Arizona republican., 1916-06-22

According to the story they told us the Mexican command was concealed in !, the underbrush when 1t discovered the ! American cavalry men riding toward l them over the sand. General Felix Co., 1 meg, the Mexican commander, immedi- stely sent courier asking for barley under flag of truce with the Ameri- can commander. The barley was ar ranged and as the Mexican leader and two aides started forward, the Ameri- cans suddenly depIoyed in semi circu- lar skirmish line.
 General Gomez, apparently believing he was about to be attacked, raised his arm and sisnaled a machine gun in the rear to open fire on the Americans. The machine gun swept the cavalry ranks, causing heavy losses
 Immediately. however. detachment of American troopers dashed forward, under heavy fire to the center of the field where General Gomez and his staff were sitting on their horses. In the resultant encounter, one of the cav alrymen killed the Mexican leader with his pistol, while the remainder of the Carranzista party escaped to their own lines"
 The two Americans said their infor- nation that the American dead mum bered Y, and that the Mexicans had taken forty prisoners.
 Neither H"bhel nor Maxey was able to learn whether the Americans had retreated, it being pointed out that all of the Mexicans with whom they talked apparently left the field before tho engagement had been completed. Late tonight preparations apparent ly were under way for the peaceful evacuation Of Jusrez. Several troop trains were pulled into the railroad yards ready for immediate use.
 Andres Garcia, Mexican consul in Fl Faso. crossed the Rio Grande following the first reports of the engagement, and remained with General Gonzales through the night. He kept in touch wi,h General Bell on the American side by telephone. however. Neither the consul nor the Mexican military author iucs would discuss reports of the pro- posed evacuation.
 X large number of citizens of the town were busy loading their house. hold goods on vans and other vehicles. ostensibly to transport them to the south
 Numbers of persons gathered about the plaza immediately news of the bat tie became public, but there were nc demonstrations, the Mexicans apparent iy continuing themselves to speculation as Co the consequences. Heavy patrols were thrown into the streets with in- q
 At General Gomez headquarters a victory for Mexico was being claimed The scene in the front room of the Comandancia, where the younger of ficers were gathered, was holiday like Several of them, speaking of the bat tie. said, We won" They remained composed, however, and made little other reference to the incident
 .IuareZ first learned of the fight, in vague form, in the early afternoon. Tn, civilian population then began to pacl their household goods. Many had al ready left for interior points by morn ing train@ in anticipation of trouble Others crossed to Fl Paso later in tn day
 A curious scene of the later day wa l iTOCtSslpii DI ciNlliitlS cdTTylnS dTII1s In age they ranged from small boys not as tall as their guns, up to ben old men, Most of them were in tn ragged dress of the peon, but som belonged to the better class and wor good clothes.
 Warlike activity was first noticed 8 the railway yard where string freight cars lay coupled to several da coaches that bore the name of the arm corps of the north. number of me were employed there in slowing sack of beans and of flour, bales of forae and miscellaneous safesly supplies. La in the afternoon. q faI ier large bod of Mexican cavalry passed through u town toward the hills. Many wagoi filled with women and children wei bound also in that direction.
 At sundown the soldiers off du were lOitering about the streets, whi the civilians left behind sat on the doOrsteps to enjoy the cool of u evening.
 A noticeable feature was the gaie