The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-04
DEMAND RETURN
OF AMERICAN
State Department Tries New Tactics
on Mexican Rebels Which May
Lead to lnterven-
tion.
GETS UNOFFICIAL NOTICE
II orozco Refuses to Give up His
Prisoner 1t May be the Spark
to Set Off the
Mine.

/ limited Press Leased Wire Service
WASHINGTON, April 4.--Confront-
ed with new difficulty in the Mexi-
Jan situation in the grave crisis rails
ed by detention in the rebel camp OF
Powell Roberts of Ell Paso the state
department today tried new diplo-
matte expedient. Consul Edwards, at
Chihuahua. was instructed unofficial
! ly to notify Orozco or his lieutenants
| that Roberts an American citizen
must be brought back to United States
soil at once-or the insurrectos may
! have to deal with Uncle Sam regu-
! lars.
1t is believed here that Orozco will
obey this unofficial warning instantly,
but should he refuse, officials fear
/ trouble Privately they admit that
/ the policeman's detention may prove
the spark that will set off the inter
vention powder mine. Because of the
! administration steadfast refusal to
recognize more than one government
in Mexico the problem Of how to Sc
cure Roberts surrender was very
! delicate. Technically, Madero Is
held responsible for Roberts arrest,
! but as he is powerless in Chihuahua,
it would be futile to demand the
4 Americans surrender of the federals.
Therefore the state department de-
cided to break precedents.
No word has yet been received as
to the safety of Harry Conklin of La
Crosse, Wis, and fifty Americans sup
= iiosed to have been captured by rebe.a
in Chihuahua
Rebels In Distress.
EAGLE PASS Texas, April Scat
tered bands of rebels which have been
operating close to the border above
Piedras Negras are hurrying to the
relief of General Orozco's army today
Reports received here say that the
federal authorities at Torreon have
been advised that the forces under
Orozco and Campo are nearly sur
rounded by federals, and that an over.
whelming defeat of the rebels Is ex.
pected as the outcome of a battle
: which will be fought today or tomor.
row. Eight hundred railroad men
government forces at Tor
reon today and the situation shows
big Improvement, from the govern
ment's standpoint, according to ad
| vices here.
Attacking ParraI.
Ell PASO, Texas, April Mexican
rebels under General Inez Salazar, l.
900 in number are again attacking
. Parral today according to advices
/. from rebel headquarters at Jiminez
. The defeat of Campo, the rebel gen
2 eral at Parral yesterday was complete
r and is so admitted by the rebel com
manders Campo is not taking par
= in today's attack on the mining city
Y Major Quevado, who with 500 rebels
! was left by Campo to protect the re
j. treat of the main rebel force to Jim
: inez, held back the federals for hours
but was finally forced to fall back in
to the mountains.
In Parral are 1000 federals unde
command of Generals Villa, Soto. Ur
bina and TelleZ, the latter arrivin
J. with 600 men just before Campa's al
tack. The rebel generals say Camp
! had three killed and twelve wounde,
in the fight, but advices from fedora
} sources say the rebel losses wer
I much heavier
Federal losses are not given but
is known that severe damage t
buildings in Parral was done by Can
pas artillery before the federals 81
T enced his guns and captured two G
y them.
r Dispatches from Jiminez say tn
al force great confidence and has il
II spired them TO force the fighting int
the territory now controlled by Orc;
II co. If they do this Orozco will hav
< to abandon his southern campaign a
\ least for a time. With strong fore
of federals at Parral, the federal
h have between 1000 and 1900 troop
5, under General Ruerta approachin
= Jiminez from Mexico City
Todays renewed attack on Parr;
by Salazar is part of Orozcos plan
keep the federals so busy in that V
r cinity that they will not be able I
u effect n junction and attack MIN j
II force. Today's battle was expected
be decisive. Salazar, who has
strong force is in entire command
the attackers He is working from
base established at Baca. twent
miles from Parral, which he establis
z. ed last night,