New-York tribune., 1920-05-31

by the town, were covered with troops.
Santana, coming back from an early
hight, reported the presence OF Lupe
Sanchez himself in a huge hat and
mounted on white horse.
Almost at the same minute the at
tack began. All day from until $50
Carranza fought off the troops he had
counted on for his defense. SANCHEZ
had $500 men; Carranza 1000.
The bathe that ragged between them
was the greatest ever fought IN the
history of the hundred years struggle
for Mexican independence.
AT night the enemy withdrew into
the hills. Perhaps Carranza had won.
But it was impossible to go on. The
twelve engines were dead from lack of
water and oil. Ahead, just beyond the
station, Santana reported the com
plete destruction of six kilometers of
track Behind all bridges We're blown
up. Wounded soldiers lay in rows
alongside the cars. There were no
medical supplies. Nothing was done
for the hurt and dying. Women gave
underwear generously, but few knew
how to bind a wound. There was no
water.
Faint Hope Still fingered
One faint hope still fingered. Per
haps Candido Aguilar had been warned
of the detection Of Lupe Sanchez and
had his troops on the march to the aid
of his chief and father-inlaw.
The next morning, Friday, the l4th.
just one week from the confused but
confident setting forth, the exhausted
and imprisoned trains saw in thcNtirSt
dawn the hills surrounding them liter
ally covered with menacing troops.
The elementos of Candido Aguilar had
indeed arrived, but without their gen
eral. Their officers had heard Of the
turning of Sanchez and, deserting
Aguilar, had hurried to join the stand
ard of the "jefe sublevado.' SO was
the last Carranza hope achieved and
lost in one stroke.
The Carranzistas got down from
their trains and, stretching out, this
time from both sides Of the track, went
to the attack. Within the first fifteen
minutes of fighting 25O unmountcd
horses returned from the charge.
From the rear Santana brought the
report Of the close advance of Trevino
with $500 Obregonista cavalry.
At 8 o'clock the desperate Carran-
2istas poured gasoline on the two cars
containing the nations archives and
set fire to all of their records Of their
own regime and some of the most val
luable documents in their country's
history, They opened the two cars
containing the nations money and
loaded all the gold possible into saddle
bags. More was hurriedly buried in
a frantic effort to keep it from falling
into the hands of their enemies.
All this in the midst of pandemoni-
UNI The President ordered all trains
abandoned and the march on foot to
the town of San Andres. Confusion
relgned IN the cars every one trying 70
There is indiscriminate dressing and
undressing. Many uniforms and
pseudo uniforms suddenly are seen no
more. All wish to appear zen civil"
One good-looking young man, who
until that moment had been y. c-; bic
for a fantastic military outfit that
seemed to have come from some comic
opera wardrobe, suddenly appeared in
blue and white striped underwear
The "ninas,' in No. 10, got down
from their car and began ransackirg
thcir huge wardrobe trunks in tho dirt
an liood and SCOT of the roadside fcH
their most precious pieces of lingerie.
A little boy fell wounded at he sep
sudden stampede toward the hacienda
OH tle ltIl, men, NOillSu anu Sllllui clt
clutched by terror, horrible sight.
Horses, brides hanging, dashed
blindly here and there.
Only Carranza and to this all give
witness maintained to the last his
extraordinary and impeuetrable calm.
At l1:40 that morning of the l4th
enough soldiers were 60 ogethcr to
make a double line ST. ching from
tho abandoned yellow train. with the
red monograms, to the hills three miles
to the left
Through these. at a gallon rode Don
Of mounted men They disappeared
into the hills during heavy hring from
the front and the right. From some
one throat, raucors with thirst and
dust, came last "Viva Carranza,"