The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-29
BLAMES U. S. men
American Troops Advanced IN
Spite of Warming.
INTERPRETER, Captured by Next
cans, Tells of Carrizal Fight.
REPORT SENT TO CARRANzA
Captain Boyd Insisted on Carry
ing Out Orders.
Thought General Gomez was
Trying to Bluff Him.
REPORT SENT TO CARRANzI

Mexico CITY. June 29.-Gen. Jacinto
Trevino. commander or the mexican
,,,il;tarv district of the northeast. has
forwarded to First Chief Carranza the
following statement, which, ne says
was made by Lemuel H. Spillsbury, the
interpreter captured by Trevlno's SOL
diers in the fight at Carrizal:
My name is Lemuel H Splllsnury
and I have been interpreter for Cen
eral Pershing since the troops entered
Mexico. | was without employment
and stone broke, through no work go
ing on around Pearson, near Wnlcn
7 speak good Spanish, having been
raised here I left Casas Grandes
sunday morning as Interpreter TOT
Captain Boyd. There were eighty
seven men all told. being forty-one OF
c troop and forty-five OF X troop.
Captain Morey and Lieutenant Adalr
were with the men, all of the Ienth
cavalry.
Captain Boyd sent a messenger
into Carrizal yesterday morning to the
jefe politico saying he was on a peace
ful mission and asking permission 10
pass through villa Ahumada and for
him TO advise the military autnorltles-
Over Their Dead Bodies.
General Gomez sent out Lieut. Col
tell us that he had orders to stop us
there until he heard further
Captain Boyd said he had heard of
a robbery in Santo Domingo ana the
presence of bandits there and he
wanted 70 run them down. He wanted
also TO re-capture a deserter who had
got away
Lieut.. Colonel Rivas replied there
were no bandits in that place and they
would have to pass over their DEAD
bodies
After further talk. he retired back
TO the town and General Gomez sent
a note asking the Americans to come
into the town for a conference
Ordered to Go Through
Captain Boyd did not like the idea
and said so, whereupon General Go
mez called personally and repeated his
through. He said that his instructions
from General Trevino were that if
the Americans moved to the east, west
OF south of their old positions they
were to be attacked. General Pershing
must know this and that the captain
ought also to know it.
Captain Boyd admitted that he was
aware of the orders, but his own or
ders were to get through Villa
Ahumada and he had to obey.
General Gomez repeated his re-
fussl and said that if the Americans
advanced he would at once fire on
them. Captain Boyd then said all
right bat l think he thought that
General Gomez was only trying to
comply with his orders from his su-
perior and would not really attack.
L. S. Troops Advanced.
General Gomez mad retired to his
men who were lined up on the outside
OF the town when Captain Boyd gave
the order to advance Shortly after,
the firing commenced and our men
i
Lieutenant Adair were killed and Cap
tain Morey was wounded in the Shout
der. but I think he got away.
The ten men who were holding our
horses fled with the lot and we were
surrounded and had to surrender.
saw the dead bodies of Boyd and
Adair. also the bodies of twelve ne
groes. although there might have been
more. I do not know how many Next
cans were killed besides General Go
meZ-
Fault OF Americans.
I consider that the entire fault Of
the fighting belongs to the Americans,
IS General Gomez was very courteous
in his insistence that we retire and
frequently pointed out that he must
be loyal to his superior's orders and
fire on them If they persisted to ad-
vance. But as I said before. Captain
= vd seemed to think they were only
bluffing and seemed to think he
could force a passage in any case
II have been trying to get away
from my employment for some time
because I only accepted work from
General Pershing to ,4elp catch Villa
II possible. and as soon as saw that
the Americans were likely to cause
war with Mexico. 1 tried repeatedly to
get away. because I have many more
Mexican friends than American ones
But General Pershing would not lei
me z and 1 was afraid to try to es-
cane and return to my peoples ranch
near Casas Grandes through fear that
they might punish me.
EN- SPIT CRI-R V -