Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-23

ended the lankins movement. only a few
minutes before the thrcc-iuch guns of the
Prairie were used effectively near the
shore. \ small detachment Of M"Nicans
had gained positions near the customs
house and their concealed marksmen We're
causing some trouble. a few shots from
the Prairie's guns served to silence that
position From time to time the same
guns played their shells along the line of
the shore, keeping that territory com
parativcy free of sharoshooters.
In the action about the customs house,
two of the bluejackets in launch
which carried a rapid-irc We're wounded,
SURRENDER DEMANDED
The demand for the surrender of Vera
Cruz was made by Rear admiral Flet-
! cher through Consul Canada at nire
O'Clock IN the morning The consul called
Gen. Gustavo Mas. commandment Of
Vera Cruz, by toicpho1c and presented
the demands, saying that the United
| states forces We're about to occupy and
| hold the town. He called upon him to
surrender In tho name OF humanity and
assist the Americans in restoring order.
! General Mas replied that compli-
aIco with the demand was impossible
ard asked the consul for a personal
! parlcy.
ASKS FOR TIME
The consul informed General Mas
that he had no instructions to grant
Il parley and ended the conversation.
He then called the Jefo Politico and
the customs collector by telepho
and Informed them of the prospective
landing ana asked for their co-opera-
tion in the maintenance Of peace.
The customs collector requested
time in order to attend to certain du-
ties ana neither could promise any
assistance.
Rear Admiral Fletcher, aboard the flag
ship Florida by this time was I'm com
munication with Rear Admiral Badger
commander-in- chief Of the Atlantic fleet
who was speeding towards this port with
five warshps, Admiral Fletcher decided
to take action and marines began leaving
the sido of che transport Prairie shortly
before eleven o'clock,
EFFECT A LANDING
| They entered ten Whaleboats anC
effected a landing within half an hou,
Mt the customs house and No. pier which
extends almost from the center of tn,
shore line into the port and termna
works
Information that President Huerta. wa
counting on receiving from the steame
YpiranFa of the Hamburg American line
which was due to arrive to-day, a larg,
consignment of ammunition, rifles anC
machines guns was responsible for tn
occupation Of the customs house some
what earlier than might otherwise hav
been the case. The Ypiranga Is still out
side the harbor She has on board
= among other supplies, 49, COO rifles. am
l5,O000oo cartridges.
President Huerta has been maxim
every effort to safeguard this consigu
ment and had given orders that it be III
loaded Immediately, placed on a speca
u train drawn by two locomotives, an
rushed to the capital
: With all the eastern side of the cit
occupied and also the tracks Of the rail
y KAY as far west rs the rouudhouse nea
the western edge on the northern sid
and with the MeXicans unable to do NOR
than keep up an annoying but inelfectlv
fire from house tops, Captain Rush a
ago this afternoon sent under a flag @
q | truce a messenger chosen from anon
~ (COntjnUV4t on page ninc1