Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-11-21
REFUGEES TELL THE
STORY Of PARRAL
Think Americans We're
Caught by Villa But Their
Fate Unknown


~ happened at Parral was told here
today by four weary Americans, en-
aelated and bedraggled after II days
of travel over mountains and desert,
making hurried spurts by night and
hiding through the day time, who
crossed the border here at $3.50 last
night
Safe and sound in an American hotel
between American linen, the four min
ing men who fled from Parral, after
l2 hours sleep told their story today.
Francisco Villa entered Parral un-
opposed at the head of an army of
5000 men November 3. His first act
was to imprison all foreigners.
Leslie Webb, +. j. Hawkins, Jr.,
Bernard Mcdonald and A. w. Norris
the four Americans, told their story
here today.
The de facto troops stationed at Par
raj offered no opposition. Many re-
mained behind after the main body of
Carranzistas had evacuated the place.
Led by Hawkins, the Americans
escaped from Parral the night before
the Villistas took the city. They re-
mained in q camp outside the city hid
ing while the Villistas were establish
ing quarters there. The American men
exchanged messages with foreigners in
side the city through gap in the
Villista guard line. The miners stated
they were unable to ascertain whether
eight Americans were included among
fifty-odd foreigners in the place when
Villa took possession. The Mexican
messenger who kept the hiding Amer
leans posted secured several mules and
some supplies, With these the four
Americans started afoot for Culiacan,
go miles distant. After crossing
mountains infested with Yaqui indians
and Villista sympathizers, Hawkins and
his companions reached Culiaean Nov
ember is and from that point reached
the American border by railway.
Webb and Mcdonald declared they
were certain that eight Americans were
caught in Parral when Villa swept in.
They failed to heed the warning of
Edward Koch, German vice consul, who
fled with a number of foreigners
October % on a special train loaded
with supplies. The train was headed
for Santa Rosalia.
When informed that Santa Rosalia
had been reported taken by Villa the
refugees were unanimous in the opin-
ion that the German is probably a
prisoner Of Villa.
The names of The eight Americans
believed trapped at Parral are:
I, w. +. Palmer, superintendent Dur
ango railroad; Howard Gray, Jake
Never, a merchant; Thomas Flanagan,
n phvsician; w. c. Bryan, reputed TO
be a cousin of William j.. Bryan; Z.
Colwell| mill foreman; Andrew urqu-
hart, mine foreman and William Scott,
merchant.
The Americans who remained, as
well as the entire white foreign popu'
lation of Parral the refugees declare
have been massacred or are prisoners
of Villa. Fifty Chinese and 20 or more
Syrians and Turks were massacred,
according to word brought to the four
Americans while hiding outside Parral.
Recountal of the four Americans was
confirmed by DR.. Cordova, Mexican
physician, who arrived here today from
Parral. He exhibited ''string of
ears" cut from the heads of >he Car
rama soldiers by the bandits at Par
raj. DR.. Cordova brought word of the
execution of German named Hoe
muller. Cordova declared Hoemuller
mistook Villa for Carranza official.
Hawkins and Webb. expressed the firm
belief that all of the eight Americans
at Parral have been slaughtered. They
admit there was possibility that
some of them might have escaped.