Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-12-03
Thousands of Refugees, In
GLIDING Luis TerrazaS and
Other Rich Men, Are Be-
Iieyed Nearing Border
GRAND MOVEMENT
TOWARD MEXICO CITY
Carranza'S Forces Are Con-
yerging for Attack on Ma
tionaI Capital Now in Hands
of General Huerta

Juarez. Mexico. Dee. 49, Fleeing
over the desert and pursued by rebels
several thousand people, including
some Of the richest families i'm north
ern Mexico who deserted Chihuahua
City in fear Of q rebel attack, tonight
were reported 10 be nearing the Unit
ed States border.
Among the refugees is Luis Terra
zas, head OF the wealthy Terrazas es-
tate, who is said to have with him g.
100000 pesos which he withdrew from
the Chihuahua banks. other wealthy
families, including some of the Creels,
are known To- have left the city, and
the caravan. composed also of women
and children. was described as beinc
more than a mile long At the head.
with an escort OF federal troops, is
General Salvador Mercado, Huerta's
deposed military governor Of Chihua-
hua state.
Details Of the evacuation OF the city
and the remarkable exodus Of the peo-
pie We're brought to Juarez I'm official
dispatches from Federico Moye. who
was appointed civil governor ad in
terim. MOye'sH dispatch was address,
ed to General Francisco villa and Il
called upon the rebel leader To take
possession of the city,
The facts about the downfall Of the
Huerta power in the city, as transmit
ted by Governor Moye. We're:
For almost three weeks Chihuahua.
with its $4,000 citizens, had been cut
off from communication. the food sup
plies were steadily decreasing and
many deaths resulted from illness
caused by seml-starvation. Rumors OF
the proposed attack on the city, ex-
aggerated by reports that the rebels
had been supplied with ammunition
from the United States and that the
city was to be bombarded. increased
the anxiety.
A citizens committee finally was ap-
pointed to call upon General Mercado
and ask him to surrender TO the re-
bells. as resistance would be hopeless.
After a delay and in the absence of
any communication with Mexico City,
General Mercado decided to flee.
Those who wished to go were given
notice to gather their possessions. Re
ports had been received that the Ter
razas family, which is reputed 10 own
almost half Of the land and cattle in
the state, would suffer severely At the
hands of the rebels General Terra
zas. the aged head of the family.
the banks and placed it in the cara
van in the hope of getting it out of
the country.
Early Sunday after the surrounding
country had been reeonhoitered. the
exodus began. General Mercado first
turning over the portfolio of state to
Senior Moye, who was directed to noti-
fly Villa that the federal troops for
mally surrendered. Governor MOye
issued proclamation declaring the
capital rebel territory
The route to Ojinaga, which the ref
ugees were reported TO have taken, is
about 1875 miles long General villa
said he had sent a detachment in pur-
suit of the federal troops and also to
attach the Terrazas property. but it
was not believed the rebels would be
able to overtake the caravan Villas
men had been ordered not to fire on
the non-combatants
General Pascual Orozco. who fought
with Madero in 1911, but later turped
against him and supported Huerta,
took 1000 federals into the mountains
west of Chihuahua. With him IS Cen
eral Jose Ynez Salazar. 1t is under
stood by villa that these federals Will
later to engage the rebels
General villa, who now assumes
military command Of all the north
and whose authority is second only
to that of General Carranza, recog-
nized as the revolutionary provisional
president, entered the revolution five
months ago with only a borrowed re-
volver He Is a former bandit and for
twenty years under Diaz was sought
as an outlaw.
Elated by the capture of Chihuahua
without bloodshed, Villa prepared for
the dispatch Of more troops south. He
said 10000 troops were to he concen-
trated at Chihuahua as the main force
by which the rebels hope completely
to crush the Huerta regime. The
troop movement is to be expedited as
the reconstruction of the railroads
permits.
Four thousand men under General
Alvarado have been ordered from So
nora, almost an equal number already
are approaching Chihuahua and villa
is ready to proceed southwark from
Juarez. At Chihuahua the provisional
capital Will be established from which
CarranZa and villa Will direct further
activity With Chihuahua and Tor
reon as strOngholds, the campaign by
Villa Will be directed against Zacate-
cas-, the rich mining center in the
heart of the republic. Villa said he
would have troop trains operating to
Torreon, 525 miles south of the hor-
der. within two weeks
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