The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-30
EAVAG[S NOT HUMANS
| ARE FIGHTING N MEXICO
trainmen because it Is over the lines
OF the National railways that federal
troops are moved.
Is a Great Slauohter.

Is 0reat SidUQhter.
TORREON, DURANGO. Mexico,
March 3O.-1 a. m.-Fighting for the
possession OF Torreon is still in pro-
gress. While General Francisco
Villas constitutionalist forces are
gradually taking all thu important
positions of the city, they are meet
ing resistance they never dreamed
Of.
The toll on both sides will be enor-
mous-much greater than in any 9TH
er battle ever fought on the soil Of
Mexico. Fully $500 federal soldiers
are dead according to rebel leaders,
and it is believed as many more have
been wounded.
General Villas subordinates DO not
believe General Refugio Velasco, fed
eral commander, has more than 5000
able bodied men now In action. The
rebel loss has not been estimated but
it has been very heavy.
When the constitutionalists cap
tured Cerro De La Cruz early Sunday,
the heaviest blow Of the whole CAM
paign was delivered against the fed
erals. The latter abandoned all their
artiHeey and great stores Of ammuni-
tion there. Soma guns had been dis
abled before the federals retired and
much ammunition destroyed but the
rebels found many guns still fit for
use There were turned upon the
small section of the city still held by
the Huertistas, the rebel gunners
using federal ammunition just cap
tured.
With the loss Of Cerro De La Cruz,
ths power of the federals to damage
approaching constitutionalist forces
was reduced to a minimum. Hundreds
OF federals have deserted to the rebel
cause, Villas oficers say, joining the
constitutionalist forces, on taking tn
Is aEH OF rszS The fadersf AM,
GERS captured have been disarmed
and sent to the rear as prisoners.
whether any have been executed has
not been ascertained.
Hundreds Wounded.
Ell, PASO, Texas, March 30.-Har'
rowing stories OF the seven day pattl9
in and around Torreon were told mere
today by passengers from Chihuahua
who base their descriptions on re-
ports made by wounded Mexican fed-
eral and rebel soldiers brought from
the front to the hospitals In Chihua-
hua. More than 600 wounded consti-
tutionalists are in Chihuahua hospit
ais and more are arriving daily. Be
sides there, the hospitals at Parrai'
Jiminez and Santa Rosalia are said 10
be filed with manned men, most OF
whom are rebels.
Based on the stories, estimates to-
day placed the constitutionalist loss
in the battles of Loredo, Gomez Pala
clio and Torreon at more than Low.
| There has been no confirmation o.
report that General Villa himself
has been wounded. Constitutlonahs
! officials at Chihuahua deny it, but
wounded soldier who arrived there oe
! ,claren he saw the rebel commando
in chief borne from the battle nelt
/ and taken to the rear for treatment.
stories told by constitutionalist sol
diers show that Gomez Palac1o wh1ci
nreceeded the attack on Torreon II
self was desperate to the extreme
General velasco succeeded in drlvln'
villa into disastrous traps. In TN
7rst Of the Gomez Palacio attacks. tn
i federals fought desperately ror
short time and then retreated tc
wards Torreon. Villa sent his cavair
forward at a gallop to ride down tn
federals and followed with MS MAJ
column of infantry. AS soon as the
rushed into Gomez Palacio the reoel
found themselves in an ampusl
Mines we're exploded in the street
under them, machine guns secrete
!, behind parapets and roofs OF ever