The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-12-19
REBEL VILLA HOLDING HIGH HAND
SEIZED FOREIGNERS PROPERTY.
RANIsHED THEM FROM MEXICO
REFUGEES Report He Has Put 10
Death Many Civilians at Chi
huahua City.

FL Paso. Tex.-Americans, Germans
and Spaniards who arrived -unday
from Chihuahua, Mexico, report thab
Francisco Villa, the rebel leader, Writ
ually has constituted himself dictator
there and that he refused to heed the
request of representatives OF forelgn
governments.
The refugees asserted that the repeI
leader had seized $5,OO0,OO0 worth on
property belonging to foreigners, had
nut to death about twenty Mexican
civilians, including Sergio Sanchez
lawyer and former state official, anu
had commanded yhe American, Ger
man and British consuls to obey repei
orders. The happenings in Chihuahua
since Villa occupied the city on lts
evacuation by federal troops as told
by the refugees, who numbered l,ooo,
were:
Villa seized a large department.
store valued at $1,500,0OO and owned
by French, German, English and Span
| ish interests, but chiefly by Spanish
and placed in command of the store
General Chao, rebel leader.
He also seized brewery, cloth
ing factory and all the grocery and
other stores owned by Spaniards,
valued at $3,5OO,OOO.
He called meeting of merchants
of all nationalities and told them they
must pay him large sums OF money.
aggregating several millions OF dol
lars, to support the revolution. he
. gave orders that the so-called constl-
nationalist money should be accepted
as currency.
. Villas expulsion Of citizens Oh
Spain, all of whom were progressive
merchants, was on pain of death. he
at first informed them they must De
out of the country within five days,
- hut later, after an appeal by Harry
= Scobell, the British vice consul, ne
. extended the time to ten days None
> of the Spaniards was allowed to take
= ANYTHING except personal effects and
- all were told never to return,
The capture and imprisonment OF
J,uis Terrazas. Jr., son of rich land
20 owner. was after Terrazas had sought
refuge in the British vice consulate
and after the rebels informed Mr.
-, Scobell they would break down the
British vice consulate unless TerrazaI
ad was released.
os Marion Letcher, United States con
wa sul was asked by the foreigners I
no protect them. Mr.. Letcher attempte
ms to send cipher message to the stat
ms department, but was informed by VIII
that no cipher messages would b
,,o permitted on the rebel telegraph.
10 Villa then informed the forelg
hie consuls in body that they Woul
have to obey rebel orders.
GOO Otto Kueck, German consul, pr
od. tested to- Villa against the exactio
am of tribute from Germans. Villa threa
vou ened Kueck, saying the latter wou
hat be escorted to the border If he pc
nth. sisted in his protests. A store
tile which Kueck was interested was !
ouired to pay $4,000. All home al
And property of the expelled Spaniar
i'm. were appropriated to the personal u
of the rebels.
DRY. The expulsion of Spanish nuns al
ing. priests was complete, except that t
You bishop, a Spaniard. was allowed to
she main.
her "Villa's attitude toward the cons
cage ars was hostile" a German cloth
f" merchant said. "The Germany colo
, ut went to Mr.. Kueck for protecti
go!" Mr.. Kueck went to Villa with a
test. Villa said: ! can not silt
as a YOU, but can escort you to the b
der. Kueck replied he would REM
"Do in Chihuahua as long as there wal
that German citizen there"
dis The entry Of the British consul
'aced and the seizure Of Terrazas, who
have gone there for protection after III
to ing that his life was in danger, W
eohiS reported CO HdFc tdnOh Pi''NS 49,
lnds! the absence of British Vice Cor
you Scoben It was said that Scobeii,
you ragged at the action of General Fl
cisco Villas troops, was denied
eHities to protest to the British I
- lister at Mexico City or to the BIT
ambassador at Washington and
-ss he then appealed to United ST
Consul Marion Letcher.
A mutiny among the two thous
or more federal troops defen
nm Guaymas is threatening, accordin
nm reports reaching the insurgent i
aM 1t was reported Thursday that !
Ea federal deserters arrived at the
-. surgent base above Guaymas
-, news of the execution OF fedora
se ficers to prevent their desertio
the constituencies side.
t felt. 49,
portion
..,.A. - MideS If prosperl