New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-13
AMERICAN TELLS
HOW HE ESCAPED
Holmes Fell Into Brush
and Was Left for Dead
by Villa Bandits.

FL Paso. Tex. Jan. 70. The number
Of foreigners murdered west of Santa
Yssbel on Monday afternoon by Mcxi-
can bandits was placed AZ nineteen late
to-day. II was authoritatively stated
that General Pablo Lopez. Yaqui chief
tain, closely allied with General Fran
cisco Villa. ordered the massacre. About
twenty bandits attacked the train. it was
said, while two hundred were grouped
as reserve at one de Of the right Of
way.
Arrivals from Chihuahua City said
that troop train of twenty cars. con
veying between 500 and 1000 Carranza
troops. had preceded the mining com
pany special by about fifteen minutes.
The engine and two cars Of this tram
we're said TO have been derailed by the
bandits in order 10 stop the passenger
train Of Americans. What became Of
the Carranza soldiers Il they were IN
the military train could not be learned
here.
Thomas B. Holmes, the sole foreign
survivor Of the massacre, reached the
border here about noon in state OF
collapse. His statement, as given 70 the
State Department and the press to-
night, follows:
Our train left Chihushua City Mon
dav morning, January 10, AZ about II
o'clock The train was stopped at or
about the ranch Baeza, a point about
five miles west OF Santa Ysabel, be
tween 1880 and o'clock that afternoon.
While the train was standing at the
station Of Santa Ysabel. two armed
Mexicans rode by and scrutinized the
train. The Mexican passengers al Santa
Ysabel told me afterward that the
riders had inquired If there were any
soldiers on the train.
Another Train in Front.
AT the point Of the massacre our
train was stopped in a cut so that the
last car was just inside OF the cut. We
we're stopped by another train, the
front trucks OF one of the coal cars
Of which was seen 10 be off the track.
This was the first we knew Of a train
preceding us. There WAS nobody 20
be seen around the train in front.
When our train was stopped Newman
and were sitting together, and Evans
came up and looked out Of orr window
Evans. Newman, MacHatton and then
got ofF the train. Watson was either
getting of or about 70 do SO, behind
Us. when ] looked back and saw him.
Just after alighting ! heard a vol
Icy Of rife shots from point on the
other side of the cut and Just above
the train. Looking around / could see
a bunch Of about twelve or fifteen men
standing IN a solid line. shoulder to
shoulder. shooting directly az Us. They
were fifty or seventy-hye feet away.
The coach cut off my view so | could
not see how many bandits there were
The depth Of the cut on the side
near the Santa Ysabel River at that
point was about two feet. On the other
side IL was much greater To the rear
Of the train was an embankment de-
clining toward the river. Watson,
after getting off, ran toward the river.
MacHatton and ! followed. Maclist-
ton fell. 7 do not know whether he
was killed then or trpped. Watson
kept running and they were stiil shoot
ing at him when turned and ran down
grade. where fell IN some brush.
probably 100 feet from the rear Of the
train.
Law Under Bank Quiet.
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