The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-13
Heavy Fighting Is Reported to
Be IN Progress.
Are MARcHIn6 on TORREOa
A Force Of 5000 Mon Moving
Against the City.
villa in Person Goes to tho Re.
lief of San Pedro.

Torreon. April IL (via Ell Paeo)-
Heavy fighting was In progress at San
Pedro yesterday, federab having re-
taken the town two days previously.
1t is reported also that q federal
force OF 5000 men. believing this city
to be lightly garrisoned. II on its way
to recapture the place. A surprise
awaits them. for when General villa
sent pursuers after General velasco.
he left five thousand men here. San
Pedro was re-taken by George Ar
gumendo and General Emilio p.
Campo. When Villas troops drove the
federal commander, De Moure, out OF
the town he left 1t with small gar
rtson. the remainder Of the troops
taking up the pursuit. Campo and
Argumedo are believed to have /.
thought DeMoure still in possession.
for they approached unsuspectingly
and were met with q withering flre.
They soon discovered the inferior mum.
bers Of the defenders and took It.
Villa, with several trainloads OF re-
Inducements under his personal COM
mand, attacked the town yesterday
ana a fierce battle ensued A train
load OF rebel wounded and 365 fed
eral prisoners arrived here today. ].
C. Hamm. American consul at Dur
ango. who has been here. returned to ,
Durango today carrying assurances
ceive every possible protection. Many
foreigners are here preparing to re-
open business
Lind Has Returned.
Washington, April 13.-John LinA.
President Wilson's personal repre-
sentative in Mexico. returned to wash
ington today. after an absence Of
months. While he came for q rest,
after his long stay in q tropical .:ls-
mate. he brought much information
Tor conferences with the president and
the secretary Of state. The first of
these took place at a luncheon with
Mr.. Lind greeted inquirers by asking
II 1t were true that Rear Admiral
Mayo had been ordered to revoke his
the American colors at Tampico, ana
when he was Informed that Hre4fdeut
Wilson had insisted that the salute be
fired. he smiled appr0vingiy.
/ The face OF the former Minneo0fa
governor was bronzed by the tropical
sun. and he appeared somewhat ia
tigued and thin after his long sojourn.
in Mevico. He was uncommunicative
about conditions in Mexico and laughed
when friend approached him in the
hotel lobby and told him that he had
| acquired the title, THE silent Mr.
Lind 1T is ordered" said the for
mer governor, that a man has to 70
abroad to get reputation. When I
people said i wa stalkative but seesn
| to have gotten a reputation for silence"
| lind said his plans were not definite,
and depended largely on his talks with
He left Mexico at his own requess, he
said, because he needed rest and
change. He 1ntimated that he was
ready to go bcDk should a contingency
| arise requiring his return.
| 1t Is understood that Mr.. Lind
brings the president a great deal OF In
/ formation that has not been commune
Gated through official kilograms but
that Information was said to be de-
scriptive Of general conditions and in
no way affecting the diplomatic STATE
| of affairs
The rigorous censorship that ha1
been established in Mexico and the In
ability Of the people in Southern Me4-
leo to learn definitely about constifu-
tionalist victories in the north, aro
phases of the situation which Mr..
Lind probably will tell officials here.
When Mr.. Lind left Vera Cruz, Tor
reon had fallen but the news was
known to only few people, and those
who essayed to spread 1t were prompf-s
! ly arrested.
| Secretary Bryan was reticent ne
garding the Tampico incident. He sA1d
he was in close correspondence with
promised investigation. He declino0
| to reveal the nature Of any dispatches
between the state department and the
charge and would neither affirm nor
| deny reports that General Huerta had
| forbidden the salute demanded by Ad-
mira1 Mayo. In some official circles
the suggestion that Huerta would re-
fuse to permit the salute was received
with surprise. In their opinion the
refusal might compel drastic action on
the part of the United States.
Must Salute the Flag.
Washington. April 13-President
Wilson told callers today that q salute
would be fired to the American nag
by Mexican federals at Tampico a. an
apology for the recent arrest Of Ameri-
can marines. The president spoke with
i such confidence that his hearers took
it to imply that the point would b
insisted upon. The president has all
ready approved Rear Admiral MAyosa
demand for the salute az an apology
Secretary Daniels also had notified Ad-
miral Mayo that this action IL ap-
proved. The salute will be fired" was
his positive announcement today. He
added that he did not consider the ele-
ment Of time an important one because
OF the difficulties OF communications
between Washington and Tampico.