Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14
REBEL LEADERS SUMMON
CARRANZA TO CHIHUAHUA
Fear Acts of Military Commander
and Would Give Him Advice
Of Civilian.
FOREIGN TROUBLES FoREsEEN
Demand on Merchants for 81 500. 600
Gold and Great Ransom for
Young Millionaire Classed
as Bandits Work.

as Bandits Work.
Ell PASO. Texas, December l3-Storjes
OF wholesale looting by Gen. Francisco
Villa rebel army on its entrance into
Chihuahua. of the despoiling OF church
treasures. of the robbery of Spanish
priests and nuns. of the confiscation OF
property and demands for exorbitant
sums of money, were brought here today
with the arrival of AS citizens of SPAN.
who had been banishe6 from Mexico by
the rebels.
Eighteen Catholic priests and nuns OF
Spanish origin We're among the refugees.
They joined with the other exiled Span
iards in sending TO the Spanish amoassa-
dor at Washington and 10 the minister Of
foreign relations at Madrid a protest
against what they asserted was an out
rage of their rights.
The priests said Villa had demanded
5000 from each of them, and, after they
had given al they possessed, Villas army
looted the cathedral and churches and
the convent of all the gold and leweied
chalices and sacred vestments. One priest
said he paid the rebels S95. which was
all he had; another said he gave S155.
and the nuns gave all but their personal
belongings.
story LIS voucheQ For.
Among the priests who vouched for the
story of church Iooting were Father Su-
perior Jose Morales of the Community OF
the Holy Family. Father Manuel De
Francisco, and the mother superior and
six sisters OF the Order Of the Virgin
Mary.
Other Spaniards reported that in addl-
ton to threatening them with death IL
they renamed IN Chihuahua longer than
ten days, Gen. Villa demanded from nser1
chants $1,JOV,o0V in gold as tribute 60
the revolution. in excnange for which he
would pay them in so-caiied constitutional
currency.
1non4as ID. Edwards, United States con-
sui Al Juarez, attempted TO telegraph to
Chihuahua, but was told the wires were
not wornlng. Mr.. Edwards finally ar
ranged TO send messenger by auto
mobile.
before the rebel army entered the city
We thought at least the children of God
would be SAFE" Father Moraaes said.
Yet the rebels had not long been in
possession when We at the cathedral were
visited by an agent of Rebel Leader
Villa. he informed us that general
tribute was to be exacted for the revo-
iutionary cause. and that each of the
priests would be expected to pay 5000.
r.e said 1t the money was not paid within
two days there would be serious conse-
quences. We told him we could not do
il; that We did not have the money:
Refused Church Vessels.
AT the expiration OF two days Villas
agent returned ana we gave our worldly
possessions. We were told We would
nave TO ieave the country with the other
Spaniards We asked to be allowel to
take with US all our sacred church yes-
sells, but were told tnaI this wodli be
impossible, for the church property al
the fu -ure would belong the reDels.
Conditions affecting 4orelgnIrs anu for
eign pgoperty in northern mexico at the
hands Of the rebels became such today
tnat an appeal by rebel leaders was seat
to Gen. Carranza, recognized as the head
of the revoiutlon, to prevent possible IN
ternational complications Gen. Carranza
was asked to join Gen. Francisco Villa
in Chihuahua CITY at once.
The representation was made that in
arbitrarily expeIling Spaniards from Mex
leo and conilscating or shutting down
their property, va ued at more than So
Coo,O00, Villa had acted without sufficient
advice and that he had incurred the dis
Measure of foreign interests In forcibly
en- .ering the British vice consulate to ar
rest Luis Terrazas. jr., who is being held
for $4,000 ransom.
Complaint of q. S. Consul.
COMPLAINT also was made TO the United
States government that Marion Letcher,
the American consul at Chihuahua, WAS
denied his usual right TO send a code
message to the Stale Department when
he wished to report the plight of the eN-
peeled Spaniards. The United states
CONSUL the British vice consul and the
Standards therefore sent protests To their
respective governments.
IN was represented to the foreign gov
ernments that Villa mad l-noreu lno
;x1 niria N hn
they sought information as TO the PROB
able fate OF TerraZas, who Is son or
one OF the richest men in the repuDilc,
and that Villa violated the rules OF IN
ternational warfare i'm refusing protec-
tfon to Spaniards. His holding Of Ter
razas Mexican, for ransom was
described as the act OF brigand.
Several refugees sent personal mes
sages to the spanish ambassador at
Washington characterlzing the enforced
exile as the barbarous act OF saNases,
by Villas troops. Similar messages
were sent to King Alfonso OF Spain.
Conference Held at Juarez.
The situation resulted in a conference
of rebel leaders at Juarez, at which ir
was explained that villa, being a mill
tary commander rather than the head Of
a civil government had acted without
sufiicient advice. II was decided that
Gen. Carranza should be asked to start
immediate for Chihuahua. where
hereafter he might determine the future
policies of the revolution after per-
sonal conferences with Villa.
The meeting decided that Villa, by hie
acts toward foreigners, had precipitated
a serious situation. AS Gen. CarranZa
cannot go overland from Hermosiilo TO
Chihuahua in less than ten days a mes
senger meantime was dispatched to Villa
with important suggestions.
These suggestions In effect were that
Villa should not further incur the dis
pleasure OF foreign governments by dis
as to what foreigners shall
remain in Mexico. He was told that
because of his attitude toward Spaniards
the Americans and Germans in Chihua-
hua were threatening to leave the coun-