The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-05-28
REBELS LEVY
ON FOREIGNERS
TampiCO Capt0rs Demand Money
Of Germans and Spaniards
SERIOUS TROUBLE MAY EASUE

People Given Until Thursday Night
to Raise Cash-Priests Ransomed
by the Rebels-Peasants in Country
Around Tsn,pico Suffer From For,
aging Parties of Both Sides ard Are
Gradually Starving.
Tampico, Mex, May 26.-The Con
stitutionalists demand that one mil
lion pesos be paid to them by the
night Of Thursday, May IS. Firms,
consuls, priests and citizens have all
received warning that they must raise
this money while the oil companies
must support the rebel army in Tam
pico.
This demand for money has gone
even to the Spanish and German con
suls and people of those nationalities
are expected to contribute to the
fund. Unless the million pesos are
paid by Thursday night trouble may
be expected.
All will probably pay or endeavor
to pay the sums assessed against them
except the German consul, who has re-
fused, saying: Germany will protect
her subjects without the payment of
a single peso
The money is demanded Of the con
suls for protection OF their subjects.
Small shop keepers who cannot pay
actual money to the rebels are forced
to give part OF their stock to outfit
the Constitutionalist soldiers.
The Constitutionalist leaders de
clare that as soon as they have the
million pesos required they will re-
open the banks and leave the customs
house alone. They allowed ten days
for this money to be raised and unless
it is forthcoming by then everyone
here feels that a new crisis will be
reached and much more blood spilled.
The rebels have closed the Catholic
churches. accusing them OF being
traitors and the priests guilty OF
treason against their government. All
OF the priests fled the city with one ex-
ception and he was Immediately i'm
prisoned. A ransom OF 10000 pesos
is demanded for his release. Five
hundred women parishioners are try
ing TO raise the money and it seems
likely they will succeed.
In the country around Tampico
hundreds OF peasants are literally
starving and nothing can be done for
them. Many Of them have been beaten
or wounded by rebel and federal sol
diers and the retreating federals in
leaving Tampico took from these peas
ants their last food. In many in.
stances the wives and daughters Of
the men they had robbed were taken
also.
Real war prices prevail. 1t is i'm
possible TO eat a meal for less than
$40. Fever is so prevalent that the
only water that is safe to drink is that
coming in bottles and it costs a dollar
a drink. Eggs sell at fifty cents each,
gold, and everything else is CORE
spondingly high when it can be
bought and many times 1t is not to be
found.
Although peace reigns in Tampico
today a big battle is sure to come of
soon at Panuco, sixty-two miles I'D
the Panuco river. There are no less
than 1000 federals entrenched there
and they have had ample time to re-
cuperate from the i'll effects of their
defeat at Tampico.
On huge blud almost inaccessible
in time of peace and directly over.
looking Panuco river they have
mounted their heaviest feldpieces and
artillery A last desperate stand will
be made here before the Huertaists
finally yield the entire state of Tam
aulipas TO the rebels.
Twenty-Five hundred rebels carrying
with them several feldpieces and four
machine guns have been hurried out
OF Tampico to reinforce the column of
rebels that is already in the field out
side of the fort and the rebels are
drawing nearer the federal entrench.
ments every day.