The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-24
BIG BATTLE IS ON.

6IU bnIIH ID UNs
Continued from Page One.)
villa q crushing blow, before he actual
" reached the gates Of Torreon, Gen.
velasco sailed out Of the invested City
under cover Of the guns on the sizes OF
Cerro De La Pillar and strongly gar
risoned Gomez Palacio. Made conn.,
dent by his easy victories en- route.
General Villa heard the report from MS
scouts that Gomez Pa1acio was
strongly fortified and gave the oroer
for attack.
The guns Of Cerro De La Pillar were
opened up. volley after volley from the
artillery and small arms opened the
first serious engagement OF VIVA
troops and the federals who hope to
check the march Of the constitution
alists to the national capital.
Capture . Water Tank.
The rebel cavalry pressed forward to-
ward the mountain and before many
minutes Of fighting Villas men had
taken the water tank. securing their
first vantage ground.
From there they fought on to the
Birmingham Soap factory. infantry en-
gaging the defending forces within and
upon the buildings. Another hour ana
the federals retreated to the Quartet.
where the hottest fighting Of the bat
tie took place. Fighting from the front,
gaining ground foot by foot, the reb-
els finally drove the federals back
again toward Torreon.
But DO heavy had the firing been.
so many were the shells that burst
in the Quartet that scarcely had It
been occupied by the pursuing rebels
that 1t caught flre and the conquerers
were forced to abandon it.
The federals retreated in order, keep
beaten back on the road to Torreon.
AS the rebels advanced they rushed
forward over the bodies of the federal
dead and wounded.
General Villa reiterated his confidence
that Torreon would be his by Thurs
day.
Victory Hangs in Balance.
Juarez. March 24.-Although des-
perate fighting was still in progress at
Gomez Palacio. the gateway of Tor
reon, at IL o'clock last night when the
last dispatches came through. General
Villa felt SO confident of victory ahat
he returned to the main base at Ber-
nejillo. This was for the purpose of
being able to telegraph directly to
Chihuahua and other points. with
reference to the handling of supplies
and the movement OF his troops. The
rebels are reported to have Torreon
closely surrounded and last reports
dent of the early fall OF the federal
stronghold.
The occupation OF Lerdo, prac-
tically without resistance, and the as
sumed victory at Gomez Palacio leave
only Torreon to be taken and the first
important stage Of the revolution will
be over. The conquest Of Mazat1an,
Saltillo and Monterey is taken for
granted. once the Mexican federal
force under General Velasco, at Tor
In official circles here, although
dispatches ceased. it was taken for
granted that Villa would triumph at
Gomez Palacio, which is only three
miles from Torreon. before the day
was over. The defense of the city
came as a surprise to the rebels, who
assumed that only a nominal resist
ance, for the purpose of fnflicting such
damage as might be safely adHinister-
ed. would be made BY the Huerta
to have been rushed into the city, by
General Velasco, were totally unex-
pected and when the last reports were
received last night 1t was not known
definitely on which side the banner of
victory would settle, although the
the outcome.
Their confidence. in the opinion of
local military men, was justified by
the capture of the main federal forth
fications of Cerro de La Pillar, a noun
tain 1000 feet high surmounted by a
great water tank.
The whole local population was astir
early today, eager for further news
OF battle.
Colquitt Causes Worry.
Washington. March Ex-Governor Col
quits offer Of a reward Of $1,000 for
the delivery upon Texas soil, Of 1--WE
Mexicans suspected as murderers of
Clemente Vergara, has caused state
and war department officials serious
concern for fear international compli-
cations The five Mexicans sought are
Captain Apolonio Rodriguez, Nito
Ceara, Juan Castillon. Andreas Rodri-
guez and Dinomisio Martinez.
In his report today, Brigadier Cen
eral Bliss says:
The men named are charged in the
newspapers with completely in the
death of Clemente Vergara.
THE right of the governor to offer
a reward for the apprehension of a
fugitive from Justice, is not denied by
the officials, but in this case it is
tempt to kidnap the Mexicans and
bring them into Texas which would be
in violation of the extradition treaty
between Mexico and the United States.
This would afford the Mexican gov
eminent ground for demand for the
punishment of the kidnapers and would
cause many legal entanglements."
Further reports on the incident near
Del Rio, Texas, where Mexican federal
soldiers fired across the Rio Grande. at
American troopers. say more than 500