Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-12-02
ack Of Food and Cutting Off
Of Water Supply Are Given
as Reasons for Evacuation
of Stronghold,
VILLA PREPARES TO
TAKE MEXICO CITY
Huerta Supporters Flee To-
ward American Border TO
Escape From Clutches Of
ConstitutionaIiSt Chieftain,

oy aoasuwa IouRNAL sFtc,Al lGssSo wHGl
Uarcz. Mex, Dec. Rather than
endure starvation, the federal troops
have evacuated Chihuahua CITY,
which has been under siege for weeks
according To advlees received tonight
y Gen. Francisco villa, the rebel
leader The evacuation leaves the
city open TO possession by the ret-
els.
The report received by villa was
tfat Salvador MerCado. military gov
ernor Of the state, with 1000 federal
troops had left on foot for Ojnga, OH
the United states border near Maria,
Texas. that Generals Jose Ynez Sala-
sar and Pascual Orozco with more
than 900 federals had retreated to
the mountains west Of the city and
that hundreds Of civilians, including
women and children, who were on
the verge OF starvation had started
ont to walk TO the United States bor-
der
Besides being the capital of the
state, Chihuahua, with "a population
normally of $4,000, is the metropolis
of northern Mexico Neither in the
Madero revolution nor in the pres
cnt uprising has Chihuahua been
taken from the fcderals It's garri-
SON ond the commanding positions for
sharpshooters and machine guns, af-
fcrded by the cathedral and the pub
uc buildings, heretofore had pre-
septed formidable barrier to in-
vaders. Had the rebels reached the
citv and the fedcrals resisted, il was
believed that n fight in the city would
have resulted in great loss OF life
and property.
Conditions in the city were said 10
be such that life there was no longer
ondurable. The Spanish viaduct
which conveyed water from the noun
tains was reported to have been de-
sroyed and the food supplies eX-
hausted
General villa tonight telegraphed
details Of the evacuation TO General
Carranza at Hermosillo, stating that
the proposed advance of the rebels
southward to Mexico City would now
be expedited. The possession Of the
city, he said, would make rebel terri
tory Of the country straight through
to Zacatecas and operations would be-
gin about that city and at Aguas Cali
entes
Among the hesieged citizens at Chi
huahua, who are believed TO be seeking
refuge elsewhere, were Juan Creel, a
banker and relative Of Enrique Creel,
former supporter Of President Diaz,
and Albert Terrazas wealthy land
owner,
General villa said Federico Moye,
prominent merchant, had been
named civil governor Of Chihuahua
state, his selection being based on
the belief that he would be accepta-
BILE TO the rebels.
THE report OF the capitulation Of
Chihuahua is authentic said Villa
III came to me In an official dispatch,
which said The city was evacuated on
Sunday rebel courier at once set
out and rode 1870 miles northward,
where he met the rebel advance
guard. This was al a point called
Vllla Ahumada, where we have estab-
llshed telegraphic communication. |
have transmitted the details to Cen
eral Carranza the head of the rev
oution.
lt is my purpose now to send
force to intercept Mercado, who is
fleeing to Ojinaga and also to cap
lure Orozco and Salazar The main
rebel body probably will concentrate
az Chihuahua preparatory to the ad-
vance southwark We will be near
ing Mexico City within a month
Five hundred thousand dollars
worth Of provisions and clothing and
100000 from the Bank Of Minero
We're oonfiscated in Juarez by Villa
70 support the rebels The property
was taken through the refusal Of mer-
chants to accept paper money issued
iy the rebels. The storekeepers,
most Of them Spanish, appealed TO
United States Consul Edwards and
Iater closed their shops and handed
over the keys to the consul. Consul
Edwards later returned the keys to
me owners, saying he could not guar
antee the safety of the property.
Meantime the places were forced open
ana the goods and money taken. It
was said the properties We're insured
N an English company against loot
ing