Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-03
night and it was then decided to throw


up the sponge.
Calling for special train, Calzada
and other fugitiveS started south with
the evident intention of avoiding the
American border patrol in reaching
one of the large cities in the interior
of Texas, where it long has been ru-
mored that the funds of the move
ment were being safely guarded
pending such time as it might be
necessary to decamp.
The few soldiers left behind acted
on their own account and every good
looking horse that appeared on the
streets during the morning was con-
tiscated in the name of the revolu-
tion. Several Americans driving 10
the American side with their families
were compelled to unhitch in order
that their animals might be pressed
into the service despite protests of
the indignant owners, which availed
nothing in the face of half drunken
men armed with rifles.
While looting had been prevented
while General Calzada remained Oh
duty, there was nothing to prevent
the sacking of the town except the
fear that the American troops might
interfere.
A meeting of American and Mexi-
can business men was called to dis.
cuss the situation, but it seemed i'm
possible to obtain trustworthy men to
act as guards
Stores were openly broken into and
the contents carried away in wagons
and the word was passed along the
street that everybody would be given
free hand tonight. That a number
of buildings as we'll as the railroad
shops were not blown up last night
was accounted for by the fact that
large company of American soldiers
remained on duty at the international
line, but it was reported that the or
ders to destroy certain properties
would be carried out before the Fed
erals arrived. Another conference
will be held tonight and it is pos
sible that American volunteers will
be used to prevent an outbreak. With
the streets blocked in every direction
with refugees struggling to get across
the river, it is not believed possible
that the night will pass without some
disorder.
When it became known that the
officials had deserted the city the
wounded soldiers in the military hos
pital almost started a riot in their
efforts to leave the institution, owing
to the belief that they would be killed
as soon as the federals arrived.
A search was made for DR.. Lunda,
the physician of the hospital, but it
was discovered that he had left on
an extended leave of absence, so the
victims of the war were loaded into
box cars and deliberately sent aero IS
the river to be cared for by the Amer-
lean authorities. As the military
chiefs were averse to sending the
men back, provisions were made AT
the army post for the 200 unfortu-
mates and local talent was called in to
act as nurses.
! In the meantime, an attempt was
made to obtain news from the front.
/ but as the wires had been cut, it was
necessary to rely upon statements
made by the refugees. According to
the best information obtainabe, the
| Constitutionalists decided to make no
resistance at Sabinas, where FORTH
cations had been erected on the north
ern bank of the river, and fell back
to PeyoteS during the night. 1t is de-
clared that the mountainous country
around Peyotes will prove more ia
vorable to the Constitutionalist army
as possibly affording a more secure
hiding place. The federals, meeting
Will no resistance, came forward
with great rapidity and camped in
front of the town few hours later.
The report that the reinforcements
under Colonel Castro had retaken
MoncloVa was spread among the
Constitutionalist troops, but an inves-
tlgation subsequently showed that no
such message had arrived. 1t is now
generally believed that the story of
relnforcements coming was a myth,
designed to sustain the dropping spr-
its OF the soldiers. Every man known
to possess weapon has been sum
moned to Peyotes to assist in the de-
Tense and large quantities of arsenic
and cyanide of potash have been sent
down to prevent the federals from
obtaining water.
1t IS reported that thirty-five SOL
dlers who drank water at Barroteran,
died on the field before medical aid
could be summoned from tho hOCnita /,