The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-03
MAOER|STS LOSING
BATTLE At PARRAL
General Campo Sweeping the Hill
sides With Machine
Gun Fire.
MOVE ON TORREON BEGUN
Orozco's Army Of Mexican Rebels Much
Stronger In Personnel and
Outfit.

at Parral. between Gen. Campa's in
vading column. composed Of 1000 thou
sand rebels. with two machine guns
and one cannon. and Gen. Jose de Ia
Soto and Col Pancho Villa. The first
shots " ,re fired at 4 o'clock this morn
ing from the Federal side and were
directed at La Prieta Hill. overlooking
the city, where 800 Of Villas men were
on the lookout.
Villas men returned the fire and then
Campo ordered the Smelling Of the hill.
The shelling was not very effective and
Campo ordered two machine guns up to
within n thousand yards. This move
caused the defenders to scatter.
Campa again began Smelling the hill.
this time more effectively, and a scat
tering could be seen among the Nader
list adherents. Soto's men had taken
very littl, part in the fight up to that
time, as they were located to the south
Of the town. but Campa sent a detach-
ment to that point to engage them.
In his telegram, sent back at noon
to-day and forwarded from Allendc.
Campo said that he would enter Parral
triumphantiy. He declared that the
fire was becoming too hot for Villa.
who already was making preparations
to move hurriedly. Campo also said
that SotOs men were retiring from
their positions.
The start OF the movement south to
TorreOn began to-day with the troops
OF Gen. Luis Fernandez as vanguard.
consisting VI 1000 men. Following
these will be the troops Of Gen. Sala-
zar to the number Of about 1900 Most
oi the troops Of both commands are
already stationed south of here between
Ecl,ano and Escalon. 80 It will he an
easy matter tu mobilize them for the
, march southward.
MoNr.REY. Mexico. April 2.--Several
hundred prisoners We're brought to this
| city by the Federal troops to-day. They
were n bunch Of volunteer rifiemen. who
Tad been sent out to Join the Federal
| forces beyond Torreon and mutinied
| refusing TO go into battle. The men
| said they volunteered to earn a dollar
! and a half "A day and not stand up in
| "A lin" To be shot at by rebels.
General oroZco still thinks that the
garrison at Chihuahua Of 1000 men
, VIII he more than amr.e IL cop" with
! any force that ventures from O;inai:a.
The Liberal army as II starts south
| T. =. much more formidable one than II
| Mas two weeks ago. Before the bat
| Tie at Corra!itos II had only two ma
chine guns and two cannon. After the
victory there the artillery leaped to four
| cannon and iive machine guns with
much ammunition and stores. Then In
| the three days engagement with Aubert
| the rebels secured two more machine
| guns. two mountain howitzers. n,.th
| ammunition and stores. and nearly !"O
| horses In addition. recruits have been
received steadily from this state and
| Durango and Coahuiia.
| DEl. Rio. Tex" April 2.-Mexican
/ E..H. L. fr. Ilx,l
Rio. fought ii band Of revolutionists on
Sunday night and lost several killed
and wounded and all their horses.
The rebels left seven dead on the field.
| The Federals retreated to l.as Nacas
and summoned medical aid from Del
| Rio to-day.
MEXICO CITY. April THE reading
Of the budget occupied the Congress
this afternoon. The Independents are
preparing for stormy session.
| The case Of George +. Ham. which
has attracted International attention be-
| Great britain. will come up for final
| decision In the courts Tomorrow. He
| was the head Of the Mexico City Bank
| Ing Company. which failed two years
| ago. dragging down the N, NiCan Ma
tional Packing COMPANY He was ar
rested and imprisoned without trial.
| His liberty was offered him II he would
leave the country. but he refused To
accept the conditions AMI stayed in
| jail for two years.
The British Government finally made
a peremptory demand for his release,
II is believed that the courts will Nindi-
cate him or that President Madcro Will
grant him n pardon.
| WASHINGToN. April AT the re-
quest OF Representative Garner of
Texas PRESIDENT Taft has directed the
War Department to make an invcsti-
CATION OF conditions at Del Rio. Tex.
| where people are alarmed over the con
ditons In Mexico in their immediate
vicinity. MIR. Garner has received many
| messages and kilograms from residents
| Of the town.
| The State Department. through Am
bassador Wilson at Mexico city. has
made representations to the Mexican
Government 10 prevent discrimination
against American railroad employees on
the Mexican railroads. 1t IL said that
the Mexican Government has issued
regulations tending to cause the dis
| mlssal of American railroad men in
Mexico and these have appealed to the
State Department for assistance in pre-
senting their case to the Mexican Gov
ernment. Ambassador Wilson has
| pointed out to the Mexican Government
the necessity for maintaining open rail-
road communication and has urged II
to reach n settlement with the Amcri-
|
Officers OF the War Department denied
might that orders had been sent Ia
the State militia organizations direct
ing them to hold themselves IN readi-
ness for possible service as n result OF
the disorders in Mexico. 1t was ac-
knowledged. however. that the militia
officers and the War Department have
been corresponding in order to ascer.
tain how many troops each OF the
States can furnish In case of necessity
The officers Of the War Department,
In charge OF militia affairs. have beer
active In making every possible ar.
rangcment in order that the militia or,
ganizations can be called into service
without confusion or friction In case
the situation in Mexico becomes more
serious and such action becomes nee
cssary.
Under an opinion Of Attorney Gen.
cral Wickersham the militia organiza
tion cannot leave the country. Under
the Constitution MIR. Wickcrsham con.
tends che national guard can be uset
only to "rcpel invasion"
Tho War Department officials and of.
ficcrs OF the national guard are en-.
dcavoring to have the Dick militia act
amended so as to provide that the
militia organizations can be mustered
into tho service as volunteer regiments
retaining as far az possible their State
organization.