The evening world. Newspaper, April 22, 1914, Page 3

Capt. Rush onde tte ba the Landing Force of Marines, but His Men Do Not Fire Until Shots Come From the Mexicans. ONLY FOUR OF OUR MEN LOSE LIVES IN FIGHT. Shells From Warships Kill Many Mexicans as They Fire Upon U.S. Marines—Custom House Seized. ee ~ By Robert H. Murray. (Staff Correspondent of The World.) Copyright, 1914, by The Press Publishing Co, (New York World). VERA CRUZ, April 22.—Armed intervention in Mexico by the United States, which far seeing observers regarded inevitable sooner or (ater, has become a fact here with the landing of eleven hundred marines _ and bluejackets, who have taken possession of the city. Constructively, the Americans to-day are in full control. Practically, they are not. After desultory, unorganized but troublesome resistance from Mex- {can soldiers and civilians, the American forces when nightfall came were content to hold the custom house, post-office, telegraph and cable offices and railway terminals, leaving until to-day the further task of entering into absolute domination of Mexico's principal seaport. Four American fighters are dead and twenty-one wounded. Under the! rifle and machine gyn fire of our marines and sailors probably 150 Mex- icans died and at least as many more are wounded, They were mainly non-combatants. Had Capt. Rush of the Florida, who commanded the landing expedition, seen fit to do so, he could have hurled his men into the heart of the city in the face of unknown risks and possibilities for disaster and unquestionably by night he would have held Vera Cruz from limit to limit. He chose the safer, surer alternative of going slowly, Sparing his men and taking two bites at the Vera Cruz cherry instead of one. To-day, unquestionably, will see tne job finished. All Americans who were in the city when our forces landed at 11.10 yesterday morning are now either aboard the steamships Esperanza and Mexico outside the harbor or are quartered in hotels which are not affected by any firing that may take place to-day. None of the civilian Americans or other foreigners were killed or wounded so far as can be ascertained. Before darkness came the streets leading to the centre of the city could be seen strewn with the bodies of Mexicans of the lower classes, Capt. Rush has been trying to get in touch with.some military or civil authorities for the purpose of organizing to protect lives and. property. ORGANIZED RESISTANCE ONLY SLIGHT. In yesterday's fighting the Mexican-marksmanship was bad, the bullets fying high. It was difficult to tell from what specific direction the firing came or whether it denoted organized resistance or merely guerrilla tac- tics. Eventually it proved to te the latter. After the first few sputters of machine gun fire, which unquestionably came from Mexican soldiers, the fest of the firing came from housetops, windows and church towers, mainly from rifles in the hands of soldiers who had broken away from their com- ands and were operating independently and from civilians. Capt. Rush in landing at noon precisely brodght the colors with him. Officially he established his headquarters at the Terminal Hotel, but imme- @ietely took a stand in the open plaza in front of the Consulate, accom- panied by Buchanan and staff. The Americans believed that out of considerations of- humanity the Wederals would interpose no resistance to their taking the city, but pri- wately they regretted It, for every one from Fletcher down, officers, non- coms, high privates and all, yearned for @ cit of scrap. They got it. It began about 11.30 with a couple of prolonged rattling coughs from a ma- chine gun on a roof back of the Consulate and several squares away. Steol- Jacketed bullets spattered dust in front of Major Reid's men in the Calle Montesinos, but hit none of them, The marines promptly flopped on their stomachs at orders dnd waited to see what was coming next. Inter- mittently, the first machine gun rattjed away futtlely, while Mauser bullets began to enap and. whine through the air. PRAIRIE SHELLS SAND DUNES. Soon after 1 o'clock 310 marines were ordered ashore from the Utah. This brought the total force of Americans up to about eleven