Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-31
Federals Renew Claim That
Rebel Leader Has Met
Crushing Defeat
FOREIGN REFUGEES
CONFIRM THE STORY
Absence of News Also Taken
to Mean Disaster Has
Come to Besiegers

Ell Paso, Texas, March 30-That
General Villa and his rebel army, il
not defeated at Torreon are having a
serious uphill battle, was the opinion
expressed here today by foreign
refugees from Mexico.
The opinion was on the absence Of
advices from impartial observers from
the front, on statements given out by
the Mexican federal consul here and
on stories told by Americans from Chi
huahua and other Mexican cities.
A Colorado mining man just in from
Parral said the city was crowded with
rebel wounded. Arrivals from Chihua-
hua include two Americans who ar
rived there last Saturday from the
state. They stated the rebels had
suffered terribly in dead and wounded
and were by no means having the sue
cesses which they have reported.
The consul asserted that Villa had
been defeated along the line.
Two kilograms for the Mexican fed
eral consul at Eagle Pass today who
said the information came direct from
Torreon by wire yesterday were re-
jubilant. The messages said the reb-
els were drawn into traps in the bull
ring and the smelter at Torreon and
that mines were exploded under them.
The consul said that the rebels had
retreated at all points including Co
mez Palacio and Lerdo. A telegram
credited to federal General Mas, said
! that federal troops cut a rebel column
A.>s,x .r ~
Some of the highest rebel officials
here today confessed they were at sea
oyerlfthe situation.
Rebels Are Anxious.
Chihuahua, Mex, March 30.-For
seven days has Francisco Vile ragged
his battle against Torreon. For six
days the fight has been the bitterest
and the loss of life the most tremen-
dous in the history of Mexico, Judging
from the meager press dispatches re-
ceived from the front and the stories
of slaughter told today by many Of the
5S8 wounded veterans of Torreon who
are interned in hospitals here.
Constitutionalist sympathizers and
rebel officers in Chihuahua again have
become anxious as to the fate Of their
military leader and the remnants Of
the 10000 men who marched to Tor
reon with him to engage in the revolu-
tion's first decisive battle. No word
from Villa came early today to relieve
the anxiety which prevailed through
out Chihuahua. Reports that heavy
reinforcements were Fastening to re-
lieve General Refugio Velasco, the fed
eral commander at Torreon, who has
made such resourceful resistance
against the rebels were received here
with misgivings. But it is the fact
that no news of General Villas pro-
gress has been had for many hours
that is responsible for the greatest an
xiety as to his fate. When the advan-
tage has been with the rebel leader in
the past, free access to telegraphic
communication was given newspaper
correspondents at the front but when
he met with reverses Villa would al
low no news sent over the wires.
Army officers here fear that Villa
and his army are in a difficult and per-
haps dangerous position. The many
days of almost constant aggressive
warfare at Gomez Palacio and within
the city of Torreon, it is thought, have
exhausted both men and supplies. From
stories told by the wounded the rebel
vanguard ran into a trap at Gomez
Palacio which cost them dearly in men
and ammunition. But, spurred by the
seemingly irresistible energy of Cen
eral Villa, the soldiers pushed on,
wrestling victory from what looked
like defeat and carried their fight to
the very heart of Torreon.