New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-26
Villas Troops on Heels OF
Huertistas Driven from
ZacatecaS.
BURNING THE DEAD
IN CITY'S STREETS
Captors Find the People Starv-
ing and Nearby Country
Stripped of Food.
lRy reIcgraph % rhe TrIOune J

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Torreon. Mexico, June 25.-Gen aral
psncho Villa started rebel troops To-
day in pursuit of the Federal army OF
General Medina Barron, which he has
driven from Zacatecas.
The greater number Of the Federsls
escaped from the city before the rebel
troops forced their way into it, an1
only the wounded and the stragglers
fell into Villas hands. These were
many. however, numbering, according
10 to-day's accounts, nearly 5000. The
dead of the Federal garrison still were
in the streets this morning, but sol
diers have been gathering them up 1t
is necessary to burn many of the
bodies, and funeral pyres have been
burning in many places in the town
to-day.
Villas losses in the battle have not
vet been determined. Unofficial esti-
mates by army officers at ZacatecIs
placed the losses at 1000 in killed
and wounded. II is known that fully
1000 Federals were killed in the
trenches and streets and that twice
as many were wounded.
The fighting was at close range, Villa
driving his men into the town under a
whitening fire of Federal guns. Am
munition and guns secured by the reb
els will prove a great aid TO Villa in
pushing the campaign to the south.
Villa Loses Generals.
General Trinidad Rodriguez, who was
desperately wounded while leading his
men in the attack. died from mis-
wounds, according to a dispatch re-
ceived by L. A. Benavides, sr., and
General Maclovio.
General Herrera, also wounded. is re-
ported dying. Herrera's father left FL
Paso to-day to join his son at Zaca-
tecas.
Colonel Rodolpho Fierro. accused by
rebels Of the murder of William Ben
ton. the British subject, for whose
death Villa was blamed, is reported
mortally wounded.
General Terrible Ortega is reported
killed, but the report has not been
confirmed.
Villa found the people Of Zacatecas
starving The long siege, the COM
Wandering Of trains by the Federal
army for the transportation of troops,
and the presence of more than 10000
soldiers who had first call for all avail
able food, caused a shortage in the
food supply which had reached a crisis
before the victorious rebel army forced
its way into the city.
To relieve the most pressing cases of
restitution Villa caused one-half of the
supplies his army had brought from
Torreon 10 be distributed among citi-
iens. II was not enough to afford more
than temporary relief to part of the
people. Hundreds were unable to get
any portion of the food distributed.
At Chihuahua City are many train
loads Of supplies intended for Torreon
and cities south of Chihuahua, but de-
struction of railway bridges by floods
has caused the trains to be held at the
capital Of the border state. General
Villa directed to-day that as quickly as
the trains can be moved they are to
be sent to Zacatecas and the food dis
tributed among the people.
Work of repairing the railways be-
tween chihuahua City and Torreon
practically was finished to-day, and it
is believed the trains can move south
by tomorrow.
Country Stripped of Food.
In the country around Zacatecas,
which under normal conditions is one
of the productive districts of Northern
Mexico, there now is only desolation.
The great haciendas have been depopu-
lated by Federal conscripting officers,
no crops have. been planted, and no
effort has been made to save the sur
plus stock of other years. Federal
army officers have been Selling all
supplies found in storehouses for use
Of the army and nothing is left for the
people. Starvation has caused the
death Of scores, and no one in all the
neighboring country has more than
enough food for a hand to mouth ex-
istence.
With Zacatecas in rebel hands and its
Federal defenders fugitives in the
desert to the south, General Villas
present problem will be to determine
which city the Federals will make their