Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-12-20
FEDERAL ARMY
IS DESERVING
GUAYMAS
MANY MEN AND OFFICERS FROM
OJEDA'S COMMAND DESERT TO
THE REBELS.--THE FALL OF
GUAYMAS SEEMS ONLY A QUES-
TON Of A FEW HOURS.
0JEDA MAY GIVE UP
IF Offered AMNESTY

Maytorena, Sonora. Mex, Dec. 20
Deserters from the federal garrison at
Guaymas, few miles to the south of
the insurgent camp here, We're arriving
today. Their number. ii was expect
ed, would aggregate 500
Already eleven officers have sur.
rendered. Among them was Major b
| Figueroa, a member of the staff of
| General Pedro Ojeda, federal com
mandant at Guaymas, and commander
of the cavalry stationed at the gulf
port. The enlisted men appeared in
groups of five and ten, dust covered
and suffering from want of water and
| food. The federal officers here say
hat many have not reached the con-
stitutonalist lines and are wandering
from ranch to ranch, or are lost in
the mountains.
1t was asserted that practically all
Of the outposts placed about Guaymas
by the federal commander had desert
ed with their arms and ammunition.
The developments since yesterday
morning were considered a death
blow to the Huerta government in
the northwest, marking the overthrow
of General Pedro Ojeda, whose stub
born fighting along the border and
at Guaymas long has been q menace
to the southwark progress of General
Carranzas forces. Deserters brought
news of the disarmament of the entire
tenth battalion of infantry numbering
more than 500 men, These were dis.
plot to desert in body, officers and
men, to the insurgent side. This is
believed to have reduced the federal
garrison by onehalf.
That General Ojeda himself would
accept amnesty was indicated by
report reaching here from Cruz de
Piedra, the nearest point to Guaymas
held by the insurgents. Col. +. Men
des, commanding the constitutionalists
there, reported that the federal com.
mander had sought All interview with
him under the agreement that each
should leave his base with an equal
number Of men and meet on neutral
ground. Colonel Mendez said he had
declined the offer, fearing a trap.
General Alfaro Obregon, command
er of constitutiOnalsts forces in the
northwest, remained here today. The
federal officers who arrived assisted
in locating the scattered groups of de-
serting federals, The deserters did
not constitute any one command, the
officers said. but came from various
regiments and battalions. This was
taken as an indication of the complete
Generalization of the federal garrison l;,'.s
There are loo Mayo Indian troops
stationed here under command of
Gen. Juan Cabral, and LOO insurgent
troops are at Ortiz, a few miles to
the north, all of whom will be moved
into Guaymas as soon as the city is
evacuated and it becomes certain that
there will be no danger of a lombard
ment by the two federal gunboats
which have been lying in the harbor.
no Rebels at Tampico.
Mexico City, Mex, Dec. 20.-The
'ebels have not returned to the vicini-
~ Of Tampico since their retirement
)n December ID. Everything is quiet
here today and telegraphic communi-
,ation is open between Tampico and
he federal capital.
Paris, Dec. 20.-The underwriting
,y an international group of bankers
If loan to the Mexican government.
to meet the bond interest
payments falling due in January, was
arranged today through the Banque
le Paris ct des Pays Bas.
The group is composed of Paris,
.ondon and New York bankers and in
ludes Speyers of New York. The
'aris banks viii not advance more
han their proportionate share of the
mount underwrtten by the group.
The negotiations were conducted
ere but the amount of the loan and
he terms on which it is to be ad.
anced were not disclosed