Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-19


to cost soldiers lives
of Torreon, and about Durango. fur
nished reports of a battle between
small bands of outlaws and consttu-
tionalst troops. One of these bandit
organizations in the fight near Tor
reon was credited with being Villa
organization. Nothing was available
tonight upon the outcome of this hght.
Americans who said they dared not
permit the use of their names arrived
here today with details of the hard
ships of their exodus.
I'VE met last Sunday said one of
these Americans. lin hotel room in
Torreon. Twenty of the Americans de-
cided to stay behind and take their
chances. Some Of this number said
they would have to remain until they
could put their business into some sort
of shape.
"On Monday there was no train. We
became very anxious. The officers of
the garrison were not discourteous, but
there was a feeling of resentment
among the soldiers that we did not
like. On Tuesday morning at o'clock
We succeeded in making up a train, in
which the employees and their families
from the Tlahualilo plantation had one
tai Rubber Company of Torreon an
other. and the third box car was oc-
eupied by the employees of the Torreon
Smelter.
Why They Left Torreon.
without any accommodations what
ever and sitting on the floor and on our
baggage. We began the journey north
east At Pantano we had to wait for
some twenty hours to make connection
af oil d.,
majority Of the refugees went I'D a few
hours earlier by the Laredo route.
I've left Torreon because to us it
We felt that If the constitutionalists re-
taiiated we would be made prisoners
and we knew that II Villa or his many
sympathizers in Torreon were to take
the city or murder the small garrison
we would all be massacred; and taking
everything into consideration, we felt
there was only one thing to do and that
was to come out and wait until the
country was restored to order.
The food supply in Torreon is very
anything. They have no work to enable
them to earn money and the supply of
corn ana Deans is much drawn upon The
people with money can buy pretty much
what they wish, but it takes money. l
should not hesitate to say that there
are 10000 unemployed men in Torreon.
Lack Of Work Makes Soldiers.
1T is the lack of work that makes the
Mexicans OF the lower class follow SOL
diering at all. know them well enough
to know that they would much rather be
engaged in peaceful pursuits. The middle
classes in Torreon. as well as in all
Mexico. are responsible for the state of
anarchy. and naturally they are fighting,
not for any principles. but for their
own protection.
In the party that came I'D from Tor
reon we had some forty-two men. women
ana children. OF this number twenty
Two were Americans. the remainder being
Germans, French and English. A. the
junction point where one train went IN
Eagle Pass and the other to Laredo we
met coaches full Of Americans and for
elsners coming out of Mexico City and
san Luis Potosi. All told the same story
~ney thought intervention had come and
tnat II was better to be out of the coun-
try.
AS to Torreon. it has only a small
garrison, and II is difficult to saw how
many OF the men are Villa sympathiz-
ers Villa is said to have told nersons
coming into Torreon that he wouId taks
the city by March 25 and, IL he wanted
TO- ~ would be very simple proposi-
ton"
American Cattleman Missing.
Mrs. Leroy s. Davis, wife of an
american cattleman who has been
missing since last October, TODAY
sought aid Of the British consul ar
Tepic. Mexico, to search for her hus-
band. Her letters to him have come
| back with the words across the face.
Cannot be found"
The Columbus camp was entoyinp a
iull today. Certain troops have been
dispatched "somewhere" and "certa,n
| others" have arrived" and taken Tho
places of those who have gone into ,he
| SAND waste lying south of the railway
| track. The aeroplanes have been test
ed out and seem to be awaiting trans
poft. The big special motor trucks
flights. are just now busy with the
more prosaic duties of carrying fodder
provisions and other supplies. The
NUMBER OF motor trucks will be mate
Italy increased soon. according to re-
ports around the camp.
This morning reveille was blown a,
D O'Clock over in the cavalry camp bui
when the people of Columbus tmrned
OUT OF PED they found nothing but foot
ana moor prints and Uttered sand 4,
what had been populous corner NJ N.
camp. There were still plenty of sol.
dlers on hand. and Columbus biI,ia -
rooms and soft drink pIaces-tbe tnn,,
Is dry-daily take in enough to nav n.
city debt. NN' 'ns
Makes Record Automobile Run
An automobile record between Den
yer and FL Paso. run of 500 miles
was made by Lieut. A. VI. Graham n
the 18th Cavalry. in answering the ca,
to be with his regiment in CoIumbp
by Thursday. II was on the road fiftv
five hours. with seven hours sleep. HI
made the run alone.
The correspondents who have pou
into Mexico with the expedition re
manned slent today on account OF tn
censorship. Ii was said that most q
} them were under polite corral, aIon,
) toward the rear, with the infantry
While this could not be verified, IL wa
a fact that the only members of tn
correspondents party whose presenc
has been definitely reported were IA
J behind the vanguard at last reports
II any newspaper observers are anon,
the leading columns, the censor ha
succeeded in hiding their movement
much moro effectively than he ha
lcloaked the position of the troops.
DeminR. n M fodav incl,,dn,