Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-12-11
VILLA OCCUPIES
CHIHUAHUA CITY
Enters in Triumph 10 Years af-
ter He Fled as a Fugi-
tive from Justice.
HAS BEEN A LEADER 5 MONTHS
Remarkable Flight of Refugees
Ends at American Boun-
Diary after Eight Days
of Frenzy.
HAS BEEN A LEADER 5 MONTHS

Juarez Mexico. pee. S-Assuming mill
tary command over large area of
northern Mexico through the defeat and
flight OF federal troops Gen. Francisco
villa, the rebel leader, to-day formally
occupied Chihuahua, the State capital
evacuated by General Mercado eight days
ago. according to an official report re-
Ccivcd here
General villa received what he called
the surrender of the city from Federico
Moyo, who was appointed civil governor
ad interim by Mercado So far as APP
rcarancc went Villas arrival in the city
made no immediate change for General
Chao another rebel leader with several
thousand men, already had been in the
city.
Nineteen years ago Villa fled as a fugi-
tive from the city which he entered I'm
triumph to-day. He had been ordered
arrested on a warrant charging him with
having killed an army officer He was
henccforth hunted as a bandit His brief
career as leader. after he had served
in Madero's revolution, began five months
ago with borrowed revolver.
While he will be engaged in guarding
his communication with Juarez against
a possible attack. Villa said he would
lose no time in preparing for his pro-
posed campaign southwark which, he
said would extend to the City of Mexico
FRANTIC FLIGHT TO BORDER
Preside, Texas. Dec. S.-The COM
plctc rout Of Hucrtas federal army in
northern Mexico with the frantic
flight Of his generals for safety to the
border and the decentralization of the
unpaid troops was established with
the arrival to- lay at Oiinaga. Mexico
opposite Preside, of the civilians and
soldiers who deserted Chihuahua city
In the remarkable hcgira, in which
the refugees struggled for eight days
over an lS5-mile trail through the
desert and endured great hardships for
want of food AMI water were Gen.
Salvador Mercado, Huertas deposed
military governor and commander OF
the federal troops in the north. Gen.
Pascual OroZco, Gen. Antonio Roias.
Gen Marcelo Caraveo. Gen. Ynez Sala-
2ar and a host of subordinate officers
They had deserted their posts in fear
of Gen. Francisco Villas rebel army
and virtually had surrendered to the
rebels in Chihuahua, the state capital.
and the largest of the far northern
cities
Along with them came, burdened with
what property they could carry, men.
women and children, representing some
Of the richest families in the republic
The flight with the army was in the face
a. reports that they might expect no
mercy should they fall into the hands
of the rebels. Luis Terra2as a wealthy
land owner, rcputed TO own half of the
State Of Chihuahua, was said to have
brought with him a vast fortune in cash.
fearing it might be seized by the rebels
II he remained in the evacuated city.
Witnesses viewing the coming throng
from the hills at Oiinaga reported the
refugees were scattered in thin line
for several miles into the interior and
that the dusty confusion of broken down
wagons, disabled artillery and mingling
OF dsheartened soldiers and famished
civilians, as they slowly moved over the
desert, presented spectacle of universal
despair
The fear of being unable to keep pace
with the escorting army, Of being lost on
tho desert or caught by the rebels, added
t. the miseries of so Drecipitate fight
had kept the refugees in almost a con-
tinuous FRENZY. Their arrival in panic
but unmocsted by the rebels, formed one
Of the most tragic Incidents of the pres
ent revolution
Many who had started out in vehicles
later marched on foot, scores who at
tempted to carry their trea sures had to
ABANDON them through sheer WEAKNESS,
81 their tracks We're literally strewn with
discarded impedimenta, clothing. hric-a-
hrac and valued trnkets, which they had
lopcd to carry to safety. Behind thon1