The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-24
HUDDlED N HOTEL
AMERICANS AWAIT
MEXICAN ASSAULT
Men Walk Picket Duty on
Outside While Rain Pours
in Torrents
THREATEN REVENGE
FOR DEATH OF TWO
American Cowboys Killed Ban
dts and All Gringoes in
MADEIRA are in Fear of
Sudden Attack

Ell PAso, TEX. July 2s-Hud-
died in the hotel and commissary at
MADEIRA, Chihuahua. with the power
full searchlight playing over the sur
rounding country At night, the rains
pouring down fncessantly, the men
walking picket duty outside Of the
buildings, listening to the bark OF the
bandits rifles. q little group OF ter
rorized Americans await the coming
around the town like wolves. waiting
for q chance to spring at the threats
of the hated "Gringoes"
This picture OF a condition which
reads lige the story Of an Indian at
tack In the old West. was brought
to the border this morning by an
American courier. who reached here
after foundering fourteen days in the
mud and rain In an old hack. which
he Communicated in a desperate eff
fort to reach American soil and give
the warning that the Americans In
MADEIRA were IN the direst distress.
Food Almost Exhausted.
In addition to the mental anguish
of awaiting an attack from the
bandits, who know and give no quar-
ter. the Americans have almost ex-
hausted the food which they had
cached In the commissary. Mexicans
who are living In the native quarter
OF the town are starving and the suf-
fering Is intense The torrential
rains have added to the discomfort
Of the beseiged and there Is much
sickness In this quarter,
The courier's nrst statement upon
arriving in Ei Paso was that II he
had any Of his own women In MADEIRA
he would get them out IL 1t cost his
life. The dread of what they could
expect " the bandits arrived in the
town ras tArroriying the Americana.
especially the women. of whom there
are ten in the camp. The courier
left MADEIRA on July 7th. and knows
nothing NJ what may have happened
since he left He said that the bandits
were riding around the lumber town
in groups of from twenty to thirty.
firing their rifles In the air to fur
Their frighten the women and chill
dren, and were only awaiting favor
able opportunity to dash into the
town and assault the two houses
which have been barricaded by the
Americans. and behind which they
crouch with their rifles ready to de-
fend their families.
The boiler at the MADEIRA power
plant Ia kept steamed up night and
day so the hesieged may have lights
for the two houses. and also keep the
giant searchlight, the same size as
those used on hattleship, throwing
its protecting shaft OF light into the
night This searchIight Is on 1885,
foot tower, and the men take turns
operating It in a circle around the
tower TO prevent the bandits from
sneaking up under cover Of darkness.
The food supply is down to a little
-four. a few beans, and whatever can
be obtained by dashing out in day
time to the gardens Salt. sugar,
coffee. corn and canned goods are
exhausted.
Abandoning his attack on Juarez,
Pancho Villa has started to MADEIRA
to protect the American lives and
property there. with an idea OF gain
ing favor with the American govern
ment by offering the protection which
the federal government refused. This
information was received by Mexicans
of the rebel junta here this morning,
and Villa is said to be moving his
main column back to MADEIRA AT once.