The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-05-12
Kill Three Troopers and 9.Year
Old Boy
GLENN SPRINGS THE SCENE
v. S. Cavalry. Ordered In Pursuit
Heroic Fight Put up by Small
U. S. Patrol, All Of Whom
Are Wounded.

inland on American soil, raided the
little settlement of Glenn Springs and
attacked a detachment of American
cavalry consisting of nine men ot
Troop A, the Fourteenth Cavalry.
Three troopers and a 10year- old
boy were killed, two cavalrymen were
wounded and another is missing He
Is believed to be a prisoner OF the
bandits who are now fleeing south
ward into Coahuila, Mexico.
Two American citizens. ]. Deemer
and man named Compton, accord
Ing to reports received here, were
carried across the Rio Grande and re-
ports have II their tbroats were cut.
A posse OF so citizens of Marathon
went in pursuit of the Villistas. and
United States cavalry have been or
dered to join in the chase
The missing trooper is Private
Roscoe Tyree. The little boy was
the son OF Compton. He was deaf
and dumb, and the bandits are
thought to have killed him because he
could not answer their questions.
The two wounded troopers, Private
]. Brick and Frank Defree, were
brought here this afternoon badly
wounded Bricks body was filed
with small brass pieces of tacks fired
from shot gun. Defree was burned
about the head and shoulders.
In a little adobe house. nine cav
alINmen made their fight for life
against the 70 or more Villista ban
dts at Glenn Springs. A hail OF shot
poured for more than two hours into
the single window, but the cavalry
men kept upa steady rife fire in de-
fant answer Then the Mexicans'
leader ordered fire balls to be thrown
on the thatched roof.
The blazing weed tortured the SOL
diers below and burned their heads
and bodies. Smashing the door, the
troopers broke for the open, firing as
they ran Two were shot and kill
ed as they fed. One is missing and
It is believed he is dead. Another
was killed as he tried to climb
lUIOuSH d WlluOW.
According 70 the story brought
here, the Mexican bandits first at
tackled store and one or two houses
I'm BoQuillas. where they made Dee
mer and Compton prisoners, and then
sped Is miles northward 10 make
their attack on Glenn Springs, which
Is fringed by rugged hills At
Glenn Springs they wrecked a wax
factory belonging TO William Ellis,
his store and residence. besides one
or two other small buildings.
At $50 Thursday evening the main
BODY Of 50 TO 20 Mexican bandits
forded the Rio Grande at Bouuilas
and swept into the little settlement
shouting Death TO the Gringos!'
The bandits looted the store OF J..
Deemer and set it on fire. Deemer
and n clerk named Compton were
seized and bound. The bandits
packed their loot on their horses and.
after setting one or two small frame
houses ablaze, galloped away north
ward
Heading to Marathon, Tex, the BAN
dts in their night ride came upon
Glenn Springs, where small detach-
ment Of nine cavalrymen under COM
mand of Sergt. Smyth of Troop A.
14th cavalry, was stationed.
The Mexicans appeared suddenly on
the top of n hill beneath which Glenn
Springs nestles. Noting their num-
bers, Private Brick on outpost duty
emptied his revolver TO rouse the
camp and then dashed back to the
tent. Sergt. Smyth and Private Cros-
KEN jumped 10 the fly OF the tent
Observing numbers Of Mexicans at
hand. they ran to the adobe hut where
the six other cavalrymen were pre-
paring to make their defense.
The door of the house. which had
only one window, was barred ana
Sergt. Smyth, seeing that his men
were outnumbered by 10 TO one, gave
orders to shoot carefully and not
waste the ammunition.
The bandits poured constant fusi-
lade at the window and door or the
adobe house. NOT an AWtTlCdl So'
alryman fell in the exchanges.
The little band took turns shooting
from the window. Bloodstains in the
dry ground around the house was the
only evidence that the bandits suner-
ed in the attack, but Sergt Smyth be-
Iieves that seven or eight bandits
were killed and some were wounded
For three long hours the fight went
on. The Mexicans fought in skirmish n
formation. proving to Sniyth that ne
was dealing with military body
Unable TO rout the Americans IRON,
their mud-walled fort. the leader oil
the Mexican band gave orders 10
throw fire balls on the roof, when
quickly started TO burn. There was
no water in the house 10 check the
flames. and the heat became so IN
tense that the faces and backs OF the
,oldiers were blistered.
81 can't stand II any longer, crieo
Private VIM. Cohen. "1'll take anoth
or shot and then try and make IL
through the window"