Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-24
City Is Evacuated BY Army
Of Gen. Funston After
Seven Months Stay
CONSTITUTIONALISTS
ASSUME AUTHORITY
Mexican Soldiers Follow Up
the American Outposts
as They Fall Back

Vera Cruz, Nov 2s-The Amer
ican forces of occupation under Cen
eral Frederick Funston, after stay in
Vera Cruz of seven months, today be-
gan embarking on the steamships
which will return them to the United
States.
The outposts began falling back at
8 o'clock in the morning and two hours
later the first American soldiers were
going over the sides of the waiting
transports.
General Funston established his
headquarters on the transport Cristo-
bal
Beyond the American outposts there
had been mobilized during the night a
force of constitutionalists. AS the
Americans withdrew, first from the
outlying districts and then from the
city itself, the constitutionalists fol-
lowed them along and n0minally oc-
cupied the territory vacated.
The city is quiet but the Inhabitants
are nervous and apprehensive concern
ing the final outcome of this transfer
Of authority. All saloons in Vera Cruz
remained closed today on orders of
General Funston, and many CONNER
cial establishments decided not to
open their doors.
The government of Vera Cruz is not
being turned over to any faction of
Mexicans; the territory is being
evacuated and as fast as the Ameri-
cans go out, constitutionalists are COM
ingsin.
The American army officials are
taking with them the money collected
for customs and from other sources of
revenue. These will ultimately go to
some Mexican government which the
United States deems a proper one to
receive them.
The American quartermaster depart
ment has arranged to take away from
Vera Cruz something like 300 Mexi-
cans who did not care to be in the city
when their countrymen again came in
to possession.
No Indemnity Sought.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 23-The oc-
CuDdClOu vi JllC HCAiStSh pOl LII ICPA
al for Huertas insult to American flag
at Tampico, has cost the United States
more than score of lives, some in bat
tie and some from disease, and ac.
cording to some estimates, as much as
ten million dollars. But Mexicq will
be asked to pay no indemnity. The ad-
ministration officials want that fact to
stand out as an added evidence of the
disinterested friendship of the United
States for her southern neighbors.
General Funston has instructions to
turr the city over to none Of the Mexi-
can factions and thereby avoid what
might be construed as a recognition of
one of them. His orders simply are to
bring his troops away and leave the
city to whichever faction takes posses
sion. General Funston reported that
constitutional troops under Carranza's s
commander. Aguilar, were entering
the city. There have been some evil
dences that Carranza intended to move
his capital to Vera Cruz on the Ameri-
can evacuation.
NAll those Mexicans who fear to re-
main when the Americans leave are
sailing away with\ General Funston.
The refugee priests and nuns have
been given places on the transports
and the Americans who remain depend
for their safety on guarantees given to
the United States by all the Mexican
factions and those American warships
which remain in the harbor.
With the departure of the troops. a
critical period in the relations between
the United States and Mexico comes to
an end, and in the view Of officials here
the Mexican people are left to work
out their own destiny among them
selves.
The Fourth, Seventh, Nineteenth and
infantry and the First
battalion CT the Fourth field artillery
and two squadrons Of the Sixth cavalry
will return to Galveston. The three
of marines will go to Phil
adelphia.
Cubans Are Alarmed.
Havana, Nov. 23.-It is feared that
with the departure of the American
forces from Vera Cruz the positions
of Cubans will not be safe. It is un-
derstood that the Cuban government
is considering the immediate dispatch
of cruiser to Vera Cruz to bring
away such Cubans as desire to leave.
Officer on the Carpet.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 23.-Major
General George Barnett, commandant
of the marine corps, today called on
Captain Walker N. Hill to explain
published reports were accur-
ate which quoted him as saying MeM-
cans would probably be burning and
looting Vera Cruz before nightfall.
Captain Hill commanded company of
marines at Vera Cruz during American
occupancy.