hundred, ‘The Utah boys were posted at the heads of streets extending trom the waterfront into the city, part being held in reserve, Lookouts from the Prairie's topmasts brought within range of their glasses several miles back in the city what appeared to be bodies of road Dats eee a SECrms —— jof the terminal, which is used by al! the railroads entering Vera Crus, and Pe URLOS LAT A ila Admiral of the U.S. Fleet Now in Command at Vera Cruz tRE. EVENING WORLD, wep DN BADAT,: APRIL 32, 1916. hadi STORY OF FIRST DAY'S BATTLE AT VERA CRI GRAPHICALLY TOLD BY WORLD MAN ( ‘Their mission was to seize the cable office. matic in it. ‘Within the office were half a dosen Americans, including one womau, who were trying to get the censor’s approval to personal cables. censor had just refused to pass @ bulletin reporting the landing when! the American marines tramped in. At this moment the Corporal in command of the detachment snapped “I take possession of this cable office in the name of the United States,’ spoke he lined his men up in the office and then said: As “By order of Admiral Fletcher, here or to go out.” Ti “It ts useless to resist, Senor. sity. j leads Lieut.-Col. Neville deployed 300 marines, ener Major Reld, along the Calle Montesinos, which parallels tho railway tracks. they worked forward, carrying four machine guns, for four blocks along the atreet. Then they strung out at the head of Calle Morelos, upon which the American Consulate stands, through the Avenida Independencia, which rectly to the Cathedral Plaza and to the square south of the pla: | ccouptea by the military barracks, including i Through two gther streets, running off at right-angles to Montesinos, they worked. Part of this detachment used as trenches the dry ditch bordering the north side of the plaza in front of the Consulate. posted further south in tire general four blocks. a ro REAR ADMIRAL BADGER. © SNF ST. robes, and go aboard the Esperanza, in order to be absolutely om the safe side. Soon after 9 o'clock Consul Canada had called Gen. Maas to the tele- phone and said to him: “General, I am instracted to tell you that the United States forces are about to take the town and J sammon you to surrender. 1 call upon you fn the of humanity not to offer resistauce or to attempt to m ay railway tr and to assist us in keeping order” To this Gen. Maas replied: “It is impossible for me to comply with your demand for surren as I am acting under orders to the contrary. 1 desire to talk with you.” Consul Canada told Gen. Maas that he had no instructions to grant o parley. He then, in turn, talked with the Chief of Police and Antonio Villavenencio, the Jefe Politico, to whom he repeated his request that they assist in keeping order. He obtained no definite reply from either, both saying they would have to consult with Gen. Maas. The Consul’s last oficial communication was made to Senor Azacaraga, the customs collector. Azacaraga asked for two hours in which to secure the papers and valuables in bis office. “Stay where you are,” advised Canada. office will be perfectly safe.” These interchanges between Consul Canada and the Mexican officials occurred without general public knowledge. The actual landing had come hefore it was known that the demand for surrender had been made and refused, Admiral Fletcher, aboard the flagship Florida, by thie time was in com- munication with Admiral Badger, and had decided to take action, At 10.30 marines began leaving the Prairie. The detachment filled ten whaleboats and effected a landing at the Custom House and No. 4 Plier, which extends almost from the centre of the sbore line into the port and the terminal works. In the first landing party approximately 750 men, counting officers and hospital cdrps, were included. From the Prairie came 390 marines; from the Florida 300 marines and bluejackets; from the Utah 88 marines. Capt. Rush of the Florida was in charge of the landing operations as brigade commander, The second in command was Lieut.