Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-04-30
GRAPHIC STORY
OF VERA CRUZ
CAPTURE Of Mexican City After
Two Days Fight Presents
Vivid Picture.
NALoR OF OUR BLuEIAcKETs
Warships sheIIed Buildings In Which
Mexican "snipers" Had Taken Ref
uge-Natives Surprised at Cour-
tesy of American Troops.

Vera Cruz. Mexico, April "a
Twelve Americans were killed and
thirty wounded before The city of
Vera Cruz came into the uhdisputed
possession of the American invading
forces after a two-day fight. Although
the Mexicans suffered more severely,
the number of their casualties has not
been ascertained. The best estimates
obtained by Capt. William R. Rush
of the ~battleship Florida indicated
that in the engagements Of Tuesday
and Wednesday their dead numbered
about n hundred and fifty. No per-
son knows how many Mexicans fell
wounded, as many Of them were taken
away and hidden by friends.
In the streets about the plaza
Wednesday afternoon lay fifteen or
twenty bodies, a majority Of them at
tired in citizens clothing. Some OF
the men evidently had been dead since
the engagement Tuesday and the
tropical heat made their immediate
disposal imperative. One of the first
orders given after the town had been
captured was to bury the Mexican
dead in a trench at the sea end OF
one Of the streets leading from the
plaza. 8 afe
Scores Are Taken. Prisoners.
When the city was taken the order
was given to advance carefully and
search every building for lei bearing
arms. Scores of prisoners were taken,
the majority of them protesting vol
ubly-many hysterically--that they
were not guilty of any un~friendliness
toward the Americans. Accustomed
as the Mexicans are to seeing their
own contending forces shoot imme-
diately all prisoners taken, the cap
rtured men could not but believe that
they would receive no less drastic
treatment at the hands of the Ameri-
cans. The guns found in houses were
thrown by the marines and blue
Jackets from the upper balconies to
the pavement below.
The most spirited action was the
taking Of the naval academy. Aside
from that fight, no definite, organized
opposition was encountered by the
Americans. A hot fire was poured
from the naval college, but a few
well directed shots from the cruisers
Chester, San Francisco and Prairie
tore gaping holes in the stone walls
and silenced the rifle fire of the Mexi
cans inside. The bluejackets then
were enatSed to proceed with the task
they had in hand.
Escape From Fight Cut of.
Despite the Smelling it had received
Tuesday, a squad Of soldiers continued
TO give considerable trouble to thu
Americans from the battered Benitt
Juarez tower. After they had beer
silenced and removed from the towe'
It was discovered that the soldiers
had continued fighting for lack Q
ability to do anything else. The she'll
from the warships Tuesday had tori
away the stairway in the tower AMI
the men had been compelled to renal
in it.
Appeal From Aged Mexican.
Coincident with the orders for tn
general advance of the Americans a
aged. white-haired Mexican, carryin
Ahe white flag of truce, came down
street from the center of the cit,
He carried a letter to the chief of pr
lice, the only authority he hoped t
reach, and desired Consul Granada I
read It. 1t was an urgent appeal I
the chief of police, to call of tn
asniners and prevent the bombardmeI
he believed would follow II they Co
tinued their execution.
Even before the messenger ha
climbed the stairs into the consul
office Capt. Rush was informed OF tt
contents of the note he bore and II
mediatefy sounded cease firms" an
halt" But it was too late. II
action had been begun all along Il
line and 1t was not considered VII
to attempt further measures to stt
At. The commanders ordered the
men forward at double quick, while
they carried out with a vtgor tn
afterward gave them the city.
t Evidences OF war,
Blood-bespattered sidewalks, brok'
windows and bullet-scarred walls ga
the plaza a grewsome aspect. With
the Diligencia hotel there were for
Americans, most Of them women, W
had been there since the commend
ment Of hostilities, When the squa
was taken they were Immediately I
tilted that they might go on the Spa
lsh cruiser Carlos v. outside I
breakwater In order to give the Prail
room to fire her guns. The Spani
commander refused, saying that
dared not maneuver his boat in
small a space at night. He also
clared that he needed to take on
supply Of fresh water. Admi
Fletcher insisted yesterday that
order be carried out, and the Car
". moved outside just before the
track on the center OF the city beg
At 1908 Wednesday morning
Americans we're In u~ndisputed ?
session Of all the city except
southwest quarter, in which the b
racks are situated. and a few outlyf
districts. At noon they had tal