The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-22
BIG CLASH In MEXICO REPORTED
Twelve AMERICAN NEGRO SOLDIERS
MASSACRED IN MEXICAN AMBUSH

Casas Grandes on account OF anti
American demonstrations there. If
General Pershing has Immediately
sent re1nforcements to the Tenth
cavalry, another battle in the vicinity
OF Villa Ahumada is imminent, in the
view of officials here.
General Gonzales issued a state
ment declaring that Tuesday night
he received information of an armed
force OF unknown strength at Santo
Domingo ranch and he instructed
Gomez to inform the American Of
ficer to return to his camp. Con
zales stated that the American COM
mander replied he must reach Villa
Alnumada. When the United States
troopers entered Carrizal they were
Immediately attacked and forced to
retire. According to Gonzales, the
Carranzistas hold Carrizal today and
the Americans are camped in the
nearby foothills. The Americans
captured were transferred to Chi
huahua City under heavy guard. ac-
cording to General Gonzales. A train
load Of Mexican wounded also were
taken to the hospitals in the state
capital.
Indications today pointed to the
early evacuation Of Juarez by the
Mexican forces in the event OF war
with the United States. Mexican
refugees have been flocking to this
side of the border Trains under full
steam are being held in the Juarez
yards. It is thought the defacto gov
ernment intends evacuating practic-
ally all border towns and mobilizing
at interior points now being fortified
to resist American forces.
1t is rumored Carranzista agents
visited bandit camps south of Nam
iquipa for the purpose of securing
their cooperation in fighting the
United States troops. The bandits
are said to have refused, preferring to
work alone.
Mexican Consul Andres Garcia de-
MED by telephone that he intended
remaining on the Mexican side where
ha went last night. He stated that
the consulate would remain open in
LII Paso and that he would return to
1t this afternoon. Garcia admitted he
crossed the border because he con-
sidered himself safer in Juarez.
Asked if Juarez would be evacu-
ated, Garcia denied any such tnten-
tion on the part of the Carranza
troops. "Why the hell should we
Garcia asked.
Juarez streets, however, were COM
paratively deserted before noon. Only
a sprinkling of soldiers was to be
seen on its streets. A large part Of
its civilian population was encamped
in the southern outskirts.
Blames the Americans.
MEXICO CITY, June 22.-General |
Pershing's defiance of the instructions |
given him by General Trevino to make |
no further advance into Mexico |
caused the battle at Carrizal station |
on the Mexican Central railway, the !;
war Office announced today
The official statement reported the |
battle occurred on Sunday, June IS. |
The American forces were moving i,
southwark when the engagement oc-
Cured They were driven back and
seventeen taken prisoners. General
Felix Gomez was fatally wounded and
died after the battle.
General Obregon's version Of the
Carrizal clash was that the American
forces tried to occupy the station of
Carrizal of the Mexican Central rail-
way and General Trevino ordered 1t
to be attacked"
Obregon quoted from a report made