-Commander Buchenan of the Florida. ) At 1.30 reinforcements in the shape of a combined party of 310 marines and bluejackets came ashore from the Utah, making the total force In opera tion about 1,100. There was in reserve aboard the ships about 1,000. For the first half-hour succeeding the disembarkation of the landing party every one ashore made a holiday of the operation. Half a dozen American women, accompanied by men, were lined up on the Fiscal wharf when the first of the Prairie’s marines clambered up the stone steps from their longboat. One woman had @ small Amerisan flag, which she waved wildly while the whole party cheered. On the edge of the big granite docks which form the city’s water fronts hundreds of Mexicans and many foreigners lined up to watch the show. Fifty of the landing party were at once told off to take possession “You and the effects of your is just a few hundred feet from the dock. The Americans expected to encounter resistance there, hut not a shet On there two the land operations. the preliminary part of their programme. But the next step was mors with either Capt. Rush or Consul Cansda. On Monday HOW FLETCHER SENT WORD OF INTENTION TO LAND. WASHINGTON, April miral Fletcher's proclamation to the Clty of Vera Cruz. It is aa follows: “To the Alcalde Jéfe Politico and the citizens of Vero Crus, Mex- feo: f “It has become necessary for the naval forces of the United States of America now at Vera Cruz to land and to assume con- trol of the Customs wharves of Vera Crus. Your co-operation is requested to preserve order and to prevent Joss of life. “It is not the intention of the United States naval forces to in- terfere with the administration of the civil affairs at Vera Cruz more than is necessary for the purpese of maintaining a condition of law and order to enforce such sanitary conditions as are needéd to meet military requirements, “It te desired that the civil of- Atials of Vera Cruz shall continue in the peaceful pursuit of their occupation, Under these condi- tions, full protection will be given to the city by the United States forces, joined upon all inhabit- ants and property-owners to pre- vent firing by individuals from the shelter of thelr houses upon United States forces or upon any oneelse. Such firing by irreg- ulare not members of an organ- ized military force is contrary to the laws of war; if persisted in it will call for severe measures. “F, F, FLETCHER, “Rear Admiral U. 8. Navy, Com- mander Detached Squadron, U. 8. Atlantic Fleet. “Vera Crus, April 22." —__>___ DENIES CARRANZA HAS ANY NOTION OF ‘JOINING HUERTA. censor arose from his chair, bowed profoundly to the corporal, ex- tended his hands deprecatingly, palms upward, and repiled: ‘Then he put on hie coat and his hat and bie pie awayewith great dig- 8 of the big squares there took place the major Up to mow the Americans had taken possess! the various hulldings without resistance and had successtully accomplished 22. — The be better to desert their comfortable rooms and, incidentally, thelr ward-| 1.14. touse made public to-day Ad- OTR "9s, obs ‘3 This had a touch of the dra-| this strength he had during the day withdrawn the small regular tore wf risoning the fortress of San Juan de Ulloa, which guards the ent harbor, together with 200 or 300 prisoners, who were in the combined them with the troops in the barracks, # = The commandant had pressed still other men into service, |them wherever he could find them, giving them rifles and uniforms telling them they were to fight for Don Victoriano, ° Instead, there began sniping fronf roofs and windows, and ft coatinah® steadily. It wae thie form of fighting that brought the first fatality on io American side. At 4.20 o'clock Capt. Rush sent, under a fiag of truce, a beg a senger to Gen. Maas asking if he were not ready to surrender. of the American sailor there was either the plan of continuing jo | by charging all the positions of the enemy or of calling om the I obey.” | fona general bombardment. The latter he was loath to do. On the hand he was equaily unwilling to run the chance of losing any more ef men under the sniping fire from/civilians ai The messehger was told to remind Gen. had only a few more than 1,000)men forces would be some 10,000 strong. Gen. Maas was left to draw his own conclusions from the messa, His general retreat th CALL VOLUNTEERS FOR BORDER DUTY. | Not BORD: The Bo business will be allowed