The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1914-03-27
Reports of Fall of Gomez Pal.
aCiO May Have Been
Premature.
STORIES OF BATTLE CONFLICT
But There Is No Doubt That a Long,
Bloody Struggle Occurred Near
Federal stronghold-Ameri-
cans XIII Mexicans.

' aAAA A.1 e&@
this city in a state Of gratifed excite
ment today, but the optimism was
dashed somewhat by the receipt of
the following Associated Press tele-
gram from chihuahua:
IAN official dispatch received at 5
p. m. yesterday says fighting con
tinues iercely at Gomez Palacio. The
rebels are said to have captured the
stone railroad roundhouse and to be
fighting from it. The rebels claim
the federal dead number 700. No re.
port as to their own losses has been
made public, but it is learned that
they have at least eighty wounded"
It has been announced officially in
the course Of the forenoon, that the
city, three miles from TorreOn, was
taken last night at 9 O'Clock and that
General Villa had ordered supplies
sent direct to Gomez Palacio.
Next came word that General Eu-
genio Aguirre Benavides had captured
two federal cuartels in Torreon itself.
Conflicting Reports.
Laredo, Tex, March 25.-Confict-
ing reports Of the battle between Mex
lean Constitutionalists and Federals
came to Laredo today from the iso-
lated scene Of yesterdays engagement
ear Guerrero, sixty miles south Of
this city on the Rio Grande.
An official Federal dispatch given
out in Nuevo Laredo claimed General
Guardiola repulsed the rebels after
nine hours fighting, and that they
withdrew to San Ygnacio, leaving
many dead on the field.
Constitutionalist reports we're con-
fiicting, but all claimed a substantial
victory.
1t is regarded here as probable that
both sides retreated with no material
advantage.
Torreon Suburbs Fall.
FL Verjel, Mex, March 24.-Fight-
ing of the most sanguinary character
occurred in the streets OF Gomez Pa
lacio. The rebels took the water
I tank on Cerro de la Piler, the Brit
/. tingham soap factory and the Quartet
/ General Villasco came out Of Tor
reon in force, and Gomez Palacio was
| being made the point of main conten
) ton. Villa was said to have captured
: three hundred prisoners. His wound
! ed, it was also reported, we're being
= brought back from the front to E
Verjel in large numbers.
The Quartet caught fire and tn,
; rebels were compelled to abandon II
+ The battle is still in progress. Streams
: of wounded are being brought to tn,
field hospital here and as fast as pos
sible being sent back to the genera
g hospital at Bermeiillo. Losses Of
! both sides are reported heavy, blu
General Villa says the town is nov
practically his.
! The real attack on Torreon bega,
when General Villa occupied LerdC
practically without resistance, an
Z at l O'Clock in the afternoon bega.
an attack IN Gomez Palacio.
K The three towns are practically on
in a commercial and social sense an
are connected by four miles of stree
railway, but Torreon proper repr,
IL sents the military stronghold wher
a. the main federal force is gathered III
der Gen. Refugio Velasco.
Gomez Palacio and Lerdo are witt
out important natural defense, and I
previous revolutions have never bee
seriously defended. The real test
to strength is expected to come SOC
le when Villa hurls his force against ii
re d~efenses of Torreon. On this battl
Id it is conceded, hinges the fate of Il
III revolution.
SIS Mexlcans Fire at Americans.
IT. Eagle Pass, Tex, March 24.-Me,
tie can federal soldiers, who attemptt
ID to pursue with rife bullets a defea
'u' ed constitutionalist force escaping
&c the United States and safety m
ed sharp resistance from United Stat
TO cavalry of border patrol at Mckee
Crossing, above Del Rio, Tex. WHIT
ne three horses held by the America
troopers had been shot down Il
Ia Americans returned the fire aero
er- the Rio Grande and after the c
.th change Of shots, the Mexicans wit
re drew, bearing with them dead al
wounded. No American was injure
How many Of the Mexican soldie
IN. were killed or wounded is not know
Rebels Clear Way to Torreon
ne Bermejillo, Durango, Mex, Mar
al 23.-Haying cleared the way for a
nd rect atta~'t on Torreon by his succe
ri. Friday and Saturday in establish
nv q base here and driving in the Il
eral advance guards from Mapir
Tlahualilo. Sacramento, Noe, BrittiI
ham Junction and smaller points
n the e%nvirons of the Huerta stroi
ed. hold, General Francisco villa, t
ac. rebel chief, left here today for
South.