The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-04-08
Fiercest Fighting Known
In Mexico.
MUCHWEEP|NG AND MOURNING
Fathers, Brothers. Husbands
and SweetheartS Included
Among the Slain.
FEARFUL wRECKAGE WROUGHT

Torreon, Mex, April 4.-There
is blood on every Intel and crepe on
every door in Torreon and women
are weeping in the streets.
Not in the history of warfare in
Mexico has any city suffered more
in attack than did Torreon in the
repeated charges made by Gen. VII
las victorious army.
Hardly a. household escaped. From
every one, a father, brother, hus-
band or sweetheart is numbered
among the killed, wounded or miss
ing. tile result OF the terrible on
slaught made by Gen. Villas Consti-
tutionalists.
The physical wreckage wrought
is rapidly being cleared up. but the
heartoches, though stoically endur-
ed, will linger.
Though actual figures relating to
Federal losses probably never will
be obtained, it is believed the killed
will number over 1000 and the
wounded probably twice as many
more. of the latter between 400
and 500 were so badly crippled that
they could not be moved and are be-
ing cared for by the Constitution
alist hospital corps.
While the dead bodies which lit
tered the streets and befouled the
air were picked up aud burned in
great heaps soon after the occupa-
ton of the city, many dead are still
being found in houses In every street
through which the ConstitutiOnalists
passed in their efforts to drive the
Federals out. In the wreckage OF
one building in portion of the city
captured in the fight by Eugenio
/ Aguirro Benavides, Saragoza Brig
ade. twelve dead were found The
entire party had evidently been VIC
Tins of a dynamite bomb, which had
been thrown through window, ex-
. ploding with such force as not only
T. to kill the. occupants of the house
but to batter down the walls.
That they were not found before
is due to the fact that they We're
completely covered by the wreckage.
The terrible stencil emanating from
the ruins forced the officer in charge
OF that portion of the city to have
more complete examinations made.
which revealed the bodies. They
were brought to the street, dumped
on a pile of wood. the whole saturat-
ed with many gallons of oil and gas
oline and a match applied.
Villas formal entry into Torreon
was pade Friday. when at the head
OF his staff and followed by the. en-
tire army of occupation, a parade of
the streets was made and formal
possession taken of the place.
Women of the city strewed the
way with roses and other flowers,
and villa was cheered heartily as he
rode at the head OF the scayalcade.
To his credit 1t must be said that
he accepted the honors which the
citizens of Torreon insisted upon
heaping upon him very modestly.
To a delegation of citizens. who
waited on him to welcome him to
the city. he said that he was entitled
to no credit. and that any honor
should be given to the army and not
10 him personally. He deplored the
political exigencies which compelled |
him to wreak such havoc upon the
Gown and said the blame for the
city's destruction should be put ON
the Federal commander. who insist
ed upon fighting from within the
-city's boundaries.
The work of rehabilitation is pro-
crossing rapidly The wreckage OF
buildings which toppled over into
the streets is being cleared up. Bar
ricades OF adobe. brick. stones and
cotton bales are being removed. The
railroad and street car bridges
across the Nasas river. which had
been destroyed by the Federals upon
their retreat from Gomez Palacio.
have been rebuilt and street car SER
vice with Lerido and Gomez Pala-
clio has been restored.
The city water service Is beng re-
stored as rapidly as possible Most
OF the stores have been reopened