to come in In open formation jen. Maas's headquar' EL CENTRO, Cal, Aprit 2 troop of seventy-four which reached Calexico, Cal international border, yeaterday from Monterey, would be insuMcient to protect that place against, the Mexi- can Federal garrison of& 400 regulars at Mexicali, Lower Cualifornia, just across the line, in the opinion of Capt. Poillon, com Other marines were direction of the city’s centre, for about the est of the “Pease” Spring Sele of Used Pianos - STARTS TO-DAY (April 22d) at our salesrooms, 128 West 42d Street, with a total of over 100 rediaa price pianos from $75 up with terms as low as One Dollar per Week This is a semi-annual sale of used pianos which have been taken in exchange for new Player Pianos or Pianos that have been out on rental for a few months and are pra: ically as good as new. We will also have a number of Pianos and me Pianos in the sale that are practically new, being discontinued styles, or instruments we have used for demonstration purposes. This is a partial list of pianos: J a. Was Now Was Now: g 1 Chickering Upright. $450 — $75)1 Chickering Upright $400 $125’ | 1 Pease Upright. . 325 150]1 Sterling Upright. 350 «178 2 Bach & Son Upright. 300 -118]1 Pease Upright............ 325 168 | gg 1 Kimball Upright... 450 175)1 Wuertz Upright... sos 400 150 g 1 Needham Upright. 125]1 Pease Vern ~ 335 «1868 1 Pease Upright s 210|1 Harmony pright.. 30 «(140 | 1 De Rivas aes Upright. 300 125]1 Auditorium r Upright 275. 128 1 Pease Upright v.. 450 210}1 Pease Upright. 400 «(178 1 Wuertz Upri 350 135]1 Wilbur Upri nt 250 165 1 Pease Upright 325 185)1 fae right . 325 148° 1 Hazleton Cera 400 195}1 right. 300 «(180 + Frederick Doll Upright 275 (:128)1 Boer Cenk 350 «(128 1 Pease Uprant, 160]1 New Pai ap Upright. 325 «(128 @ 1 Wilbur Upright 195]1 Pease Upright. 350 145 H 1 Regal Upri nt 150]1 McE: vent prigl 300 148 1 Ackerman 135|1 Pease Upright. . 325° 316 1 Pease U! ube 145]1 Spies Uoprignt wo 115 1 Ballard Upright 215|1 Standard pright... 275 «140 1 Hardman Upright. 175|6 Ballard Uprights. . - WO 215 SPECIAL ! 12 New Pease Pianos (discontinued styles)... . . $350 Also 100 other Pease uprights at prices ranging from $100 to $275 that originall: cost from $325 to $500. " ing ‘ ’ Eve piano is marked at the cash price, but, if desired, monthly payments may -be made of wee One Dollar per Week -oy an upward, according to the piano, or just the simple interest extra upon the unpaid z re EE WASHINGTON, April 22.—Reports reaching official circles that Gen, Car- ranza and Gen. Villa were about to join was fired as the mar! picketed the power house, the station itself and the Terminal Hotel, whic! a part of the station. In this hotel were hundreds of American guests, all of whom had clambered to the roof, the better to The Player-Pianos offered below are our dwn make and guaranteed. Here's a re-. markable chance for a good player on extra low terms—also note the bargains in Pease Federal} soldiers, but these groups were partly hidden by sand dunes, which made it impossible to tell whether they were retreating or advancing. } M ‘They seemed to be stationary. The Prairie cut ‘loose with a pair of her five-inch port guns and fired a dozen shots over the city into the sandhills. ‘The roar of these guns operated to put the fear of the Almighty into the hearts of the Mexicans who were sniping in the city, for almost {mmedi!- ately the rifle fire, which had harassed Americans all day, slackened per- ceptibly. By dark it ceased almost entirely. All sorts of rumors were prevalent during the day as to Maas's where- abouts, No one could venture toward the heart of the city unless willing to take almost certain chance of being potted. Curiously enough, tele- phones were in service all day. Several Americans called up the office of Maas and endeavored to speak with him, The reply always given was that he was not there. One story was that he had withdrawn with most of his troopa when the Americans landed, leaving only @ small force with instructions to harass the invaders as much as possible, and hold them im the city during the day to enable him to make good his retreat, At 4 o'clock Rush sent several of the principal Mexican