The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-15
VILLA RECEIVES SETBACK,
NEWSPAPER MEN RI>IN(
STORIES OF REVERSE AT
SAN PEDRO.
wee consul ut TOrrcOn Said to Have
Bcen Compelled to Carry Demand
Tor Surrender of Bcleaguered Town
i'll Face of Rifle Fire.


El PasO, April 9.--News of an i'm
portant rebel defeat at San Pedro,
about 40 miles northeast of Torreon,
was brought here today by news
paper men who were not allowed to
send the news from the rebel camp.
Before the correspondents left Tor
reon, the defeated rebel column re-
turned to Torreon.
1t also was said at Torreon that
Gen. VelascO, who evacuated that city
five days ago. had joined the federal
Gen. Garica Hidalgo at Saltillo. Hidal-
go, with 1000 men, had started to
reinforce Velasco at Torreon but was
delayed. The combined forces at
SaltillO therefore number about 12,-
600, if the Hidalgo report proves cor
rect.
Villa sent only brigade under Gen.
Ortega against San Pedro. The de-
feated column returned Thursday. it
Is said. The federal rapid firers,
sweeping the level plain, worked
havoc among them. Night attacks
failed to dislodge the enemy, and Or
tega returned with the explanation
that he found the federals in unex-
pected force.
III. S. Cunard Cummins, acting Brit
ish vice consul at TOrreon, was used
by Gen. Villa during the Torreon
battle to carry demand to Gen.
Velasco on March q that the latter
surrender. According to newspaper
correspondents who reached here
from the front tonight, Mr.. Cunard-
Cummins performed the mission un-
der protest and was subjected to rifle
fire on his return toward the rebel
lines.
George S. Carothers, special agent
Of the state department at the battle,
in the report Of the incident that he
has made to Washington, however,
does not indicate that Mr.. Cunard-
Cummins was cOerced into becoming
Gen. Villas messenger, but states
that he did so with some reluctance
after first refusing.
Mr.. Carothers' report follows:
AT 4 p. m. March 2O Gen. Villa
sent messenger to see Cummins, re-
questing him to so to headquarters.
l and III. w. Potters accompanied
him. When We arrived Villa said to
Cummins that he knew he (Cum-
mins) was an enemy to the constitu-
tionalist cause, that he had informa-
ton that Cummins was accustomed
to banqueting with the federals, that
he knew he was a friend Of Gen. Ve-
lasco and that in view OF this friend
ship with Velasco, he wanted Cum
minis to take communication to
Velasco, in which he demanded the
surrender of the city to avoid further
bloodshed.
villa said the message was couch
ed in terms usual in warfare in such
cases. Cumnlins refused to take the
message, arguing that he was neutral
and should not mix in political af-
fairs Of the country.
"At this Villa became very angry
and said we foreigners were demand
ing that he protect foreigners and be
humanitarian in his acts and that at
the very first opportunity given us to
do something in that line we refused.
He commenced to talk about proba-
bly, having to fight all Of us, when l
interpOsed and advised Cummins
TO go.
villa said he first thought Of send
ing the message by me, but on Sec
ond thought had decided on Cummins
on account of his friendship with
VelascO, as he would be in no danger.
Cummins agreed to go, SO I wrote
some instructions to Mr.. Ulmer Cum
minis left about o'clock and was
to return about noon next day. The
interview with Villa had q most Sc
rious aspect for few moments, but
as it turned out, Villa and he shook
hands called each other amigos and
parted in the best Of spirits
The Mr.. Ulmer mentioned in the
report is l. NJ. Ulmer, United States
consular agent at Torreon.
Mr.. Carothers, questioned by a re-
porter here today, amplified his re-
port to the state department as fol-
lows:
Just before leaving Villas head
quarters Villa called Cummins
amigo Cummins turned to Villa
and said. You call me friend?'
Yes. / call you friend because /