Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-22

returned to their base at an early hour tonight.
 Story Told by an American.
 A story brought to Fl Paso by. J. S.. Hubble, an American who has been employed by the Compania Agrfcola at Bouquillas, bears out several of the details of the engagement presented by General Gomez. Hubbless story was corroborated by James Maxey, another American, who also was on his way to H1 Paso from the interior. Hubble and Maxey said that while their train was stopping at Villa Ahunada they Eoticed numbers of dead and wounded being brought in and were told by a Carranza captain that a battle had taken place. The captain informed them, they said, that a number of Americans, prisoners, had been locked in cattle car and were to be taken to Chihuahua City to be hanged
 They mentioned Mexican soldiers who told them that several hundred Americans and 120 Mexicans had been engaged.
 Boasted of Ambush. Hubble and Maxey said that some of the Mexicans openly boastad that the Anericans had been drawn into an ambush.
 sThe Mexican officers at Villa Aglu- rA@fAtAA -NA ~Nf~& @4AS5 t5fs~tT1A courtesy. said NEf Hubble
 They answered our questions unIet- ly and with no sFo wof antipathy or excitement.
 Mexican Command Was Concealed. According to the story they told us, the Mexican command was con- cealed in the underbrush when it dis 1 covered the American cavalrymen rid ing toward them over the sand Gen eral Felix Gomez. the Mexican com mander, immediately sent courier, asking for a barley, under a flag of truce. with the American co1nnan1er Iepe barley was arranged and as the Mexican leader and two aides started l forward the Americans suddenly de- I ployed in a semi circular skirmjsh line.
 General Gomex signaIIed Machine Cur
 General Gomez, apparently believ- ing he was about to be attacked raised his arm and Signalled machine gun in tn ereaE to open fire on the Americans. The machine gun swept the cavalry ranks, causing heavy I losses.
 American Troops Dashed Forward.
 Immediately, however, detach- I ment of American troopers Mashed forward, under heavy fire, to the cen ter of the field, where General Gomez and his staff were sitting on tpleil horses. In the resultant encounter one of the cayairymen killed the Mexican leader with his pistol. while the re- mainder of the Carranza party es.
 capped to their own 1ines.'
 The two Americans said that theil
 informatton was that the American
 dead numbered IT and that the ATexi. cans had taken 40 prisoners
 Neither Maxey nor Hubble was abl, to learn whether the Mexicans iat :. faH fl IefT1 | , of the Mexicans with whom the1 ]. talked apparently left the field beforI the engagement had been complefad \ Late tonight preparations apparenfl. were under way for the peaceful evac uation of Juarez. Several troop trains wera pulled into the railroas ] yards ready for immediate use. AndreaS Garcia, Mexican consul il
 Ell Paso, crossed the Rio Grande fol : lowing the first reports of the en 3 gagement and remained with Genera Gonzales through the night. He kep in touch with General Bell on tn ! American side by telephone, however ! Neither the consul nor the Mexica, 3 military authorities would discuss re ports of the proposed evacuation. A large number of the citizens c I the town were busy loading thei :. household goods on vans and otlle
 vehicles, ostensikiy to transport tl1er . to the south
 Numbers of persons gathered abor : the plaza immediately when news 2
 the battle became public but ther : were no demonstrations Heavy na
 trcls were thrown into the street \ with instructions to put down an 2 disorders.
 d Mexicans Claiming Victory. Q At General Gomez's headduarterss
 victory for Mexico was elaine, The scene In the front rot,l . of the commandacfa, where tF n younger officers were gathered. w ' holiday like. Several of them. speal q ing Of the battle, said:
 We won!"