The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-14
MEXICAN CAPITAL
SCENE OF ANOTHER
DAY OF STRIFE
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at all today it can hardly be said TO
have been in favor of the government
At clock this evening it was reported
that General Diaz had demanded the
surrender of the national palace AL
through the day the rebel batteries of
heavy guns were throwing fierce fire
of shrapnel around the palace. Many Of
these dropped into the Zocalo, which
fronts the building, the federal soldiers
were compelled TO move to cover
Before dark the fire ON both sides was
Intermittent, but apparently less vigorous
from the federals. The government troops
We're receiving ammunition in small con-
siguments, and it was said they were
running short.
Today's resumption of the battle began
at o'clock, battery of federal artillery
opening fire on the arsenal, but although
the bombardment was kept up without
cessation for an hour or more, 1t had no
appreciabe effect on the rebel defenses.
That Diaz had prepared for the threat
ened overwhelming movment by the gov
ernment, which A1adero promised would
be carried through today, was shown
hy the fact that he had stationed sharp
shooters on the roofs of buildings had
dispatched a force outside the city TO
the west and had placed his heaviest
guns i'll positions commanding all ap-
proaches to his stronghold.
General IIeurta commanding the fed
erals had promised to rush the fortifica-
tions of the rebels, but he elected instead
to employ his artillery from the various
points of vantage. Only once during the
early part of the day did the infantry
come into action.
During the heavy shelling of the pai-
ace, Diaz apparently moved some of
his forces to the southeast of the city
and shortly after IL o'clock the pal
ace was made-the target OF both shells
and rifle fire from that district, Co
| incidentally, the rebels succeeded in eX-
tending the zone of activity in other
directions.
The rebel fire toward the palace was
intended not only to bring about its
surrender but had for its purpose also
the clearing of the intervening high
buildings of machine guns and rifle
men and of silencing the federal bat
terry operating in San Juan Letran
street at a point midway between the
arsenal and the palace.
American Club Riddled
This shelling wrought havoc among
the buildings in that section Of the
city. The American club was riddled.
The interior of this building on the
second and third floors was completely
wrecked OF 40 Americans within 1t at
the time several had almost~miraculous
escapes from death.
Seven shells tore through the walls.
The first two crashed through the
reading room across the greater length
of the front on the second story. 9th
ers tore through the walls above the
second story on the sides not protected
by buildings.
In addition TO the shell fire the in
terror as we'll as the exterior of the
American club was perforated in scores
of places by bullets from rifles and
machine guns
The shells which entered the reading
room crashed through the stone win
dow castings, demolished a heavy leath-
er chair and exploded with terrific
force. Shrapnel was hurled in all di-
rections. cutting the furniture TO rib
bons, ripping the doors and walls and
puncturing in score of places the por-
traits which hung about the room. The
portrait most seriously damaged was
that of President Madero.
President McI<inley's picture now is
set in a circle of holes, while the por-
trait of President Taft. hanging next,
escaped with single mark,
President -elect Wilson's features
were riddled, while at the other end of
the Tine OF portraits balls found lodg-
ment in plenty in the picture af an
other democrat. jefferson.
To the rear of this room Is large
billiard hall. There many Americans
were gathered, as the manager had
forbidden the members to assemble in
the front room, when second series
of shells crashed through the wall.
These tore a way through the story
above.
Some of these shells entered almost
on q line with the floor. From the fire
which followed the greatest damage
resulted. All but one shell exploded.
This remains in the third wall which
It encountered.
Portions of shrapnel she'll were
hurled through the floor above the bill
Hard rooms among a group of Amer
leans there. Four sleeping rooms on
the fourth floor were wrecked. From
one the entire wall was torn away
Typical Of Other Buildings
The wrecking of this building Is
typical of the damage done many 9TH
ers in all parts of the city. Just around
the corner from the American club
near Porter's hotel l.. NJ. Meredith of
Troy, n. Y, was injured today. He was
struck by shrapnel, suffering a scalp
wound.
Madero's promise that the subjuga-
tion of Diaz would be swift and terrible
today. because the government had
planned to surround him completely
and then pound his positions with their
heaviest guns, was in no way full
filled. Only at times was today's bom-
Eardment as heavy as the average OF
yesterday and that was done by the
rebel guns.
The federal fire generally was slow,
although since IL came from various
directions it was persistent
The rebel commanders orders to his
men We're to conserve their fire and
little ammunition was wasted. No op-
portunity was lost however. to throw
shells at the troublesome batteries and
his machine guns and riflcmen effectu-
ally prevented the near approach of
the governments troops. His greatest
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