Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-04
Regulars Of Mexico Open
Fire on Patrol; Leads to
80 Minute Battle With
Ninth Cavalry.
HUERTA REGIME TO
ENFORCE NEW ORDER
Rebels Who Have Thus Far
Failed to Reconcile Them
selves With Provisional
Party Will be Fought.

Douglas, Ariz., March 3.-Four deat
Mexican soldiers and an unknown
number Of wounded were taken tc
Aqua Prieta today from the poln1
on the International border five miles
from here where two troops or inc
Ninth U. s. cavalry fought thirty
minute battle with Mexican regulars
yesterday. More than 1000 shots
were fired by the American troopers
and it is estimated that fully as many
were fred by the Mexicans. None OF
the Americans was hit. Neither side
crossed the international line.
Col Gilfoyle commanding the ninth
cavalry has sent a detailed report OF
the skirmish to the war department at
Washington. He said today he did not
anticipate any further trouble. AS q
precaution,N however, the usual border
patrol of the ninth cavalry was IN
creased this morning. Everything
was quiet along the line today.
.. Denies First Firing.
General Ojeda, Mexican commander
at Aqua Prieta today declared that the
America troopers fired first. This Is
denied by United States army officers
Lieut.. Nicholson in command of the
guard patrol Of Is men which first en-.
gagged the Mexicans, and Captain
Armstrong, who commanded troops p.
and F.. when they came to the relief OF
the patrol declared today that volley
OF shots came from the Mexican side
before the fire was returned by the
Americans. g..
According to the accounts given by
the army officers. Lieut.. Nicholson
and his fifteen men were fired upon
without warning by seventy-flve Mext-
can federals. The patrol returned the
fire but in a few minutes retreated to
the C. & A. smelling plant sending to
the camp of the ninth for reinforce
ments. Troops E and F, under Cap
tain Armstrong, responded with ma
chine gun and 12O rounds of ammuni-
ton per man. At sight of the rein
forcements the Mexicans again began
firing. The troopers replied vigorous
ly and general engagement was soon
on. The opposing forces were station
ed in skirmish line 800 yards apart
with the international line between
them. After thirty minutes, the Mexi-
cans retreated byond the range of the
troopers rifles.
Arrested Mexican Saturday.
An incident which preceded the
skirmish and which Is believed by
some observers to have some connec-
tion with it, was the arrest by the
ninth cavalry border patrol Saturday
afternoon of Juan Castillo as he was
trying to cross from the American side
to Aqua Prieta with messages from
E.. Gales leader of Maderista junta
in Douglas, to his followers in Sonora.
The message was. addressed to the
commander Of the Maderista force
which disarmed the federal garrison
at Fronteras last week, and demanded
the immediate release of two Maderista
officers held captives by the regulars.
authorities and the messages are in
the hands Of Col. Gilfoyle commander
of the ninth.
Soon after the arrest Of the rebel
Saturday, a few shots were
fired across the line at squad Of the
border patrol
The sergeant in charge of the fed
eral garrison at Aqua Prieta and Eel
ipe Luna, were executed at Aqua
Prieta yesterday en- order of Cen
eral Ojeda on charges Of conspiracy
against the Huerta regime.
Ask For Explanation. ~,
Washington, D. c., March AL
though Major General Wood, chief Of
staff of the army, called on the COM
officer at Douglas, Ariz., for a
full report on the alleged killing Of
four Mexicans in a border fight with
tie ninth cavalry troopers, nothing
has been heard Of the affair early to-
day.
Army officials reiterated their con-
victi that If the American troopers
-red on Mexican soldiers, It was in
self defense, after an attack had been
made on them.
New Order to be Enforced.
Mexico City, March 3.-The firm and
energetic military rule promised by
the new Mexican government under
President Huerta probably
will be inaugurated this week. Huerta
has had eight deys of conference with
various rebel chiefs or with commits
sioners sent by them. The govern
ment is now disposed to consider as
all those rebels who con-
tinue to delay definite recognition of
The order OF things