Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
VILLA IN TORRE0N;
MAY HAVE THE CITY
Attacked Last Zine of Federal
Defenses at Noon
Saturday.
FIGHTING IN THE STREETS
WITH HAND GRENADES
Cost of Rebel Mexican Victories
Heavy, Zaragoza Brigade Los
ing Is Per Cent.


JCAREZ. Mexico. March 2s-rnc at
tack on the last line of fedora, defenses
at Torreon began at noon today. accord
ing to telegram from Gen Villa, who
declared that he expected to capture the
stronghold tonight
The assault last night is declared to
have been unsuccessful becautse of the
have been unsuccessful because of the
the most useful ammunition in street
fighting. Villa is declared to have re-
ceived 5000 more hand grenades before
he renewed the attack today.
The positions already taken in the
business section of the city. it is said
were made more secure last night and
the smelter works. like the bull ring and
the principal hotel. are said to have be-
come rebel property.
The forenoon today was devoted TO
disposing of the dead and making com
Portable the quarters of the wounded at
Gomez Palaco and in the field hospitals.
Hospital Supplies Needed.
One telegram was received from Gen.
Villa urging that hospital supplies. in
cluding auicklime. bandages and absorb
ent cotton and antiseptics. be rushed to
the front in the most urgent haste.
The cost OF his victories is now known
to have been heavy, and the fact that
more hospital supplies must be sent from
here despite the large store which Villa
took with him OH the campaign adds
confirmation.
The Zaragoza brigade. which left Juarez
1900 strong. is said to have lost % per
cent in killed and wounded. Some of the
loss was at Sacramento, when Gen. Bena-
vides was hewing a path to Gomez Pala-
clio. and some when the brigade was
joined with the column of Gen. Monclo-
VIC Herrera and the dash into Torreon
from the east was made.
General Officers Wounded.
kidneys and is expected to die. Gen.
Trinidad Rodriguez has a bullet wound
in one arm. Mai Macedonia Andana
was shot in the chest and Juan n. Gui-
terrez. chief OF police of the city Of
Chihuahua, was killed.
A private telegram from a subaltern
at Comes. Palscio to his father this
afternoon said it was rumored in the
barracks there that Gen. Refugio Velasco.
federal commander at Torreon, had COM
mitted suicide rather than fall into rebel
hands. Little faith attaches to this story
There were rumors also that three other
federal generals reported killed in ac-
tion-Pena, Reyna and Anaya-really
took their own lives, firm in the belief
that they would be executed if captured.
In street fighting. Mexicans say rifles
are Of comparatively little use against an
enemy using adobe walls as defenses.
These must be shattered by shells at
tackled with hand grenades.
The ordinary adobe house is one story
high, the four right angled walls OF
which rise two or three feet above the
fiat roof. 1t is customary for troops to
station themselves on these roofs. behind
the projecting walls. and in attacking
such defense. the grenade. thrown by
galloping cavalrymen. is the most effec-
tive weapon. Bullets do not pierce the
thick mud walls.
CarranZa Expected.
Gen. Manuel Chao. military governor Of
the state of chihuahua. who carried
greetings to Gen. Venustiano Carranza
yesterday. returned here this evening.
He said that the aged chief of the
revolution. having ridden horseback at
the head of his troops for so many miles.
preferred to finish the trip that way and
declined the use of special train. Gen.
Chao said the chief would probably ar
rive tomorrow at noon.
In anticipation of his arrival the
order against the sale of liquor was
made effective tonight as a precau-
ton against possible disorder. After 10
o'clock tonight no one without special
permit will be allowed to cross the river
from the American side. This order
issued. il was said owing to the fear
that some fanatical federal sympathizer
might try to assassinate the distinguished
visitor. The latter'S stay here probably
will be brief, as he is anxious to pro-
ceed to Chihuahua, where a special palace
has been fitted up as the provisional
executive mansion.
Private Letters Give Details.
A private letter from the front dealing
with the preliminary fighting before Go
mez Palacio tells story of the fatalities
which followed an attempt of a body Of
800 federals to surrender.
According to the letter. the rebel column
already had accepted the surrender OF
200 federals who found themselves help
lessly outnumbered. when in the distance
300 more federals were observed ap-
preaching.
Two rapid-fire guns were turned on
them and they lost heavily before the
rebels observed that their fire was not
returned. and that the detachment was
coming steadily forward The rebel fire
was then checked and it was learned that
the 800 also wished to give themselves
up
Wounded Bring Accounts
nf Eiun 0ouc nf RoffIo