Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-01-19
MEXICAN MASSACRE SURVIVOR
Gives Details of Attack on Americans.
Many Were Killed.

day. 1t was authOritatively stated
that Gen. Pablo Lopez, n faquo chief
tain, closely allied with Gen. Francis
co Villa, ordered the massacre. About
90 bandits attacked the train, 1t was
said, while 200 we're grouped as a re.
serve at one side Of the right Of way.
Arrivals from Chihuahua City said
that troop train Of 20 cars, convey
ing between 500 and 900 Carranza
troops, had preceded the mining COM
pany special by 5 minutes. The en-
gine and two cars Of this train we're
said to have been derailed by the
bandits in order to stop the passenger
train Of Americans. What became Of
Carranza soldiers, If they were in the
military train, could not be learned.
Thos. b. Holmes, the sole foreign
survivor of the massacre, reached the
border here about noon in state Of
collapse.
Following Is the statement of Mr..
Holmes, as given to the State Depart
ment and press tonight:
"Our train left Chihuahua City on
Monady morning, January 10, at
about II o'clock. The train was
stopped at or about the ranch Baeza,
point about five miles west Of Santa
Ysabel, between 100 and o'clock
that afternoon. While the train was
standing at the station Of Santa Ysa-
bel, two armed'Nlexicans rode by and
scrutiniZed the train. The Mexican
passengers at Santa Ysabel told me
afterward that the riders had inquir-
ed If there were any soldiers on the
train. At the point Of the massacre
our train was stopped in a cut. SO
that the last car was just outside Of
the cut. We were stopped by ano-
ther train---the front trucks Of one
Of the coal cars Of which was seen to
be on the track. This was the first
we knew Of train preceding us.
There was nobody to be seen around
the train in front. When our train
was stopped Newman and l were sit
ting together. and Evans came up
ans, Newman, McHatton and l then
got Off the train. Watson was either
getting Off or about to do so behind
us when l looked back and saw him.
Of rifle shots from a point on the
other side Of the cut, and just above
the train. Looking around l could
see bunch Of about twelve or fifteen
men standing in solid line, shoul-
der to shoulder. shooting directly at
MS. They were so or rs feet away
The coach cut off my view. SO could
not sec how many bandits there were.
Scene Of Massacre.
The depth OF the cut on the side
near the Santa Ysabel river at that
point was about two feet. On the
other side it was much greater. To
the rear Of the train was an embank-
mcnt declining toward the river. Wat
son, after getting off, ran toward the
river. MaclIatton fell do not
know whether he was killed then or
trippcd. Watson kept running and
they were still shooting at him when
l turned and ran down grade, where
] fell in some brush. probably 100
feet from the rear OF the train. lay
there perfectly quiet, and looked
around, and could see the Mexicans
shooting IN the direction in which
Watson was running. | saw they
We're not shooting at me, and think
ing they believed me already dead, |
took a chance and crawlcd into some
thicker bushes. | crawled through
the bushes until reached the bank
of the stream. | then made my way
to a point probably 100 yards from
the train. There | lay under the
bank for half an hour, and heard
shots by ones. twos and thrccs.
did not hear any sort Of groans or
yels or cries from our Americans.
Then | continued farther under the
bank. wading the stream part Of the
time, until | reached point prOba-
bly, 200 yards from the train. There
remained half or three-quarters Of
an hour. Later. after going to sevc-
raj ranch houses. and picking my way
cautiously for several miles, | met up
with an unknown Mexican, who di-
rected me to chihuahua City. |
reached there Tuesday morning