New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-17
OVER A BILLION
SEIZED BY VILLA
Rebel Chief COnfscateS All
Terrazas and Creel
Properties.
TAKES ALSO MINES
OF ALL FEDERALS
American COnsul's Wife Declares
Stories of Atrocities by
Villa Are Untrue.
fBy Telegraph TO The Tribune.

Villa Are Untrue.
fBy Telegraph TO The Tribune
FL Paso, Tex, Dec. ia decree
issued 10y General Pancho villa, re-
ceived by the rebel junta here to-day,
announces that all the property OF the
Terrazas family in the State Of Chi
huahua and. all the holdings Of the
Creel family including those Of En-
rique c. Creel formerly Ambassador TO
the United States. have been seized 10y
the Constitutionalsts.
This means that Villa has seized
more than billion dollars Of property
IN tho state the Terrazas holdings
alone being more than two-thirds of all
the real and personal property i'm the
state.
The Creels own practically all Of the
banking interests in Northern Mexico.
All contracts heretofore made with
either the Creel or Terrazas interests
are declared in the decree to nave been
forfeited by the abandonment Of the
property and the flight Of the Creels
and Terrazas
Following his seizure Of the TerraZas
and Creel properties General Villa also
confiscated to-day the silver mines of
General Pascual Orozco and all mining
interests Of former Federals I'm the
rich mining districts surrounding the
state capital. and he II seeking means
for converting the silver bullion into
Mexican pesos.
For more than two hundred miles
along the main central railroad from
Juarez south the land is all owned by
General Luis Tcrrazas and his family.
and practically all OF the banking and
Individual interests In the state not
owned by Americans are the property
of the same persons.
Villa Seeks . Mint.
villa. cut or from the south by ad-
vancing Federals and menaced from
east and west by the forces Of Hucrts,
sent 10 make a supreme effort to stop
the rebel chief I'm his conquest Of the
north. also seeks n mint in which 10
coin rebel money.
Dispatches received in III Paso to-
night say that villa declares that he
has $40 900 American money. which he
is willing 10 pay for machinery with
which % equip a mint In Chihuahua.
A definite orrer was made to-day 10 an
III Paso firm by rebels, Il is claimed.
for machinery TO be shipped at once to
chihuahua. but this was refused
villa says he has unlimited silver 10
coin into pesos. and all he needs IL the
necessary equipment. This he hopes to
secure and put In use in Chihuahua be
fore he moves to the south or before
he IS attacked by the Federals.
Federals' advices tonight say that
strong Federal forces are now nearing
chihuahua from the south and east.
and that villa end his forces there are
practically cut of from all points ex-
cept Juarez. II was stated in Juarez
that the rebels under Herrera. who had
been threatening the Federals at
OIinaga. return to chihuahua and as
slst in the defence Of the capital.
Mrs. Letcher at EI Paso.
Mrs. Marion Letcher. wife OF the
American Consul at chihuahua. arrived
in FL Paso to-day with her three young
children. Generally supposed a refugee
from rebel atrocities. Mrs. Letcher said
this afternoon TO The Tribune CORE
| spondent that she was not In flight and
that she intended to return 10 Chi
| huahua CITY after Christmas
1T is not true that | have left Chi
huahua because we considered any dan
| ger existed there. | will remain in El
Paso during the holidays only, and then
vill return to Chihuahua
! Mrs. Letcher was asked II General
villa had torn up code messages which
her husband had tried TO send 10 Wash
ington.
THE report that Mr.. Letcher was
not permitted to send cipher messages
| absolutely Is false" Mrs. Letcher re-
piled. General villa. up to the time
| | left chihuahua. had granted every
| request my husband had made OF him,
| personally or as the representative OF
| the United States. | do not know OF
| any American in Chihuahua who has
not had his every request OF villa
granted almost Instantly"
/ Mrs Letcher added that Colonel Luis
Terrazas was taken from the British
| Consulate. but that no violence was
| shown TO him or done to the consulate,
and that none OF the Terrazas women
was mistreated. Colonel Terrazas. she
! said. was confined in the national pal
ace IN chihuahua, and the women Of
his family were living with friends In
/ various parts OF the city.
! Mrs. Letcher and her children are
visiting her friend, Mrs. @. A. Cam
nbuis. at No. 1900 California street.
Rebels Miss spanlards' Money.
with false sides and false bottoms
IN their trunks, Spanish refugees from
Chihuahua are arriving with abundant