Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-12-06
General Villa, With the Rebel Army,
Will Make An Attempt to Cap
ture the Fleeing Fed
eraI Armies.

SOIuIclS.
The simultaneous evacuation of
other federal strongholds in the north
is believed by the rebels to be the
result of a concerted decision to
abandon the whole of Northern Mex
leo.
The peace proposals were sent by
General Mercado to General Francisco
Villa, rebel leader, through Federico
Moye, civil governor of Chihuahua
state, appointed ad interim. Along
with it came an appeal signed by
all the foreign consuls in Chihuahua
calling on Villa to give police prOtec-
ton to the citizens of Chihuahua City.
General Mercado's proclamation read:
Under the circumstances which
have existed in Chihuahua, it has
been deemed necessary for the federal
troops to evacuate. l leave in charge
Federico Moye, a person who is not
identified with politics and who, there
fore, is qualified to give full protec-
ton to foreigners. 1t is impossible to
remain here longer, as there is no
money with which to pay the troops"
The generals who have signified,
through General Mercado, their will
ingness to surrender, but who, never
theless, are fleeing to the United
States in the order are: General
Salvador Mercade, General Pascual
Orozco, General Jose Yned Salazar,
General Marcello CaraveO, General
Jose Manzilla, General Blaz Orpinal
and General Landa.
The peace commission proposed to
General Villa that all noncombatants
who sought safety by fleeing to the
border be permitted to go without
being fired upon and all the federals,
including 200 soldiers left on police
duty in Chihuahua City, be pardoned.
1t is also asked clemency for federal
officers, but it is thought the federal
generals will seek safety by crossing
the border into the United States, pos
sibly near Ojinaga. The peace COM
mission stated that before leaving
Chihuahua the federals destroyed all
the postage and government revenue
stamps; that there existed practically
no money in the city, and that 1000
citizens had left with the troops,
most of them being those who were
rich and who feared harsh treatment
by the rebels.
Juarez, Mex-Rather than endure
starvation, the federal troops have
evacuated Chihuahua City, according
to advices received Tuesday by Gen
eral Francisco Villa, the rebel leader.
The evacuation leaves the city open
to possession by the rebels. The town
was besieged by rebel troops weeks
ago.
The report received by Villa states
that Salvador Mercado, military gov
ernor of the state, with 1000 federal
troops, had left on foot for Ojinaga.
on the United States border near
Maria, Texas; that Generals Jose Ynez
Salazar and Pascual Orozco, with
more than 1000 federals, had retreat
ed to the mountains west of the city,
and that hundreds of civilians, includ-
ing women and children, who were on
the verge of starvation, had started
out to walk to the United States bor-
der.
Besides being the capital of the
state, Chihuahua, with a normal popu-
lation of $4,000, is the second city of
Northern Mexico Neither in the Ma
dero revolution nor in the present up
rising has Chihuahua been taken
from the federals. It's garrison and
the commanding positions for sharp
shooters and machine guns afforded
by the cathedral and public buildings
| heretofore had presented formidable
barrier to invaders. 1t is believed a
| fight in the city would result in great
loss of life and property.
Conditions in the city were said to
be such that life there was no longer
endurable The Spanish viaduct which
conveyed water from the mountains
was reported to have been destroyed
and the food supplies exhausted.
General Villa said Federico Moye,
a prominent merchant, had been
named civil governor of chihuahua
state, his selection being based on the
belief that he would be acceptable to
the rebels.
"The report of the capitulation of
Chihuahua is authentic" said Villa.
at came to me in an official dispatch
which said the city was evacuated on
Sunday. A rebel courier at once set
out and rode 100 miles northward
where he met the rebel advance guard
This was a point called Villa Ahu.
mazda, where we have established a
telegraph communication.
1T is my purpose now to send a
force to intercept Mercado, who is
fleeing to Ojinaga, and also to cap
| ture Orozco and Salazar. Our main
body probably will concentrate at Chi
huahua preparatory to the advance
southwark. We will be nearing the
City of Mexico within a month
Five hundred thousand dollars
worth of provisions and clothing and
100000 from the Banco Minero were
confiscated in Juarez by Villa to sup
port the rebels. The property was
taken through the refusal of mer
chants to accept paper money issued
by the rebels.