The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-03

n0r ehOulderS and said IN Russian:
II should worry"
stormed up the street to Carranxa's
residence.
Again and again the bugler sound
| ed the call and q great wave of cheer
| ing arose. The resorts which have
gained for Juarez in the minds of
some students the name of the wick
eldest city in the world, were empty.
The electric lights strung around
the Carranza residence last Sunday to
welcome him. were turned on. light
ing up the draped and festooned red.
| white and green OF the Mexican ma
tfonal colors.
viva Carranza! Viva Madero! Viva
Mexico" came the shill, historical
cries Of the crowd.
Inside, General Carranza and his
| confidential advisers were drinking
champagne to Francisco Villa. the
hero Of the campaign.
The translation of General Villas
message is as follows:
"Torreon, COahuila, Mexico, April
2.-General VenustianO Carranza, Su-
preme Chief OF the Constitutionalists:
I'm this moment the remnants of
the federals are leaving Torreon in
! flight after eleven days of terrible
fighting in which we lost $500 wound
ed and 500 killed and the federals.
from the enormous number of bodies
buried. must have had over 1000
killed and their number OF wounded
am unable to estimate.
"Our forces have full possession OF
!TOrreon. I regret to announce that
\ among the wounded were General
Izabel Robes and General Calixto
Contreras. I congratulate and salute
you. with respect and esteem that l
have always had for you, your sub
| ordinate,
GENERAL FRANCISCO VILLA.
| 'Commander-in-chi Constitutionalist
forces of Chihuahua"
By Carranza's orders all the town
| was illuminated, soldiers of the gar
rison paraded. and the military band
played. The national salute was fired.
church bells rung and whistles blown.
In Ell PasO when the noise OF the
! tumult drifted over, curious persons
| called up the newspapers to find out II
an attack on sJuareS was being made.
The victory gave the rebels undis-
| puted control of the central part OF
northern Mexico, six hundred miles
south from the Rio Grande.
| Its full effect can not be summar-
| lied in a moment, but in prestige and
| power it is said its value is incalcula-
! bic. It is certain to make recruiting
| a comparatively simple matter and
| holders of constitutionalist fiat money
predicted a sudden rise in the rate
when business is resumed. 1t was SELL
| ing at 20 cents to the gold dollars.
The force sent against Torreon was
the largest and best of the revolu-
tions which began at the revolt OF
Francisco Villa four years ago. Villa
! claimed to have Is, 900 men and con-
sentative estimates give him nine to
| ten thousand men. They went south
fully uniformed. with food for a
month and 1000 rounds OF ammunt-
| ton to the man.
| Many of their losses were due to
the fact that some Of the home made
shrapnel refused to work and to the
| fact that 5000 cartridges said to have
been bought in a job lot. failed. 1t
is said they were manufactured many
years ago and the powder had de-
toriated to an extent that the bullets
flew not more than 20 feet. Some of
| the troops are said to have gone into
action with these cartridges in their
| belts.
! on arms was raised and it was thought
certain that at last Villa would move
! but still he sat in his office at Juarez.
| Then one day, a month ago, he gave
his staff officers a half hours notice
! and they were off after the troops that
! had preceded them.
Then the reason for the delay came
out.
| ct have perfected my water supply.
said Villa. cit was my most serious
| problem
At Chihuahua there was more de-
| lay but tremendous amount of work
| was being accomplished.
Villa carried every detail in his own
| head and was ceaselessly active, in
| spring and urging on his men. When
| he was ready for the next stage Of the
movement south every detail should
| be worked out.
Twelve troop and supply trains
were dispatched from Chihuahua al
| ter minute intervals without a hitch
| The thin advance line OF federals re-
treated before him and he took Der.
mejillo with rush, establishing q new
base there. This work did not delay
the onward press of the soldiers. The
dust OF unloading horses and mules
had not settled when columns were
sent east and south and the news OF
the taking of Bermejillo was still fresh
/ when the reports of the fall of cities
n the Torreon district began to arrive
The conflicts in these places were
not serious as far as the number OF
| men engaged was concerned with the
exception of the fight at Sacramento
The fight took place on the bank
i Of an irrigation ditch and the losses
L while yet not definitely announced
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