Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-25
important Mexican City
Falls Into Hands OF
Villas Army.
5000 HELD PRISONERS
Four Days Battling Results IN
Flight of ID, 1000 Strongly
Entrenched Troops.

Washington, D. c., June 25.-After
conference with Secretary Bryan,
President Wilson announced the out
look in the Mexican situation was
more promising than ever before.
Zacatecas, Mexico, June "a Ode
layed).-zacatecas was captured by
constitutionalists at 1880 last night IN
what is believed to have been the most
hotly contested battle of the present
revolution. The final assault followed
four days preliminary fighting.
Five thousand prisoners were taken
by Villas troops, while II cannons.
nine military trains, 5000 rifles and
three carloads of cannon and rife am
munition were captured. Federals
numbering $4,000 were entrenched IN
seemingly impregnable positions
Losses Are Heavy.
LOSS of life to both federals and con-
stitutionalists was unusually heavy.
The federals, under General Barron de-
Tended their positions stubbornly, but
were finally overcome by the forces of
Generals Villa and Natera. The con-
scaled hill after hill,
mountain after mountain, killing and
wounding thousands of federals and
sustaining heavy losses themselves. 1t
is impossible to obtain an accurate es-
innate of losses on both sides. Heaps
of dead on the mountain sides and in
the city bore mute evidence of the
ferocity of the fighting. Villa was in
the van of the attacking party. Five
members of his staff accompanying
i'm nd he bar- -
constitutionalists officers killed or
was unusually heavy.
General Rodriguez, one of the best
of Villas brigadiers, was shot in the
throat and is not expected to live. In
many instances the constitutionalists
we're forced to advance on hands and
Knees as those below on steep inclines
passed rifles from hand to hand These
eats were accomplished under heavy
machine gun fire.
Rodriguez Reported Dead.
Ell Paso, Texas, June 25.-GeneraI
died of his wounds, accord
ng to a message received by friends
lere. Among other officers wounded
we're Generals Herrera and Fierro.
'ierro is known in Mexico as the
Butcher" because of his fondness for
prisoners personally, and Is
he man shown by rebel investiga-
ion to have killed William Benton, an
English subject, in February.
Ell Paso, Texas, Jan. 25.-The taking
# Zacatecas by Villa places more than
lalf of the republics territory in the
lands OF the constitutionalists. II
marks another stage in the race of
hree rival constitutionalist leaders to
1exico City. Villa from Zacatecas
VII probably move against Aguas
,alientes, almost directly south,
thence the remnants of the Zacatecas
arrison retreated. General Gonzales.
1ho took Tampico, has been ordered
o take San Luis Potosi, now weakened
y almost complete evacuation. Gen.
raj Obregon, on the west, is about to
tack Guadalajara. If successful his
roops will have even clearer road
D the national capital than those of
lila or Gonzales.
EneIishman Obreson Aid.
Guadalajara, far to the south and the
econd largest city in Mexico, affords a
oadway to the national capital
trough a rich country, which easily
ould sustain a large army
Captain 1vor Gray, formerly OF the
nglish army, acting in an advisory
apacity to Obregon, has been utiliz.
lg cavalry as it used in European
rmies and in American armies for the
arfare.