El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-26
YNAMITE bombs, small arm

~ YNAMITE bombs, small arms fire
and the glare froP looted build
- ings set on fire, formed the set
ting for one of the strangest July
Fourth celebrations ever held by Amer
leans. 1t was in Durango, Mexico, dur
ing the awful period of "A days follow
ing the capture of the town by the reb-
els and its sack by the mounta1neer
Maderistas. Or. Harry V. Jackson,
who arrived here with his wife,
four children and a refugee Span
ish padre, told of the weird cele-
bration of the American national holt
day in the capital city OF Durango,
while the rebels paraded through the
streets. pillaged the stores and hurled
dynamite bombs like firecrackers-
DR.. Jackson and his family came
here from Seguin, Texas, Mrs. Jack
sons native home. They reached Gal
weston on the steamer "MexicanO" from
TampicO after an experience which is
one Of the most remarkable OF all the
refugee stories that have come out of
Mexico during the last exodus DR..
jackson had been a resident of Du-
range for IS years He is surgeon 1or
the National Railways of Mexico at
Durango, was surgeon for the rebels
under Urbina and Arrieta, owned a
drug store in Durango and 4OOO-acre
ranch, stocked with blooded sheep and
fine cattle, all of which was stolen
from him. DR.. Jackson has gone to
Las Cruces to look for location un-
til the trouble is over in Mexico and
ne can return 10 MS nome anu the
friends he has made in Is years OF
practice in the republic.
Home Was Refuge for Foreigners.
The home of DR.. Jackson, with 20
large rooms was the refuge for 1O5
members of the foreign colony in Du-
range during the battle and the ensu-
ing reign of terror This party IN
cluded Germans, French, Spanish, ma
tive Mexicans and Americans The
British consul, a partner of DR.. jack
son, had his consulate on the second
floor of the Jackson home and for
month these people lived in the house,
fearing to venture outside, were fed
from the family cupboard, had their
dances, their church services and their
feast celebrations in the parlors OF the
Jackson home.
On July Fourth a celebration was ar
ranged in honor of DR.. Jackson and his
American friends The celebration was
necessarily limited in scope, as none
dared venture outside, because OF the
danger of being shot or held up. But
the dynamite bombs which the boy
brigade of grenade thrOWers hurled
broadcast for their own amusement,
furnished an appropriate setting for
the Fourth of July celebration, knitted
together with the powwoW of small
arms and the. reflection of burning
buildings in the heart of the city.
DR.. Jackson was presented with an
autograph album containing the sig
natures and appropriate verses on this
occa sion. which he cherishes more than
range. The parlOr of the home was
blessed by the archbishop and masses
held there.
Ten Million Pesos Lost.
1.-The Iooting of Durango has meant
a loss of $4,000, 900 Mexican currency
to the people" says Dr. jackson. Cen
erals Arrieta, Peyrera and Sausengo
OF the Madierista forces did everything
they could to protect property and to
prevent the wholesale lootings. But
they had no discipline or control over
their men and they were often help
less to prevent the deeds that were
done during those those "a days while
the looting continued
There were a stores sacked in Du-
nival Most of them were either
blown up with dynamite from
the mines or burned. The ca
thedral was looted, the archbishop
was held for ransom and everyone who
could be forced to do so was compelled
to make forced loans to the rebels. The
Bank of London was looted of $56O,OOO |
in cash, and the other stores were all |
broken into and looted. Even the
French consulate was robbed. Wagons |
loaded with the loot were being hauled |
away to the north for days after the |
sacking.
"As soon as the town had been taken |
from the federals the rebel army loot |
ed warehouse and obtained 5000 deml-
johns and 5000 barrels of mescal, which |
they proceeded to share The poems |
from the nearby mines and ranches |
came in to, enjoy the festival and all |
were soon drunk from this cOmman- !
deered liquor. This started the trou- |
bic, which continued during the entire |
time that the rebels were in control. |
The Americans sought refuge in the /
Mcdonald institute. The rebels de- |
manded admittance and while three /
Americans went to open the door, a 1
dynamite bomb was placed at the door /
and one, Charles Won Bra bdis. a former I
German soldier, but an American citi- /
zen, was rendered unconscious and will |
be a cripple for life. The splinters |
from the door were blown into his |
body. He was kicked aside by the reb- /
els. who were loot hungry Lawrence |
We're also injured in this explosion !
The rebels paraded through the |
street with their bodies loaded down |
with loot The small boys none of