Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-03-16
Hundreds of Men Said to
Have Been Killed in
Mountain Pass.
HUERTANS VICTI NJ S.
Electric Batteries Said to Have Been
Used by Rebels TO Blow up Cars
Containing Government Troops.


chihuahua, March 16.-General
Villas headquarters today confirmed
reports that Mexican federal troop
train had been blown up by con-
stitutionalists at ZavalZa today, al
though no figures are given as to the
killed, wounded and captured, which
will run up into the hundreds.
Gen. Emgenio Aguirro Benavides
commanded the rebels, according to
the advices from Escalon. They say
that Benavides, Saturday night,
drove & federal attacking party in
retreat from Peronal to Bermijilli,
but in doing so ran into an over
whelmingly superior force. The re-
enforced federals compelled Bena-
vides to retreat to Conejas, where he
entraiNed for Escalon.
During the night, finding he had
not b.sa followed Benavides mined
a long section pf che Mexican Cen
trail railroad tracks, running through
narrow pass, just south of laval
"a mad connected the mines with
electric batteries posted over a hill
where the operators would not be
discovered. A section of track suf-
ticintly long to hold half dozen
trains was mined.
Benavides dispatched train to
lie soUthward to q point just Forth
of Coneias, when he discovered four
federal troop trains leaving Pero-
nal. He retreated to Escalon and
as ne passed Zavalza notified the
batteryiiicn of the coming of the
| federals.
The men manipulating the keys
evidently became excited and when
one of the troop trains got upon the
mined section of track, touched a
button, wrecking the train, but stop
ping the other three and giving
| them time to retreat.
! General Benavides had a number
of men secreted in the surrounding
hills, and they attacked the sur
Ivivors of the train, but the number
killed and wounded is not stated
Benavides contents himself with
the statement that the federal los!
was heavy, while he lost none.
Beyond a report that he was en-
gagged with force of federals soutl
of Palavo, General Thomas Urbin;
has made no statement to genera
headquarters here, which has bee
made public.
Washington, March 16.-Order
were today telegraphed to Majo
General Murray, at San Francisco
to investigate the raid into Lowe
: California Saturday by MeNica
bandits. They burned the custom
house and postofice at Tecate, an
: murdered the postmaster, Frank '
Johnson. AS soon as Secretary O
War Garrison receives the report
:, will be. turned over to the State De
i partment, and representations mad
r IN the Mexican authorities.
:. In addition, the commander a
+ Fort Rosecrans has been directed t
t patrol the border at this point, an
2 endeavor to locate the bandits VIII
i may still be in American territor!
r A report was awaited today fror
), Charge O'Shaughnessey, at Mex
t co City, detailing the refusal
e Huerta to assume financial respons
= bilitv for the care of the feder;
e refugees now prisoners Of war {
Fort Bliss. Inasmuch as this Govern
ment intends to held the permane,
government of Mexico when peace
finally restored, responsible fc
: these bills, Huerta's refusal wi
e make no change in the care Of II
!, refugees.
Il Reports received at both the Stat
It and War Departments, before con
: munication south of Juarez was il
i terrupted, indicates that what shoul
II prove the most sanguinary conflit
of the present Mexican rebellio
has begun near Torreon. The fore
d on both sides will be the largest
o the present struggle, and this tin
both sides have an abundance