The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-05-07
GRAPHIC STORY
OF VERA CRUZ
Capture Of Mexican City After
Two Days Fight Presents
Vivid Picture.
vALoR OF OUR BLueIAcKETS
"arshlps sheiied Buildings In Which
Mexican "snipers" Had Taken Ref.
u9e-Natives Surprised AZ cour.
tesy Of American Troopa

u9e-Natives Surprised at cour-
tesy Of American Troopa
Vera CruS Mexico. April "a
Twelve Americans were killed and
thirty wounded before the city r.
Vera Cruz. game into the undisputed
possession OF the American invading
forces after two-day tight Although
the Mexicans suffered more severely,
the number OF their casualties has not
been ascertained. The best estimates
obtained by Capt William r. Rush
OF the battleship Florida indicated
that in the engagements OF Tuesday
and Wednesday their dead numbered
about one hundred and nifty. No per
son knows how many Mexicans fell
wounded. as many of them were taken
away and hidden by friends.
In the streets about the plaza
wednesday afternoon lay fifteen or
twenty bodies, a majority Of them at
tired in citizens clothing. Some OF
the men evidently had been dead since
the engagement Tuesday and the
tropical heat made their Immediate
disposal imperative. One of the first
orders given after the town had been
captured was TO bury the Mexican
dead in a trench at the sea end of
one of the streets leading from the
plaza.
Scores Are Taken Prisoners.
When the city was taken the order
was given to advance carefully and
search every building for men bearing
arms Scores of prisoners were taken,
the majority of them protesting vol
ubly--many hysterically-that they
were not guilty of any unfriendliness
toward the Americans. Accustomed
as the Mexicans are to seeing their
own contending forces shoot imme-
diately all prisoners taken. the cap
tured men could not but believe that
they would receive no less drastic
treatment at the hands OF the Ameri-
cans The guns found in houses were
thrown by the marines and blue
Jackets from the upper balconies to
the pavement below,
The most spirited action was the
taking OF the naval academy. Aside
from that fight, no definite. organized
opposition was encountered by the
Americans. A hot fire was poured
from the naval college, but a few
well directed shots from the cruisers
Chester, San Francisco and Prairie
tore gaping holes In the stone walls
and silenced the rife fire OF the Next
cans inside The bluejackets then
were ena led to proceed with the task
they had In hand
Escape From Flight Cut on.
Despite the Smelling II had received
Tuesday. a squad of soldiers continued
TO give considerable trouble TO the
Americans from the battered Benito
Juarez tower. After they had been
silenced and removed from the tower
II was discovered that the soldiers
had continued fighting for lack OF
ability TO do anything else. The slells
from the warships Tuesday had torn
away the stairway in the tow>- Snd
the men had been compelled TO remain
In It,
Appeal From Aged Mexican.
coincident with the orders for the
general advance of the Americans an
aged. white-haired Mexican. carrying
the white flag OF truce. came down a
street from the center of the city.
He carried q letter to the chief of po-
lice, the only authority he hoped to !
reach. and desired Consul Granada to !
read II. II was an urgent appeal to
the chief OF police to call OF tn
snipers and prevent the bombardment
be believed would follow II they con
timed their execution.
Even before the messenger had |
the stairs luto the consul's |
Office Capt. Rush wa informed OF the |
contents OF the note he bore and i'm |
mediateiy sounded cease firing" and |
halt" But II was too late Tlse |
action had been begun all along the |
line and II was not considered wise /
TO attempt further measures TO stop |
H. The commanders ordered their /
men forward at double quick. which /
they carried out with a vigor that /
aftervard gave them the city.
Evidences Of War.
Blood-bespattered sidewalks. broken 4
windows and bullet-scarred walls gave
the plaza a grewsome aspect. Within /
the Diiigencia hotel there were forty .
most OF them women. who .
mad been there since the commence
nent Of hostilitles When the square
was taken they we're Immediately no
.ified that they might 50 on the span 4
Ish cruiser Carlos V. outside The
oreakwater in order to give the Prairie +
room to ere her gins. The S2anizh p.
commander refused saying that be /
Jared not rnAneuver hts boat in 20 /
Euall a space At night He slso de- .
-iarsd that be needed ~ Eke on q 4
srDplv q fresh vAtsf Admiral .
Fletcher insisted yesterday that bis
order be carried out. and the Carlos
v. moved outside just before the a..
rack on the center Of the city beFsn
At 1905 Wednesday morning the
Americans we're IN undiEpuisd pos.
session q all the city except the
Iouth vest quarter IN which the bar
-aeks are situated. ard q few outlying
districts Al noon they had taken
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