The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-08
SHOOT BREAD Line
Soldiers in Mexico City Kill
Women and Children.
Red Cross Booths Dress
Wounds of $50 Victims.
0UTRAGES INCREASE DAILY
Famine Makes City a Hole of
Horrors.
Public Executions Now Add to
GruesOme Sights.
OUTRAGES INCREASE DAILY

Mexico City, July S.-Terror and
anxiety which has gripped this city
acutely for the past few days, reached
its climax Tuesday when a troop of
soldiers seeking to quell a rising food
riot, fired low into a dense throng of
people waiting for their allowance of
cereal, and killed number of women
and children.
At the Red Cross first aid booths,
599 women and children were treated
for gunShot wounds and for injuries
they received in the crush of 10000
people which gathered in front of the
international relief commissions ware
houses to receive their share of the
six loads of corn that was distributed.
Local authorities find themselves
completely incapacitated for anchor
ating the grave situation arising from
the dearth of food. The cvrn dis
tributed Tuesday was purchased by
foreigners.
No Police Protection.
Police protection within the city
has utterly collapsed, as was illustrat-
ed when B. w. P. Thurston, brother
OF the consul general here, was near
ly forced, al rifle points, to aid in a
Jail delivery.
The consul general was taking his
morning automobile ride when he was
They climbed into his car, ordering
his chauffC cr to drive them leisurely
about the city for several hours.
Finally they ordered themselves taken
to the penitentiary where a general
Jail delivery was attempted by them.
During their hilarious ride the Brit
1sh legation was notified. The two
soldiers were arrested and a promise
made that they would be executed.
The consul generals car flew the Brit
ish flag at the time it was comman
deered by the two soldiers.
Many Autos Stolen.
But the Zapata soldiers seem to
show the utmost contempt for these
flags. Selling and stealing of auto
mobiles is general.
A hotly waged revolver duel which
was staged between two army officers
and dozen of their followers in one
further the chaotic disorder and an
archy which prevails. The partici-
pants in the duel were all mounted.
They met as if by accident in the
thoroughfare which was thronged
with people. One officer and two
horses were killed.
An effort is being made to extort
promises from the different leaders
criminately in the streets.
Public Executions.
Gaunt public execution of offenders
has stolen into the city to add its hor-
rors to all else that is horrible. Before
a great crowd in the public square,
OAiiy d SlOhC llilOW lIS ueillO1ldI
palace, three officers were executed.
They were Col. Francisco Martinez
Mollejo, Col. Julian Figueroa and Capt.
Francisco Aguierre. The three men
had been found guilty of participating
in the general scheme of blackmail
which has become common. The
execution is said to be the first hap
pening of its sort since Colonial days.
Other public executions are prom
iSed for the near future when several
persons charged with having sold SOL
dierS from the local garrison cartridges
loaded with nitroglycerin instead of
gunpowder will be put to death. A
number of Zapata and Villa soldiers
have been killed in efforts to fire the
nitro charged shells.
Reports of Fighting.
Reports daily come into the city of
great battles extending over a 15-mile
front. They are published in revolu-
"eXtras" which every one reads
and which no one believes.
The bulk of the defending army is
living in fifty-nine street cars flung
in a mile long line between Mixcocaca
and Sangel, suburbs of Mexico City.
The track on which the cars are
is on a road leading to
the ultimate destination
of the defending army in case they are
driven from this city.
The government archives and treas |
ury funds have already been shipped
here but what has changed Zapata
and Villa in their determination to
evacuate the capital is unknown.