El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-20

"a III AN Ino BOdL u bAlO
army Of the north.'-Gen. Sal
4 vador Mercado, commanderin-
chief of the northern army, at the
prison camp, Fort Bliss.
Gen. Mercado says he will invite a
court martial at Mexico City IN order
that he may prove to his people and
to the world that he is not a traitor,
and a coward and a thief.
Standing in front of his tent at the
prison camp on the Fort Bliss reser-
walton Tuesday morning, Gen. Mer-
cadO denied each of the allegations
which have been made against him as
a result OF the evacuation of Chlhua-
hua and Ojinaga. He arrived with the
first caravan Of troop trains from
Maria and was assigned to large
cOnicaI wall tent, where his wife and
family Immediately established them
selves.
would Return to Mexico City.
Il will return to Mexico City If pres"
ident Huerta. will ask for my release,
and I will ask for court martial IN
order that the charges which have
been made against me may be proved
false" the federal general said. i
want to have a hearing so that the
president and the war department may
know the reason I left Chihuahua
There are three charges being
made against me. The first is cow
ardice, the second, treason and the
third, theft. In answer to the IlrSt
charge, I will say that have been in
plenty Of battles with the president
and with minister Banquet, OF the
war department, and the other gen
erals and they know my conduct, ana
have had their approval I was pro-
NOTED to be a colonel atter the Ir Isl
battle Of Rellano, when I rallied the
troops and saved them from slaughter,
after the rOut.
"As for the second charge. they. say
7 am a traitor. Ny career has been
that Of a soldier, and I have never
been a traitor. When the present
revolution started, the rebels made me
many propositions to join them but
never accepted single one OF them.
As for the third charge, 1 can justify
the fact that I am an honest man and
1 can prove it by the treasurer Of the
state Of Chihuahua, senior Lamelas l
can prove that not one cent was taken
by me when I was governor general
Of the state of Chihuahua and that
never asked for one cent"
where is Gen OrOzcO?"
4 DO not know and I do not want
to ever see him again 1t is owing TO
them that there were so many rob
berries during the campaign in the
north"
Never Saw OrOzeO Fight.
'Is OrOzcO a cOWard2
Ct cannot say, as I never saw him
on a battlefield. Ask Gen Landa Tor
other revolution. Salazar is all right
but his troops were bad. SalaZar be-
haved well, but his soldiers said that
they would not fight longer, as they
had no money. When sent Salazar to
attack Villa in JUarez he had nine
cannon, II machine guns, and about
1900 men. The enemy thanked one o.
his wings and routed him, as he dld
not know how to conduct such
fight.
villa is a good fighter, and he is
a mighty lucky man. The troops ne
now has were old federals and know
how to fight. Our troops were those
from the OrOzcO revolution and vol
unteers and do not know how to tight.
Because of this Villa had the best OF II.
Got No Money From Terrazas.
when I was governor of Chihuahua
I gave orders and the generals exc
cuted them. When I sent columns 70
attack the enemy in command OF my
generals, they always executed these
orders badly, as at San Andres and
other places. But when [ directed
them myself we always had a good
effect. Now they want to put all OF
the fault on me.
What is it YOU Americans say, they
want to make me the goat They ac-
cuse me Of taking money from Gen
Terrazas to bring him to the border
I never accepted one cent for this or
from them. They did not want to lend
in Chihuahua, much less give it to me
I did not so much as take glass OF
wine from any of them and the only
ones in the caravan who had money
were Gen. Luis ,Terrazas and attorney
Guillermo POrGas."
What is the future of Mexico?"
All Depends Upon HueFtH.
"If president Huerta can get the
situation in charge, the country viii
prosper, as he is the only one who
can handle the situation. If not, the
country is lost. If the Constitution
alisE revolution triumphs, there never
will be peace, because they do not
know how to rule the country"
what do you think of the attitude
of the United States toward MexicO%
q don't know anything about it
and I would rather not discuss that,
as I am a prisoner of the American
army"
Wears Army Uniform.
Gen. MercadO was dressed in an olive /
drab fatigue uniform of the Mexican /
army, with his gold and silver Shout
der straps and a gold badge on his !
breast, from which had been torn the
tricolor of Mexico. He wore a soft f!
hat and tan shoes. On his second /
finger of the left hand Gen. MercadO ]
wore a big diamond Of three or more I
carats and on his vest, he wore a gold {
watch chain to which was attached /
triangle charm of the Scottish Rite /
of Masonry. He is a 32d degree Mason /
in the Mexico City lodge and has been /