The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-15
2 AMERICANS, 40 MEMCANS
KILLED IN PARRAL FIGHT
Consul Letcher Reports rs United States Soldiers, Un-
armed, Went Into Town to Get Supplies and Were
Fired Upon by Carranza Garrison.

firing and were quite ready to forestali
nm attack before tho FIRST denomination
was made. The fight probably lasted
only a few minutes, since the American
machine guns commanded the two roads
tiIs' led to the camp from the town.
Gen. Bell said that he had been GER
tain from the first that the fighting had
not taken place In the heart Of the town.
His main reason for that assertion was
his knowledge that no detachment would
be permitted to enter a Mexican town
unless on IA peaceful mission and with
out arms Of any sort.
The Carranza officials are already
seeking to make II appear that the at
tack was made by civilians and that the
CarranSa soldiery were blameless. A
notice posted In Juarcx read:
There was a difficulty between the
American soldiers and some OF the
civilian population of Parral.
Practically all Of the male population
OF Juarez spent the day In front of the
bulletin board. hungry for news. \ TO
liceman who attempted to disperse the
crowd was set upon and beaten.
Mining companies operating in the
rarral district where the lighting took
place Wednesday received messages
from their representatives from which
all mentor Of the engagement was
omitted. This was regarded rs proof
that Mexican officials we're suppressins
the news OF the occurrence. probably
through a desire TO prevent inf,aming
public opinion IN Mexico.
American troops ale ny the line OF COM
| munication sout Of columbus. y. NJ. as
. far as the first base AT Colonia Dublau
are digging in" This news was per
mltted by the censors to come out TO-
day. coupled with the explanation that
the oldiers are getting practice that
may prove valuable In the campaigns
further In the Interior OF Mexico"
However, civilians arriving from Co
louia Dublan to-day asserted that the
intrenchinents appear to be the result or
more h practice work. II In asserted
that they arr carefully guarded and
have mountai guns guarding the ap-
proaches to the camp from every direc-
ton.
This work was begun during the past
few days and followed the shipment OF
. large consignment of intreichmeiit
tools from Columbus. which when sent
In were declared to he for tho purpose
Of digging trenches around the soldiers
tents to run of the water In the event
Of rain.
American soldiers are also being sent
to the Ojitos pass. leading from Sonora
' INTO tnlnudnlN, 10 TeIoTN w P'NsS'e'
OF any Carranza or other soldiers from
the western side Of the pass.
signal fires which have been seen on
the mountains near Colonia Dublan for
the past week have attracted much at
tention in the army camp.
L,ieuts. r.. s. Gorrell and II. A. Dargue
made a scouting tour west VI colonia
! Dublan to-day In an ~aeroplane looking
for the Carranza troops reported coming
So .- A.,s HntI,I 10 hnh ANY
trace Of them.
The observations OF the Lieutenants
! confirmed the declaration OF carranzis-
tas to-day at Douglas that Gen. Arnulfo
Gomez II stili in Aqua Pricta. awaiting
orders from Secretary OF War Oregon
before moving the $500 carranxa troops
he has massed near the Sonora-Chihua-
hua state line. Three hundred thousand
rounds of ammunition were imported
into Aqua frieta by the tarrlnEistas
to-day.
While not only proving the value OF
the aeruplane for scouting in their work
to-day. Lieuts. C;orrell and l'arHue es-
tall,shed "A new record for United states
army fiers, covering $40 miles In -FOUR
hours and five minutes. TWENTY-FIVE
miles more than the record recently
made at Newport News, Va. In the
same time.
one report the Americans heard at
I IN, Casas ,;randes has. was that the
Americans were far beyond villa ana
that he stood in the plaza at Cruces
with a blanket wrapped around his race
and watched the American cavalry
troops pass through Cruces going south.
This report had been brought :" camp
from Cruces by one NJ the scouts more
than "A week ago. II. also reported that
villa was standing IN the mlds of car
rama soldiers as the United states
cavalry passed.
The Americans before leaving the
base heard that a Mexican had been ar
rested at Namiauipa by Carranza troops
ON suspicion ~ being a Nillista spy.
The man was riding IA horse which was
identified az belonging tn the Thirteenth
cavalry. The Mexican also wore an
American cavalry uniform under his old
denim suit. H. viii lie probably shot
AN a spy. according to the information
at the American "A