Evening star., 1915-03-07
News Dispatches Tell
of FrightfuI Conditions
in Stricken Mexico

VI bI9ltSIQt SVil0lklOlIO
in Stricken Mexico
VERA CRUZ. Mexico. March .. via
New Orleans. March 6.-Friction be-
tween Gen. obregon. in charge at Mex
leo City. and Gen. Carranza is reported
here because of the alleged failure or
Carranza to support obregon in his
recent decree assessing a special tax
on every one in Mexico City.
II Is said that Carranza has given
ooregon orders to evacuats the capital
whenever he believed il necessary
Stopping of rail traffic between the
coast and the capital is taken here TO
mean that Obregon expects to evacuate
the city soon.
Barbarities Of Violent Type.
An attack on Coyacan yesterday by
soldiers styling themselves Zapatistas
was marked by barbarities OF the most
violent type. according to stories
brought here by passengers on the last
train out Of Mexico City last SATURDAY.
Coyacan Is a suburb of the capital.
fifteen minutes by trolley from the cen
ter OF the city. 1t Is reported that
women. some of them foreigners, were
stripped of their clothing in the streets
during the daylight attack. Passen-
gers report that the soldiers raided
the telephone exchange an. that few
OF the female operators escaped.
Food Prices Exorbitant.
NEW ORLEANS. La. March S.-Pas-
sengers arriving here today on the
steamship Texas from Vera Cruz tell
of most serious conditions in Mexico
City and the principal seaport of the
country. Among the passengers were
some who left on the last train out of
Mexico City, February %. They said
that at that time 1t was not difhcult
for persons of means to get food. but
that the poorer classes of the city
faced starvation. Food prices had been
majority OF the population already was
suffering.
A government bread line had been
Established. the passengers said. Ra-
and almost impossible for an American
to eat were eagerly grabbed by the
people. they said.
Correspondents In Fear.
Tho censorship has extended even to
the extent of enlisting the activities of
the Mexican secret service men. Corre-
spondents are in constant fear. One
story of the blowing up of the Mexican
gunboat Progreso at Progreso was
written on tissue paper and surrepti-
board the Texas. After the ship was
out of Mexican waters the American
sent 1t by wireless to New York, and II
was published in all parts of the coun-
try yesterday.
No American newspaper has been
allowed in Vera Cruz or Mexico City In
weeks, and residents there are without
the general news of the world.
Priests Are Imprisoned.
Three hundred native priests are I'm
prisoned in Mexico City. and all the
institutions at the capital and its en-
virons with which nuns are connected
have been closed, according to q state
ment given out here tonight by Arch
ton lS6 priests OF foreign birth have
been driven from Mexico City. Many
Of them made their way to Havana,
as did Archbishop del Rio.
The archbishop, who was the head
Of the church in Mexico, will confer
here next week with Cardinal Glib
bons. who will arrive in New Orleans
early in the week for his usual win
ter visit with his brother.
Some Priests Reach New York.
NEW YORK. March 6-Thirtesn
priests. driven, they said. from Vera
Cruz by venustiano Carranza, reached
New York today on their way to Spain
on board tho steamer Montevideo.
Another passenger was the Rev.
Charles w. Currier. Episcopal bishop
of Matanzas. who had resigned his
Office on account OF i'll health, and Will
When they reached here the priests
were clad in rags. They said they
were the last Of group OF twenty
two sent to Vera Cruz by Carranza and
ordered to leave Mexico. Among this
group were German. French. italian
and Spanish priests and one Turk
The priests. they said, and others.
numbering $50 altogether. were sum
moned by Gen. Obregon to the national
palace in Mexico City. and ordered to
raise 100000 as tax, to be paid to
the Mexican government
When the priests pleaded that they
could not raise this money they were
totu that they would have to do 80 OIL
leave the country. For tine Nical
General Paredes of the archdiocese OF
Mexico City. and his secretary. Basilio
Lipara, were the only ones permitted to
leave the paiace, anu tnry were re
leased only for the purpose Of urginx
the parishes to raise the required tax.
Diplomats Demanded Release.
The money was not raised and the
priests said they were locked in the
palace all night. Food was sent 10
them from the outside and they slept
ON the stone moor OIL the buildli The
next morning diplomatic representa-
tives of their several governments de
manded their release. The demand was
acceded to on the condition that the
priests leave the country.
Having no military escort, many of
the priests left the train at way sta
tions. BY the time it reached Vera
Cruz only eleven of the party were left
Four of these failed to appear on ship
board, although passage had been en-
gagged for them. and the others were
assigned places in the steerage. Three
of the priests said they would remain
here. The others expect to leave on the
Montevideo Monday for Barcelona,
Spain.
Indians Attack Aqua Prieta.
DOUGLAS, Ariz-. March 6.-Every
available man in the Carranza garrison
at Aqua Prieta, across tho border. was
called out tonight to meet an attack by
Yaqui Indians on the outposts Of the
town.
Maytorena adherents in Douglas say
the Yaquis intend to attack Aqua Prfeta