The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-03-19
REBELS. BLOW UP
FEDERAL TRAIN
NO FIGURES GIVEN AS TO MUM
Der KILLED AND WOUNDED.
AN ERROR SAVES THREE TRAINS
Mines Had Been Set for Six Trains,
But Man Manipulating Key Be.
came Excited and Touched
Button at Wrong Time.

Clihaulau, March 16. - General
Villas headquarters today confirmed
the reports that a Mexican federal
troop train had been blown UP by the
rebels at Zavalza today, although no
figures were given in the dispatches
as to the number killed, wounded and
captured. General Benavides com
manded the rebels, according to ad,
vices here. These say that General
Benayides drove the federals attack,
ing party back toward Peronal, but
in doing so ran into superior force
of federals. The reinforced federals
compelled Benavides to retract to
Conejos, where he took train for
tIscalon. During the night, finding
he had not been followed, Benavides
mined long section of the railroad
track running through a narrow pass
Just south Of Eavalza and connected
the mines with electric batteries just
over the hill, where the operators
would not be discovered. A section
of the track sufficiently long to &C
commodate half dozen trains was
mined. This morning Benavides had
his train run south to a point just
north of Conejos and discovered -four
federal trains near Peronal. He re-
treated and as he passed Zavalza no
titled the battery men of the coming
of the federals. The men manipulate
ing the key evidently became excited
l,.N R..1,t taxN In, n.tND ral
the pass, touched the button, wreck
ing the train completely, but stopping
the other three, which were thus Civ
en- time to retreat.
Bandits Raid California.
Washington. March IL. - Orders
were today telegraphed to Major Gen
eral Murray at San Francisco to have
la thorough investigation made OF the
raid into lower California Saturday
by Mexican bandits, and burned the
custom house and post Office at Te
cato and murdered Postmaster Frank
". Johnson. AS soon as Secretary
of War Garrison receives the report
he will turn it over to the state de-
partment and representations will be
made to the Mexican authorities
Troops at Rosecrans have been or
dered to patrol the border and en-
deavor to find the bandits who may
still be in American territory.
! Bandits Shoot Postmaster. ....
! San Diego, Cal, March 16. Tht
United States customs office and post
Office at Tecate were burned Satur
day night and the postmaster, Frank
V. Johnson, was shot dead by three
bandits, according to full advices re
wounded. Observers of the tragedy
say the bandits were Mexicans.
A charred American flag was found
in the ruins of Johnson's store, which
also was the customs Office and post
office. D..
Johnson, it was learned, was shot
through the heart when he refused t.
give the combination OF the safe. Ell
lott d. Johnston, the dead mans bro
Their, sent kilograms to Secretary Of
State Bryan, Gov. Hiram Johnson a,
Sacramento, and Representative Kit
tner ut Washington demanding a
responsibility for the tragedy on Mex
leans. ... poe.
... Torreon Cut OF.
Mexico City. March 16.-Torreon Is
completely cut off from the rest OF
the world today. All communication
has been suspended and although
foreigners and Mexicans alike were
Olamoring for word from that city
the government had blocked every
avenue through which news might be
received. The biggest battle of the
present revolution is being fought to
day, it is believed here. The last re-
port was through three railroad men
who said the rebels were Smelling the
town. They were Immediately ar
rested for giving out news.
Donors Name Unknown.