The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-15

FL pAso. April 1.-two American
soldiers were killed in Wednesdays
fighting at I'arral by Carransa's soldiers
and civilians in sympathy with Car.
ranza. From tho best information OBJ
taihable here. forty Mexicaps are dead.
The Americans we're unarmed and had
entered Parral on a peaceful mission.
BY direct order Of the commander. .
small force Of American troopers went
into Parral to purchase supplies and to
visit the telegraph once for any de-
spatches hat might be there.
Members Of the Carranza garrison
suddenly opened nre. There WAS not
the slightest warning. Within hve
minutes. In which time II took the
American soldiers to regain their horses,
one vas shot dead.
The news of the first downright mani
feststion of the C~arranxistas against the
American bandit hunters was received
from Consul ietcher at chihuahua. Mr..
Lctcher sent a telegram to Brigadier-
Gen. George Bell. Jr., giving the facts
AZ he had gathered them. lie wired:
Twenty-Five unarmed American
soldiers entered parral To buy sup
plies. We're fired upon by Carransa
troops and citizens. Two Americans
were killed. They rctreated to camp
outside OF Parral and returned the FIRE
OF the MeNicans. Forty MexicanN
killed. Machine guns we're used. No
figures on wounded.
Consul Letcher's telegram 70 Gen. Bell.
who promptly transmitted the news to
Gen. Funston. indicated hat a consider.
able force Of the American soldiers must
nave been In camp outside VI PArral,
VILE the small force was sent into tho
town without arms to the telegraph office
aud To- buy supplies. II ia obvious also from
the s~keictoni1cd account Of the affair
aent by Mr.. Letcher that the twenty
i've unarmed Amc: cans must have beer
In deadly peril for tho short time Il
took to regain their camp.
without question they were shot a,
constantly while In RAPID retreat from
Parral when the second American WA,
killed. and il appears also that the Car.
rama troops. reinforced. AZ Mr.. l<tcheI
plainly states. 10y Mexican civilians
made an attack against the camp ir
force and were only beaten of by the
American mach re guns.
There is no ouh whatever that the
United States Consul at Chihuahua sen
an aocurate summary Of the acts. The
truth undoubtedly IL that the small fore,
OF Americans went to parral withou'
the slightest notion that they would h,
fired on by the troops Of the First Chief
that they went into the to,, II Depending
on the professed friendship VI the Car
rama officials. and that they were at
tackled without war; ing and escape<
with difficulty. leaving two Of theil
number dead. The Americans did no
hre upon the Carranzistas until an at
tack in force was made against tn,
American camp.
Army officers here reconstructed foi
themselves a picture OF the surprise at.
tack, the rapid escape and the final re.
pulse Of the MeXicans when they essayec
to capture the camp against the ma
chin. guns.
The American troops near I'arral are
presumably. under command OF Majoi
Frank T%ompkins Of the Thirteenth Cav,
airy. II is nnown that the detachment
sent INTO Parrsl left their arms witt
the main command on the outskirts o.
the All reports received her,
agree absolutely with Mr.. I<etcher's YER
;. sion of the hght-that the American,
were especially careful not to be provo"
cative. but that they were attacked
nevertheless.
There are certain details OF the oc
currence which read differently In tn
various reports. One Of the official ac
counts says that twenty-five unarmcc
American troopers entered the town o
Parral TO buy provisions and To look foI
dispatches.
II seems that the approach OF th'
American troops to the vicinity OF Far
raj had excited the citizens. Gen. Bel
takes that view OF the matter and Ii
inclined to think that two American sol
diers. ole of whom was the first mar
Killed. must have been riding ahead o
the small column that they were free
on as they were nearing or entering th'
town and that their comrades prompt,
retreatcd To the protection OF the mali
camp.
As Gen. Bell and other Officers viewe'
the news. II seemed probable TO ther
that Mexican soldiers and armed civil
ians tried to rush the camp on the heel
Of the unarmed troopers. Without ques
ton the main body in camp heard tn