Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-12-05
NINE REFUGEES
FROM VICTORIA
REACH BROWNSVILLE AT NOON
TODAY AFTER HAVING TRAVEL
ED DISTANCE OF 900 MILES
FROM TAMAULIPAS CAPITAL.
TRIP WAS SAFE
ENDURED NO HARDSHIPS on
JOURNEY. EXCEPT OCCASIONAL
SHORTAGE OF FEED-MENICAN
MEMBER OF PARTY ARRESTED.

After travelling nine and half DAYS
overland in wagon train. nine Ameri-
can and subjects reached Browns
Vile today from Victoria. Mex
leo. All of til m are farmers from the
section around Victoria. and their decis
ion to leave their farms and come to
the United States has been made because
of the fact that there are no transporta-
ton facilities to remove their crops.
and also that the supply of food is run
ming short in the Victoria section.
Included in the number were Carlos
Mueller and his daughter. Miss Bon.
huilda Nu hlcr. John l.. Friedman X.
II. McDavitt and T. X. McDavitt, all
of Victoria. William Garrett. a British
subject. and ID. G. McAlliSter. Of Cab
allcrOS; James LeSurf of Canada: F.
A. Pollock an Englishman. Mr. Fried
man is going TO Galveston where he
will join hi sfamly. Mr. Pollock is Il
conductor in the National Lines Of Mex
leo and he stated that he is going to
get there Mr.. LeSurf goes to Canada.
The others will remain here Browns
vile being the home Of the McDavittS.
The refugees had not rOublp during
their trip from Victoria to the United
States, with the exception of the fact
that at times it was difficult for them
to obtain feed for their animals.
When the wagon train reached the
International bridge, just before noon
today. a Mexican trainmaSter who was
with the party. and whose name was
McAtell. was arrested by the COnsti-
tutionaliStS. in Matamoros. and his mule
confiScated. The mule is the property
of *. II. McDavitt. who stated that j.
would have no trouble in getting its
return.
X. H. McDavitt was in Victoria at
the time of the recent battle i'm that city
and he tells an interesting story Of the
occurrences on Sunday. Monday and
Tuesday, November 16 IL and IS. He
stated that the ConstitutionalistS fore
.es in the original attack numbered
about 5000 men. and this was increa >rd
just before the capture of the city by
$500 men. The federal force. according
to the claims of General Rabago. the
commander. numbered 500 and there
were / 900 Dcfensia SocialeS an organi
ZatiOn of citizens who assisted in the
fighting.
The fighting had not progressed very
far, when 400 Of the feder;IS laycd down
their arms and General RabagO imme
idiately gathered such citizens aS he
could reach and told them that it was
no use to hold the city longer The evac-
uatiOn was begun on TUESDAY night
November Is. and without the rebels
having been aware Of the fact that the
federalS had left the city.
Mr.. McDavitt stated that 50 far as
he could learn, and see with his own eve
there VIZ not NOR than 3S to 80 i'd
rails killd and that was in front of the
gov rnment building. He stated that
wounded and killed on both sides
would not have been more than two hun
/ dred.
! Mr. McDavitt confirmed the burning
of the municipal building. containing
many Of the state records. including re-
atty deeds. etc. and also the penitenti-
airy. All the prisoners i'll the penitentia-
ry were released by the Constitutional
iSt forces.
Probably more than thousand peo
pie in Victoria joined the Constitution
alist forces, and there are now probab
" eight thousand troops in that city.
All the farmers expect to remain in
the United States until conditions have
settled. when they will return to the
Victoria section and resume the opera
ton of their farms.