custom house backed onto the
American line and were Immediately
arrested by the American cavalry, dis
armed and not permitted to go back
into the fight.
Bullets Pierce Customs House.
Il stood on the porch Of the Amer
lean custom house, which extends
around three sides of the building,
south, west and north, and which are
the only sides that could be struck by
bullets from Aqua Prieta except those
passing through the building. The
building is of frame construction and
it was pierced by Mauser bullets.
Many Americans and Mexicans
crowded these three sides of the
porch. l saw not a single gun in the
hands of any sightseers, except the
American line riders. The custom Of
ficials and American civil officers GER
tainly never fired shot. Once when
the rebels at the railroad made back
ward movement for an instant, Mex
lean sympathizers on the porch called
out viva Madero,' but they were in
stantly silenced, not only by American
civil officers and the line riders, but
by the American civilians. among
them myself, as we feared drawing
porch.
"All this happened in Thursdays
battle, while the rebels under Lopez
were attacking Aqua Prieta.
Americans Shot in Douglas.
1T was during this battle that Rob
ert Harrington, an American switch
man, was killed in Douglas; f. e
Grove, seriously injured, and many
other Americans injured on the Amer
lean side of the line.
Not a Bullet Fired.
During this battle, not a shot was
fired from the American custom house
and the rebels never had possession
of it. Some ground, still American
territory, extends about fifty feet soutt
of the American custom house and the
American troopers carefully guarded
this strip so that the rebels could no
get to the westward of the American
custom house so as to use it as a shel
ter"