Bisbee daily review., 1916-06-22


 detachment was made up largely of negroes.
 After General Bell had received the first reports from Consul Garcia, J. C. Huppel, an American who had been employed by the Compania Agri- cola at Boquillas, reported to him that while aboard a train on the Mexican National Railway about noon today he saw approximately twenty dead and wounded lying in the station at Villa Ahumada. Huppel said he was unable to determine whether or not there were any Americans among them.
 General Bell transmitted all avail able reports of the clash to General Funston and orders were issued to commanding officers of all detach- ments of the American border patrol to be particularly alert. He also as sured Consul Garcia that all persons on this side of the river who behav themselves" will be protected by the American military.
 According to General Gonzales, he was informed by General Gomez at Villa Ahumada last night of the pres ence of the Americans westward be- tween Villa Ahumada and Fl Valle. He says he immediately instructed General Gomez to proceed to the San to Domingo ranch. where the Ameri- cans were reported ''in unknown force." and advise their commander to retire to their camp.
 This, he says, General Gomez did this morning The American com mander. whose name was not given by General Gomez. is said to have re- piled that he was instructed to pro ceed to Villa Ahumada and must do so.
 Machine Gun Deadly.
 Which ever side began the engage ment the MeXicans had the advant- age for they had been provided with machine gun. and this is supposed to have done deadly execution in the ranks of the Americans. That the latter were not inefficient, however, was proved by the number of Mexican dead and wounded removed to Villa Ahumada and witnessed by Americans coming north on a train bound to JuareZ.
 Story of Battle.
 The battle began about 10:30 a. m. and lasted not more than an hour. It apparently ended by both sides with drawing. The failure of General Pershing to report on it, indicates that the American survivors had not yet returned to their base at an early hour tonight.
 A story brought to Fl Paso by :. C. Hubble .an American who has been employed by the Compania Agricola at Boquillas, bears out several of the details Of the engagement presented was corroborated by James MaXey. another American. who also was on his way to Fl Paso from the interior. Hubble and MaXey said that while their train was stopping at Villa An umada they noticed numbers of dead and wounded being. brought in and were told by Carrancista captain that a battle had taken place. The captain informed them, they said, that a number of American prisoners had been imprisoned in a cattle car aud
  10 be hanged They mentioned Mexi- can soldiers. who told them that sever hundred Americans and 120 MeM- cans had been engaged.
 "The Mexican officers at Villa An umada treated us with the greatest courtesy. said Mir. Hubble. They an swered our questions quietly and with no show of antipathy or excite ment"
 According to the story they told us the Mexican command was concealed in the underbrush when it discovered the American cavalrymen riding to- ward them over the sand. General Felix Gomez, the Mexican commander, immediately sent courier asking for a barley under lag oi truce with the American commander. The barley was arranged and as the Mex ican leader and two aides started for ward. the Americans deployed in a semi-circular skirmish line.
 General Gomez, apparently believ- ing he was about to be attacked, raised his arm and signalled a ma chine gun in the rear to open fire on tlt AlltIGCdllS. Ht gun swept the cavalry ranks, causing heavy losses.
 Kills General.
 Immediately. however. a detach- ment of American troopers dashed forward under a heavy fire to the center of the field where General Gomez and his staff were sitting on their horses. In the resultant encoun- ter. one of the cavalrymen killed the Mexican leader with his pistol. while the remainder of the Carrancista par ty escaped to their own lines"
 17 Dead: 30 Prisoners.
 The two Americans said their infor nation that the American dead num- bered r and that the Mexlcans hac. taken 30 prisoners.
 Neither Hubble 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 the engagement had been com-