The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-04
TORREON STREETS
WET WITH LIQUOR
EMPT|ED BY VILLA
Riddled City In Undisputed
Possession of Rebel Army
Federals Being Pursued Into
Mountain Strongholds--Ar-
mored Autos Play Grim Part
In Battle.

Ell PASO, TEXAS. April 3.-Not
only is Pancho Villas rebel army III
undisputed possession of Torreon, out
his army ia In close pursuit OF the
fleeing federal army, recently defend
ing the city.
In a telegram to Carranza received
this afternoon, villa, reported that the
cavalry under Generals Hernandez ana
Ortega sent In pursuit of General
Velasco and his fleeing federals. over
took the rear guard of the federais al
San Pedro de los Colonas this morning
and in the fight which followed one
hundred federals were killed and $50
taken prisoners. The rebel losses we're
not given.
The telegram added that the men
and officers of the fleeing federal
column are discarding their arms ana
baggage in their flight, which has now
become q rout The rebel cavalry Is
pressing them closely in an effort TO
either kill or capture all or them.
especially General Nelasco.
Messages from Torreon during the
day from various officials of the "epet
army, declared that villa was rapidly
restoring order in the city and would
have business resumed in few days
One of the first things he did was
TO order the destruction OK all liquor
In the place. Hundreds OF barrels OF
1t were poured in the street and oottie
after bottle was smashed in the gutter
That the city has suffered terribly Is
admitted.
Armored trains and automobiles
we're used on both sides. The federais
r. a IA Irr,y . aga =, 10
these trains. as they had been able to
keep the track intact inside Torreon,
while they tore up the railroads lead
ing into the city as they retreated INTO
their fortifcations and the rebels
either had to use their heavy guns
from a distance or rebuild the rail-
roads.
The armored automobiles carried
machine guns and made splendid
showing on both sides. Again the fed :
erals had the advantage, for they had
good streets for their operations. while
irrigation bitches across the only open
country through which the rebels
approach hampered the operations OF
Villas automobiles.
All accounts agree that the fighting
was the most terrific thathas ever
taken place in the history of a Mexican
revolution, Fortified as they were In
side the city, the federais were able
to make the rebels pay dearly for
every position they took. And when
the federais were driven from one
building, often they retreated but half
block and again made stand in
another building equally as easily
fortified Thus the rebels forced their
way inch by inch, pressing in all the
time from the direction of the open
plains east of the city and driving the
federals back toward the mountains
in the west,
Villa has seized the residences OF
many leading citizens and foreigners
Of the town. on pretext that they we're
sympathizers and abettors of HuArta-
and has declared them conf1scated to
the constitutionalist cause. The
soldiers of the rebel army are sleep
ing and stabling their horses in such
residences and stores as suit their
fancy, but as in Chihuahua. this situa-
ton will probably be relieved in Few
days as Villa has apparently tried to
protect property from destruction will
fully.