Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-16
AMERICANS
FORD RIVER
7 0 S 7 0P
ON
FL PA s 0
Begin Enve|oping Movement
to Surround Rebels; Heavy
Firing by Yank Artillery.
in Progress Monday.

Ell Paso, Tex, June 16.-Fol-
lowing the killing of one artillery
man Of the 82d artillery and the
serious wounding of another by
Mexican snipers Sunday night,
General Erwin ordered Is expert
riflemen to that point to return
the snipers' fire. The shots which
killed the artilleryman were fred
before American artillery began
the bombardment of the race
track.
Ell Paso, Tex, June 16.-Francisco
Villas rebel band was stationed in
the Juarez racetrack 80 minutes be-
fore American artillery fired the
first shot on the grandstand Mon
day morning at 1890, it was an
nounced at military headquarters.
1t was not known whether or not
Villa was there personally. .-
h A second shot followed in five
minutes, which struck near the race
track, followed at two-nlinute inter
vals from two guns placed near the
international bridge on the Mexican
side.
Following a signal rocket, tire
American cavalry near San Lorenzo,
Chihuahua, started an enve1oping
movement to the east and southeast
of Juarez to surround the rebels,
who were then in the vicinity of the
racetrack. A second green signal
rocket indicated the cavalry was a j.
vancing at charge. Heavy firing
by American artillery continues.
El Paso witnessed the battle
from the roofs of buildings, tops of
box cars and lumber piles along the
river front. Spectators crowded the
taller buildings and every available
elevation, even the top of the gas
plant tank, was dotted with specta-
tors.
When bullets Whizzed over the
housetops there was general
scurrying for cover. AS the fight
ing was more to the south tonight
than last night, more bullets were
falling on the American side of the
line than during the initial engage
luent
The Oath infantry, Fourth bat
talon, crossed the international
border to Juarez at II o'clock Sun
day night. The Fifth and Seventh
cavalry regiments crossed at three
fords east of FL Paso.
$500 Troops in Mexico.
A battalion of the SD artillery
crossed east of the stockyards.
There were approximately $500
American troops on Mexican soil
ten minutes after they were ordered
to make the crossing.
Col. Selah R., H. 1ompkins of the
Seventh cavalry was in command OF
the cavalry brigade, which crossed
at the fords, and Colonel Hadsell
was in command of the infantry.
Two armored motor cars rumbled
over the bridge at 1855 p. nl., going
to Juarez.
The reason given at military head
quarters for ordering the troops to
cross was ito prevent firing from
the Mexican side on El Paso." Brig
adler General Erwin refused to COM
ment at the time of the crossing.
Negro Soldiers On Patrol.
Juarez, June 16.-Negro soldiers
of the oath infantry were patrolline
tire principal streets of Juarez after
midnight. All Americans without
special permits were taken to the
bridge and ordered to the American
side. Juarez is qtMt. No shots
have been fired by or at the Ameri
| can soldiers.
Fighting was resumed in Juarez
between federal and rebel Mexican
troops at 4:40 p. m. By E O'Clock
the rifle FIRE was more general thar
at any time last night. Fedora
troops charged the rebels as they
advanced down Gale Commercio
the principal business street, repuls
ing them as they did last night.
This dashing cavalry charge wa:
| costly to the federals, however, a:
Col. ]. Gonzales Escobar, garrison
commander and hero of the earl,
| morning battle today, was wounded
FIVE times and hurried to Ell Pase
for medical treatment.
| Starting just ~ hours after Villa
first appeared before Juarez, Satur'
Gay night, preparatory to ,givins
battle, the fight Sunday nigh
swung to the south and was ii
progress around the abandoneI
Juarez agricultural college, where
(Csntinued On Page Two. Coldmu F1Te.)