The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-04-18
MEX|CANS ATTACK
AMERICAN TROOPS;
MANY ARE KILLED
U. S. Soldier Slain in Clash With
Mob at ParraI.
$50 CIVILIANS DEAD, REPORT
Pershing's Men Fired Upon Without
Warning When They Entered
Town-Carranza Again Asks
Withdrawal of Army.


of Parra1.
The attack on the American force
was made with arms issued by the
Carranza garrison commander at that
point
The force attacked was a detach-
ment of the Thirteenth cavalry which
chased Pancho Villa across the Duran
go border on Monday night.
The troops had been forced to turn
back for lack Of supplies. They had
no warning of the attack and were
half way through the town when the
firing began.
To protect themselves they dis
mounted, deployed and returned the
fire.
$50 Mexcans Killed.
The telegraphic advices by which
the news Of the engagement was con-
veyed to the border tell that not less
than one hundred and fifty Mexicans
were killed.
These messages also carried the as
sertion that members of the Carranza
garrison took part in the fighting.
~. S. Entered Without Right"
Washington, April 14.-Following
are the official Mexican versions of
the fight at Parral
The dispatches given out by the
Mexican embassy follow:
'Queretaro, April 12.-Mr. Eliseo
Arredondo, Mexican Embassy, Wash
iy,n II
orable Secretary Lansing and inform
him that today at l p. m. a column Of
$50 American soldiers entered the city
of Parral. The mayor of the city,
Jose De LaLuZ Herrera, Immediately
called the attention of the commander
of this column to the inconvenience of
his entering the city, his soldiers i'm
mediately withdrawing, but when they
were leaving the people protested and
the mayor and military commanders
tried to control them with their ap-
peals in order to prevent friction, but
owing to the imprudence of a civilian
who fired a shot a general disorder
followed in which one American sol
dier was killed and several civilians
were wounded by shots by Americans.
Mob Checked by Commanders.
Military commanders succeeded in
checking the mob at Maturonana to
order them from following American
troops, forming a Gordon of constitu-
tiOnalist soldiers. In this connection
the Mexican government warned the
government of the United States from
the beginning that it would be unwise
for American troops to pass through
cities due to the impossibility to avoid
friction between them and the people
and our forces at an unexpected mo-
ment.
THE American government, to that
effect agreed to give the necessary
instructions to it's troops to have them
abstain from occupying any towns.
The Mexican government deplores the
occurrence, but it was beyond it's eff
forts to prevent it and insists with
the American government on the ne
cessity of Withdrawing it's troops from
our soil in order not to give room for
the alteration of the good and cordial
relations which both countries are
obliged to preserve.
(Signed) "AGUILAR."
Many Deaths on Both Sides.
"Queretaro, April 12.-Eliseo Are
dondo, Mexican Embassy, Washington
After message sent you by Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs Aguilar, the
secretary of war received a message
from General Gutierrez dated at Chi
huahua informing him that it had been
impossible for military commanders to
check the mob against American
troops who entered Parral, and fight
this evening had occurred between our
people and the American forces, that
many deaths had occurred on both
sides.
General Obregon has already given
orders to prevent continuation of bat
tie. but the excitement is so great
among the people that | fail to know
whether the struggle can be stopped.
Call on the secretary of state and adj
wise him that the occurrence is due to
the unwise action of the American
commander in having entered Parral
without the permission of the authori-
ties, violating the orders of that gov
eminent forbidding the occupation Of
towns by American forces.
Withdrawal Demanded,
Please cause the secretary of state
to see that it is unwise for American
troops to remain any longer on our
soil, as more serious incidents than
the present one. which we must avoid
at all costs, may develop. Please make
use of any arguments you may deem
advisable to put an end to the situa
ton created by the presence Of Ameri-
can troops in our territory. I will
keep on advising you through the for
eign Office Of any further incidents.
(Signed) ''V. CARRANZA."
Plum Pie.