citizens, who Yolunteered for that purpose, in search of Maas under a white flag. The party sought him vainly for an hour. They were not permitted to enter the military headquarters or the barracks, but reported to Rush that so far as they could see only a handful of troops were there. United States Consul W. W. Canada at 9 o'clock in the morning for- mally called upon Gen, Maas to surrender. He replied that he could not, being “under orders to the contrary.” At 10,30 o'clock the first of the land- ing parties put off for shore, Few Americans who remained ashore knew what was going to happen biuejackets were om Mexican soll. Scarcely a hun- dred mone the Ameri and other igners knew that the landing was to be made then. The news quickly spread among the Mexicans, but few believed it. WOMEN SCOFFED AT DANGER. : Several score! American women quartered at the Hotel Deligenctaa aad Hts aanex—the peters hetel—scoffed at the euggestion that {0 might view the sights. There were fifty other Ameriacns on the roof of their Con- sulate, grouped about Consul Canada, who used a big pair of fleld glasses to view the approach of the American force, The whole thing was done so quietly and in such an even way that it was difficult to believe that the marines and bluejackets had come ashore with hostile intent. F Ten marines, commanded by a corporal, stepped from the ranks, with their rifles at a carry, and started at double time across the sunburned | crass ot the plaza that separates _the consulate from the harbor Gal MEXICAN CABLE SERVICE UNINTERRUPTED; RUSH OF BUSINESS GOING ON. There was a rush of messages for Mexican points filed with the Mexi- can Telegraph Company 4 Broad Street, to-day, Supt, Reynolds satd there’ were about three hundred firms which regutarly used his wi to transact business and almost all of them had final orders to send to) their Mexican representatives. So far there has been no interrup- tion of the service and Mr. Reynolds f#aid he did not expect any for sev- eral days at The company operates four cables and it would be difficult for Mexicans to interfere with two of these, since they terminate in Vera Cruz, now held by American naval forces. One cable runs direct from Galv ton to Coatacoalcog and two from G yeston to Vera Cruz. A fourth runs from Coney Island to Guantanamo, Cuba, thence to Colon, across the Isth- mus and north to Salina Crus, Mexico, take Ex-Lax. This will tone up your quickly your energy, \ 4 | | ‘ stomach, aid vigor and strengthen the aCVU 5 system. You will with the Huerta Government to make; common cause against the United States, caused Juan F. Urquidi, secre- tary in charge of the Mexican Con- stitutionalist agency here, to issue - this statement: “Sensational reports that Gen. Car- One Ten Cent Box of EX- LAX The Famous Chocolate Laxative will regulate your bowels and relieve you of the miseries of Constipation If your stomach isn’t just right, if you have a bad taste in the mouth, coated tongue, feel distressed after eating and have eeu headaches, just Special sale also being held at Brooklyn Warerooms, 34 Flatbush Avenue, ations presmate boty and Newark Warerooms, 10 New Street. Equally big values. | appetite will come Len you. - Full line of both Victor and Columbia records and supplies. Ne, 25¢ and $e 9 Bos, at All Drug Stores Pate small grands. PLAYER-PIANOS AND GRANDS. Was, Now. 1 Wilbur Player-Piano. . . $445 $295]1 Wilbur Player-Piano. . 1 Wilbur Player-Piano 445 325)1 Wilbur Player-Piano | 1 Wilbur Player-Piano 575: 375]1 Wilbur Player-Piano 1 Wilbur Player-Piano 575 395]1 Wilbur Player-Piano be 1 Pease Player-Piano. 675 485}1 Pease Player-Piano. » 1 Pease Player-Piano. 750 440]1 Pease Player-Piano. 1 Pease layereh lati, 750 450]1 Wilbur Player-Piano ge 1 Pease Parlor Grand 750 - 435]1 Pease Petite Grand. @ 1 Pease Petite Grand... 425|1 Pease Petite Grand. . a These are all 88-note Playe ers of a recent make and warranted for foeyears Any of these Players or Grand Pianos can be a this sale only on the low terms of $8 per Month; with the players we give free $12 P worth of music and the free music roll exchahge PEASE PIANO COMPANY 128 West 42nd Street, Near Broadway, New York Open Every Evening This Week.