Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-13
POWERS PROTEST.
CONTINUED from Page one.o

4
tinued on it's way however, the dip
lomatic envoy apparently being I'M
hurt.
The bombardment, which was ter
rible, yesterday, reached climax, this
morning, when Diaz shelled the very
center of the business districts in an
effort to silence the cannon of the
government, and drive from the roofs.
of the taller buildings the federal
sharpshooters and the men serving
the machine guns.
This smothering action directed from
the arsenal continued for more than
two hours. Shrapnel fell like hail and
occasionally bursting shells tore holes
in the sides of buildings
Meanwhile the fire from the opposite
direction rendered the far-out resi-
dence district uninha bitai as we'll as
the hig apartment building known as
Gore court ON Third Roma street.
The federal guns replied occasionally,
but without serious damage to the reb-
ell positions. 1t was this action which
decided the diplomats, after communi-
eating with their governments to pro-
test against the continuation of such
operations, which they characterized
as being unsanctioned by the laws of
warfare of civilized nations.
President Madero and his ministers
agreed that the bombardment Of cities
was harbarous, and especially such q
struggle as was now going on between
two forces of artillery. and the minis
ter Of war, acting in accordance with
the President and the cabinet, sent to
Gen. Diaz a protest declaring that if he
persisted, the government would re-
gard all those occupying the arsenal
as beyond the pale of the law.
Immediately after the dispatch OF
this message the finance minister.
Ernesto Madero, speaking for the
President, said that it had been deter
mined to crush the rebels by con-
certed attack, the government using
the heaviest guns available and bring
to a swift end the next big action.
when the fighting was resumed.
He declared that the government
would bring into play heavier guns
! than they had yet employed and would
force the attack from all sides.
The text of the note sent by the war
minister, General Garcia Pena, to the
rebel commander. General Felix Diaz.
| is as follows:
THE artillery fire coming from YOU
| is causing danger to the life and inter-
| ests of non combatants and to the lives
| of the foreign residents and diplomatic
ministers.
LAS this is in fragrant violation of the
| laws of war of civilized nations. / notify
you that if you do not limit your fire to
| the zone of combatants we will consider
outside the law all those, who occupy the
arsenal, when that position is taken by
our forces.
The government will be infleXible in
complying its duty toward compelling you
to keep the peace, but upon you will rest
the responsibility i'm history and before
the Mexican nation if, by your anti-pa
triotic attitude, you cause graver injury
to the country"
Not doubling the intentions of the gov
eminent TO resume the action on an aug
mented scale and reminded from moment
to moment by the desultory and scatter
ing firing from both sides that the homes
in almost every quarter of the city would
be rendered unsafe, the foreigners par
ticularly the Americans, British and Ger
mans, sent throughout, this afternoon
automobiles under white flags to collect
them to the section around the American
embassy, which is considered relatively
free from danger An American guard
is on duty at the embassy. and foreign
| residents without visible arms patrol their
quarter. because of the total absence of
| police.
Americans again, today, suffered, dur
| ing the height of the battle. Mrs II. w.
<~fT
! Agency, was killed, and Mrs. Percy Grit
| fiths, wife of an employee of the Street
Railway Company, was mortally wound
ed, both of her legs being shot off. Allie
Bland, a printer, was shot through the
/ arm.
| Mrs. Holmes and Mrs Griffiths Were
preparing dinner in their kitchen in an
apartment building close to the arsenal.
when a shell from the federal lines burst
| through the walls, instantly killing Mrs.
| Holmes and leaving Mrs. Griffiths in a
| dying condition.
| Bland was walking along Independence
avenue when he was struck by rifle
/ ball, apparently from the federal lines.
| The Americans wounded in yesterdays
action are improving.
The protest of the diplomats took
| the form of a demand that the firing
! zone should be limited but it ac-
! complished nothing. Both Madero and
| Diaz evaded responsibility, each plae-
| ing the blame on the other and char
acterizing the attitude of the oppos
ing side as barbarous and in violation
of the rules of civilized warfare.
Diaz insisted he had to direct his
fire at the points from which he was
attacked and called attention to the
fact that the government cannon We're
located in the heart of the business
section and the thickly settled resi-
Dental districts.
! To President Madero the diplomats
| said that they had come to protest
| in behalf of their governments against
! a continuance of the 'Barbarous and
inhuman warfare" They recited the
great damage done to many residences
and the fact that the American con-
sulate had been demolished by gov
eminent shells, and pointed out that
the American embassy was filled with
Americans driven from their homes by