The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-26
REBELS DEMAND A
TRIBUTE FROM ALL
FIRMS AND PEOPLE
One Million Pesos Must Be
Paid by Consuls, Priests and
Citizens by Thursday
Catholic Churches
Closed by Governor
Priest Held for Ransom Charg-
ed as Traitor-People. Starv-
ing and Rebels Perpetrate
Atrocities in the Streets
BY FRED Il. WILSON.

TAMPICO, May 25.-Trouhie Of a
small but serious nature may be ex-
pected In Tampico by the night of
Thursday, May 2sth. unless the one
million pesos demanded from firms.
consuls, priests and citizens by the
rebel commander has been paid at
that time. Meantime. the priests
have been Jailed for ransom. the
Spanish and German consuls have
been asked for money and the oil
companies teld they must pay for the
maintenance of the rebel army now
quartersd In this port,
General Gonzales has demanded his
one million pesos as follows: From
the Asuila oil company English
100000 pesos. from Senor Trapaga,
Spanish consul 10000 pesos. from
Spanish commercial house con-
troIied BY Senior Trapaxa, 1po 600
pesos; from the German consul. co.
900 pesos, and from the citizens Of
Tafnpico. $50. 600 pesos All Will
probably pay, Or endeavor to pay the
sums assessed against them, except
the German consul, who has refused
saving. Germany Will protect her
subjects without tho payment ~ "a
single pesos"
Rob the Shops.
The money is demanded Of the con-
Small shopkeepers who cannot pay
actual money 10 the rehrls are forced
to give part of their stock TO outfit
the constituencies soldiers. Hun
6reds Of pairs OF shoes have been
thus taken and placed on feet. that
have never before felt the coaine-
--r1ert leather
Federal svrpatfxers who wish To
leave Tanapico are assessed 1000
e.. al-.7
them, but despite the watchfainess
Of the rebels. a customs house clerk
got hold nf 10000 pesos and fed
aboard q German cruiser. the penia
where he is safe with his money. The
German commander has refused Ia
return the fugitive, although the
rebels have demanded him
The constituencies leaders de-
clare that as soon rs they have got
ten the million pesos required they
will reopen the hanks and leave the
customs house alone. They allowed
ten days for this money 20 be raised,
snd unless II Is forthcoming by them
everyone here feels that n new crisis
will be reached and much more blood
spilled.
Close Churches.
The rebels have closed the Catho-
lie churches. accusing them IT being
|
treason against their government All
Of the priests fled the city with one
exception. and he was Immediately
Imprisoned. A ransom ~ Hfty thC5t-
Rand pesos is demanded for his re-
lease Five hundred women parish
oners Of his church on their kn@rs
.mplored Governor i<t:s2 Tah8ilero 10
spare this priest, but the stern old
governor replied. He is a traitor.
-. y 4y<sf a r an
demanded is paid at once" The
women are trying 10 raise the money,
and II seems likely they VIII succeed
Travelling through the country
round about Tamp!co. ! have seen
hundreds Of peasants, their wives and
children. literally starving. and moth
ing can be done for them. Many Of
them have been beaten or wounded
by rebel and federal soldiers, and the
retreattng federais. IN leaving Tam
rico, took from these peasants their
last food Of all sorts. driving and
killing their cows, horses and stock,
and in many instances took with
them the wives and daughters of the
men they had robbed OF all else
Wounded In Streets.
| Directly after the battle | saw
wounded federal soldiers everywhere
praying for death. begging that they
he shot and not let suffer One poor
| man wearing the insignia of a Junior
| officer was shot through both legs
and the stomach, and lay in the mid
die of the street under the hot sun.
He piteous,y begged for water with
poison in H. but u heartless rebel sol
| der 4anip -saaeked- at--anG- kicked, him.
Real war prices prevail here. II
Is Impossible TO cot a meal for less
than $40. Fever is so prevalent that
the only water that is safe 10 drink
lie that coming in bottles, and IT costs
dollar a drink. EGGS sell at hfty
cents each, gold and everything else
Is correspondence high when It can
/ be bought, and many times II is not
| to be found.
Battle Imminent,
Although peace reigns in Tamptco
today a big battle is sure TO come
off soon at Panuco. sixty-two miles I'D
the Panuco river. There are not less
than four thousand federals en-
trenched there, and they have had
ample time to recuperate from the
i'll effects of their defeat at Tampico.
That. they have improved this time
to the fullest extent may easily De
seen by looking over their fortifica-
fions. which could not he beaten. ON
q huge bluff, almost inaccessible In
time Of peace, and directly overlook
Ing Panuco river. they have mounted
their heaviest field pieces and artil-
lery including half dozen OF the
finest type rapid fire rifles, which they
managed to save from the Tampsco
disaster A last desperate stand will
be made here before the Huertistas
Continued on Second Page.)