South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-16
General Villa PurSueS Troops
Retreating From San Pedro
and Declares He Will Cap
ture Force in Short Time.
PRISONERS DRILLED TO
FIGHT AGAINST HUERTA
With New Rifles and Uniforms
Captured Soldiers Will Be
Sent Against Former Chief
Rebels Get Ammunition.

TORREON, April 16. - Surrounded
by General Villas pursuing troops
6. 900 federal soldiers who fled from
San Pedro de las COlOnias when that
town was captured by the constitutions
alists, are fighting for their lives on
the shore of Lake Mayran, east of San
Pedro. today.
An Indian runner arrived here from
San Pedro shortly after midnight with
"a message from General Villa stating
that the federals had been trapped
and that he expected to capture the
entire Huerta force within a few
hours. Three thousand fresh troops
have been despatched from here TO
help Villa. General Ortega, who is in
command here, said today that among
the prisoners taken at San Pedro were
five American newspaper correspond
ents and magazine writer's who were
travelling with the federals. Every
consideration has been promised these
men and they probably will be sent
here tomorrow.
More than 1000 wounded have been
brought to Torreon since the battle of
san Pedro The federals prisoners
arriving here under cavalry guard af-
ter being marched across the desert,
were in a desperate plight from hum
ger and thirst.
Capture Trains and Supplies.
When the constitutionalists took San
Pedro they captured 20 trains includ-
ing 20 locomotives ali In good order.
and 300 freight cars. They also cap
tured 20 cars loaded with coal, eight
carloads of ice, thirty carloads Of am
munitiOn, twenty carloads of water,
fifty carloads of cotton and 10 carloads
of merchandise. mostly clothing and
provisions which the federals had
brought up from Saltillo and Monte
rey.
Besides the eleven cannon abandon
ed by the federals in the town, seven
teen rapid fire guns and a dozen other
pieces of artillery, including a number
of mountain guns, have been picked up
along the trail followed by the fleeing
felerals. The total number of pris
oners reported taken thus far number
1900.
Prisoners Are Drilled.
All the federal prisoners sent to Tor
r6On have taken the oath of allegiance
to the constitutiOnalist cause and have
been given constitutionalist uniforms
and new rifles. They are now being
drilled preparatory TO going upon the
firing line. Very few of them know
anything about war more than TO load
and fire a rifle
Since the fighting began at San
Pedro ten days ago fully 1.200 cOnsti-
tutiOnalists have required hospital
probably never be known owing to the
long battle line. The federal loss in
killed, wounded and captured will not
be far from $500.
These figures are furnished by some
Of the many federal officers captured.
Fully 1.200 regular federals were
taken prisoners.
Started On Monday.
The fighting on Monday was begun
ar-lN- N a forces
of Gen. Maclovio Herrera and Gen.
Eugenio Aguierre Bonavides who at
tackled the town from the south. At
almost the same moment Gen. Villa
commanding the Villa and MaderO
brigades and the Durango brigade un-
der command of Gen. CaliXto Contres,
all cavalry, charged the town from the
west. Shell after shell from the fed
eral artillery burst among the running
hOrsemen, but nothing could stop
them.
Gen. Toribo Ortega with 1000 men
and Gen. ROsaliO Hernandez with
1900 men attacked from the east. The
federals We're attacked from every
point Of the compass except from the
north.
The terrific fire from both artillery
and rifle was maintained necessarily.
but though great gaps were torn in
their ranks. the cOnstitutionalists
EederalS Driven Back
The federal OutpOStS entrenched
behind the walls of haciendas and in
irrigation bitches were gradually driv-
en- into the center of the city. Their
officers frequently tried to check
them. but without avail. one colonel
who tried to hold his men on the
firing line by slashing them with his
sword was pOunced upon and torn TO
pieces by the fear-crazed soldiers
AT o'clock a panic-stricken exodus
toward the northern gates of the city
began. The soldiers, hatless and coat
less threw away rifles cartridge belts
and blankets and ran out onto the
desert TO the nOrthward TO be finally
oVertaken and either made prisoners
or shot down by the cOnstitutionalists
Hundreds Of riderlesS horses ran in all
directions, adding 10 the general
panic.
Gen. Villa and his victorious army
rode into the town at $3.50 and 5000
troops were imm ediately sent in pur-
suit OF the fleeing federals.
NEW YORK.-Suing for annulmenr
Of her marriage Mrs SOPHIE T Frber