The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-04-02
FIGHT STILL RACES
INSIDE TORREON
FederaIS Said to Suffer Loss OF
1000 in Battle.
VILLA REPORTED WOUNDED
News of Rebel Generals Injuries Kept
From Ranks of Army-Huerta
Alarmed by Reports From
the Front

Chihuahua March 31.-Such news
as arrived from the front at Torreon
Sunday was unfavorable to the rebels.
Local rebel officers admitted they had
received dispatches from the front,
but declined to reveal the contents.
4 report originated at one OF the
hospitals after more wounded arrived
in Chihuahua that General Villa had
been wounded slightly and forced to
retire from the front.
This report was based on the word
Of a wounded soldier, who insisted he
had seen villa wounded. He declared
that for moral effect the news was
withheld from the ranks of the rebel
army.
Wounded rebel soldiers continued to
arrive by train, bringing the number
in the city to 55S. Several hundred
other wounded were provided for at
Jiminez, and patches of wounded were
distributed at Parral and Santa Rosa
liza.
A German military observer who ar
rived from the front said;
The federal army lured us right
into Gomez Palacio, u suburb north
of Torreon, before they opened fire.
Then they let loose such hall of rife
and machine gunshot as would have
demoralized an ordinary Mexican
army.
The men fell by the score.
"One cotton bale platform by the
railroad tracks was so covered with
dead rebels that man could not walk
across it without stepping on body.
Almost the whole Zaragosa brigade
under Gen. Aguirre Benavides was
thus wiped out"
The observer added that he believed
General Benavides escaped death.
General Villas delay in taking Tor
reon has revived the belief that, should
the Huerta forces drive him north, a
northern republic embracing the states
bordering en- the United States will be
established
Juarez, March 3l.--An official mes
sage received from the front says that
hgh.ing il still going on for possession
of Torreon.
The telegram adds that the rebels
hold all positions except the main bar
racks and two smaller barracks.
In the last twenty-four hours 1t Is re-
ported that General Villa took Cerro
de la Cruz Hill and the Torreon foun-
dry.
Another telegram admits a rebel loss
In the last six days of 800 killed and
wounded and places the federal loss
at 1000. As there are at chihuahua
800 wounded, this report of rebel losses
is believed to be an underestimate.
Among the rebel wounded Is Gen.
Tomas Urbina. 1t is said that federal
soldiers captured are being taken into
the rebel ranks, but their officers are
executed unless they take the oath OF
allegiance to the constitutionalist
cause. All irregular" troops in the
federal garrison are executed on cap
ture.
Venustiano Carranza, FIRST chief of
'Iit i'NbluAIbilb tHl'Ifu lHlb CITY ldHl
night. An American flag was carried
by the side OF the Mexican emblem in
the procession, Americans Ia the
crowd cheered and were joined by ma
tive spectators.
The fla incident came as a surprise
to the spectators. Although he had
ridden 500 miles on horseback to reach
Juarez, General Carran2a looked the
picture of health and vigor.
City Of Mexico, March 3l.-presi.
dent lIuerta is showing concern. but
lack OF telegraphic communication has
prevented General Velasco from send.
Ing any but meager reports of the OBJ
erations at Torreon. The president
and war minister have sent forward
every available detachment OF troops
10 reinforce Velasco at Torreon. There
are many who profess to believe Huer-
Ia viii take the field and leave the
presidency temporarily to Senior Por.
tillo. II Is suggested that the fall of
Torreon would hasten that movement.