The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-08
Suns Staff Correspondent. Who En-
tered Torreon With Villas Advance
Guard, Tells Vivid Story of
Big Battle
GREAT BRITAIN TO PROTECT
SPANISH RESIDENTS IN NlE\lCO
First Tranoad Of Torreon Residents Expelled bv
Villa Reaches Border. Rebels Begin New
Attack on Tampco,. Mexico City
Has Not Heard of 1t

tP,pn TUE SUNS star correspondent
utth Villas Armp)
FL. PAso. April 1.-Torreon fell for
what is surely the oldest rea son In
Latin American history an inadequate
supply Of Generals. Certainly there
were other contributory causes. such
as the Constitutionaist attacks and
puerie Notifications but II the Federal
stock Of Generals had not given out the
troops could have been forced to further
fighting. And when his second attack
failed at Gomez Palacio. and especially
n, Torreou. Pancho villa was very
nearly q badly beaten man. though his
army was not demoralized.
This statement and hose which fol
low are made from personal observa.
ton. I left chihuahua on March 16
in a freight car on one of the trains in
which villa mobilized his army. was in
all Of the camps and saw the failure
Of the attacks on Gomez Palacio and
Torreon. was among the first to
enter Torreon and with the first to
leave after the evacuation. Owing to
an absolute embargo on wire communi-
cation. only lifted for a moment after
a battle and censorship Of a sort that
made 1t impossible to send news or tell
what would happen in the way Of addi-
mons and subtractions to news which
bad apparently passed the censor. the
facts could only he told after arrival
In rhe United States. which I reached
the Federals evacuated TorreOn. That
VILLA was mistaken in this censorship
IL Obvious. and I tried to explain to
him that real news would help his
cause and wild unfounded rumors hurt
Il. But he had made up his mind and
obstinacy has no better exponent than
Cen. Villa.
Train stops for Execution.
The campaign started and came TO a
close in typical manner. AS the
luxurious side door Pullman" Of the
correspondents passed south from Chi
huahua. villa. in a brown sack suit
mussed with yesterdays pushing refac-
Tory horses into stock cars. stood among
group OF officers and hangerson
draining bottle OF pop.
On the way 10 Torreon in a train Of
wounded and prisoners We stopped at
Bachimba, where Huerta defeated
orozco and made his reputation. A
captain hurried into the car picked up
his rife--ofticers in the Constitutionalist
army carry rifes-tnrew some cart
ridges into the magazine. and hurrying
out said "ColoradOs." followed. think
Ing that some band might ne trying to
raid the train
There was a little kLot OF men in
front OF one OF the cars of prisoners,
and in their midst four men, three
young and one old. The young men
we're silent. or il they attempted to
speak we're sienced. The old man was
cited, for everything seemed fore
gone cornelius on. After few minutes
the old chap was allowed to climb back
into the car with the other prisoners
A. first he ,orned aid, but was finally
helped in. Then the group with the
three prisoners in the middle struggled
informally across the peaceful. sunny
desert to the bed of a dry watercourse
The prisoners walked with the crowd.
seeming part Of II. and with neither
apparent dread nor anticipation. They
climbed down the banks and stood
quietly a moment. Several shots were
fired more or less at oLce, tn. guns
within inches OF tho victims. There
we're other shots afterv ard. whoever
Wished firing at the bodies. Then the
crowd drifted back to the train, the
conductor crying, "Vamonos," and the
c.-inocr 'ootng the whistle + hurry
tie agcards
II was all matter of fact. almost casual
rd utterly revoting. The men were
taid 10 he "Colorados." or volunteers
squ"r,ding as regulars. The blood
-' is strong in the Mexican and he
3 to shoot A troop train passing
trough the country. or town for that
latter, is like a perambulaing Fourth
o? July celebration. The soldiers snipe
q" cattle or horses, jackrabbits or in
srlators on the telegraph poles. Once
vHo OF these was hit and the army was
without communication with its base
cor some hours and raids b. "COlora-
toH' or "Orozcistas' were rumOred on
Goth sides OF the break.
Army In Camp At YePme.
A fermo the army detrained and
seemed 10 disappear into the wide. Nat
ralley between the mountain walls
Zach command picked come unoccupicd
place and each man or little group did
the same, There was neither order nor
disorder The individual simply was
!oft to care for himself and was amply
nble 10 do no. A serape hung on a
meSulIite hush WAS tha utnnO&t In the