The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-03-03
Rooms were Looted and Young Men
Lost All of Their Personal Be.
longings by Theft or Fire
NO ANTI-AMERICAN FEELING
Natives Felt Kindly Because of Way
Wounded were Treated-Meat
up to So. Per Pound.

Mrs. J. w. Naugle of this city had
some narrowing experiences during
the recent trouble in Mexico City.
Mr.. Naugle is employed there as chief
clerk by L. Pearson and Son, English
contractors. He roomed in the Y.
M. G. A. and at the start of the trou-
BILE was forced to fee the building.
When his parents learned that the
Y. M. c. A. had been fired upon, they
Immediately wired him and receiving
no reply, wired Ambassador Wilson.
On Feb. IS, they received word that
he was safe in a suburb of Mexico
City. Last week, Mrs. Naugle receiv-
ed the following letter which was
written February 20. s".A
The cut on page 4 shows the Y. M.
c. A. as it looked before It was fred
on.
81 surely had a time of it during
the terrific battle. pulled of here In
the city. I am back to work this
morning and find so much to do that
don't know where to start. Our
Office was closed for ten days. We were
not able to send cables until a cable
office was established in the American
embassy. 1t would take a book to
tell of what we have been through.
Y. M. C. A. Shot to Pieces.
"The Y. M. c. A., in which Pringle
CHS roomate) and lived, is simply
shot to pieces. It was six story
building covering half block and
built of steel and concrete. It was
unfortunate in being in the very con-
ter of the fighting being only one
block from the Arsenal where Felix
Diaz and his forces had their strong
hold.
ION the second day of fighting the
Diaz soldiers drove us out and ran
in their cannon, rapid fire guns and
several hundred soldiers making the
Y. M. C. A. regular fort. Although.
tried to get some Of my personal be-
longings out of my room, I was un-
successful. All I have left In the
world is just what I have on my
back as when the Federals opened
fire on the Y. M. c. A. half an hour
after left, they riddled it with shells,
solid shot, rife and machine gun
balls.
"Many of the rooms caught on fire.
The soldiers stationed in the Y. M. c..
A. looted it pretty well before the
fight so al 1.-The boys, including Pringle
lost everything they had. Pringle
had been in Tampico for a couple of
weeks and was lucky in having two
suit cases full of clothes with him.
Slept on the Floor.
"The minute the trouble started,
I went out to Briggs house, which is
in the American colony about i've
minutes from the Y. M. c. A. by street
car, and as he has two little babies,
knew he would need me. We stayed
in his house two days until the fight
ing got too near and then left it for
another on the outskirts Of town. Fin
ally when the bullets came too thick,
we escaped to Tacubaya, suburb Of
Mexico City. : We all slept on the
floor for ten nights and nearly froze
to death as it gets very cold here
nights. ... - .s-.-,..., .s-..a f..
"You could never believe the extent
Of the damage done here In the city
beautiful buildings shot to pieces,
etc. A conservative estimate on the
number of dead is placed at between
1900 and 1000 but no one will ever
know just how many. Several
Americans were killed and wounded,
some through exposing themselves
from curiosity and others being
caught in the line of fire. OF course
their deaths were accidental. There
is absolutely no non-American feel
ing here. On the contrary, know
there is very kindly feeling because
Of the way the Americans acted to-
wards the wounded Mexicans and
those In distress.
Meat s. per Pound.
Meat and all eatables are some
(contnnsd 9 lsSt N0el,