Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-04
T0RREON IN RUINS
AS V|CTORS ENTER
Federal Wounded Crowd Hos
pitaIs With Only One Nurse
in Attendance.
DYING MEN CHEER VILLA
WHEN ASSURED OF MERCY
Rebel Commander Described as Very
Soul of Battle During Des-
perate Struggle.

Paso. Tex, April D.-This city. from
which Gen. Refugio Velasco and most
of the uninjured of his command fed
Yesterday, was occupied by the rebels
in force today and the work of burn
ing the bodies of the dead, clearing
away the wreckage of shell-shattered
adobe walls, street barricades and
barbed wire entanglements was begun.
While Villa took a large number of
prisoners, Velasco escaped from the
Canyon de Huarache with a consid-
cradle proportion of his force. He
nandez, who today reported that ne had
fought small rearguard engage
ment with the retreating force, and
later Gen. Villa, with rcinforcements
left here to make an attempt to capture
or annihilate it.
Non -combatants here with whom the
Associated Press correspondent talked to-
day estimated Velasco's garrison did not
number more than five thousand men, OF
whom !, 100 were killed or wounded.
When Velasco fled he left behind in the
military hospital two hundred wounded.
Only One Nurse Remains.
When the rebels entered the place they
found only one nurse, Dorothea de la
Cruz in attendance. She said that the
other nurses followed the army.
The patients were in a high state of
anxiety. for they had been told that Villa
took no prisoners. They were reassured
by H. S. Cunard-Cummins, the British
vice consul at Gomez Palacio, who enter
ed the hospital first. climbing over bodies
OF the wounded who had died there. The
air was foul with the odor of dried blood.
nffi ol H.
had assured him none of the wounded
would be harmed. Those who had the
strength raised themselves on their al
boWs from pallets on the floor and from
their cots and cried a feeble Viva villa"'
Ihe nurse was soothing a dying patient
who with his last breath Joined the
cheering and then sank back dead.
Persons who say they were eye-wit-
nesses declare that Velasco summarily
executed three Spaniards whom he ac-
of one Of these Lotero Lopez, attempt
ed to shield her husband and the same
bullet killed BOTH.
Protected by American Consul.
Three hundred and fifty Spaniards. in
Guiding women and children, took refuge
In a bank building under the protection
Of American Consul Ulmer. who remained
In town throughout the battle. The in.
surgents have shown no disposition to
harm those Spaniards who are known
to have remained neutral Other for
eigners. including flfty-f1ve Chinese
Syrfans and Austrians and 100 Ameri-
cans were unharmed, so far as could
be learned today.
1t was reported that Gen. Velasco him
self was wounded, but this report like
the one that he went insane in the
trenches, could not be confirmed, and the
aeyc-S<,S IT, Al
head of his troops. Two federal generals
were killed and three wounded
1t is said here that Velascos retreat
was brought about by his losses in the
night assaults made by the rebels and in
dications that his soldiers. worn out by
cruel,Ies which they were told Villa prac-
ticed on the wounded prisoners, We're on
the verge of mutiny.
Foes on Friendly Terms.
In the course of the house-to-h house
fighting rebels and federals frequently
came within talking distance OF each
other, and in some cases got on such
friendly terms that they ceased firing
entirely. In most OF these cases the
federals were persuaded to remain when
Nelasco retreated and then be enrolled
under the rebel banner.
At least a fortnight and probably a
longer period will be required to re-
organize the army before the expected
camp aign against Saltillo and Monterey
can be made
Rebel leaders are awaiting news of
the political effect Of their victory on
Mexico City and Washington.
The federal artillery was superior to
that of the rebels, many of whose shells
proved defective.
Villa the Soul of Battle.
Villa was the very soul of the battle.
His spirit animated everything. When
things were going wrong he would sallop
along the battle line encouraging or
reprimanding as the individual case re-
qured
well done" he said to the gunner
whose shell had fallen true. Men like
you VIII redeem Mexico He CompE-
mented a wounded man who remained i'll
the firing line.
What, boy, do you find the dancing
floor too rough?" he chided soldier
rear.
Villa was in his headquarters at Gomez
Palacio Thursday night when Torreon
fell Almost up to the hour of the fed
eral iight' he could not see the end of
the battle, and that morning had tele
yraphed for bigger cannon. for it seemed
as il his artillery was inadequate to dis
odse the eaelns- from their positions in
Con ViIla oaune SuddnnIv