Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1912 — MEXICAN REBELS SLAUGHTER MANY [ARTICLE]

MEXICAN REBELS SLAUGHTER MANY

Zapatistas Attack Passenger Train From Ambush. BURN WOUNDED IN COACHES V.-’j. ’ -4. Thirty-Six Soldiers and More Than Twenty Passengers Massacred in Canyon Near City of Mexico. 4i ' . Mexico City, Aug. 13 Thirty-six soldiers and more than twenty passengers -were slaughtered by Zapatistas In a canyon one kilometer north of Tictiman, 110 miles southeast of Mexico City, when a passenger train southbound from this city was attacked from ambush. Only meager details have reached this city. So far as known only a part of the train crew escaped. The first news of the massacre was sent to Mexico City by the conductor and Marino Dominguez, who, although wounded, managed to make their way to Yautepec, twelve miles away. They were forced to steal through the Zapatista lines. Burned to Death in Cars. After a murderous rifle fire had ceased the rebels swarmed down the hillside and set Are to the three cars compo.-ing the train. -A few of the Wounded had crawled out onto the right of way, thus escaping the fate of those unable to leave the cars, who were burned. According to Reports the leader of the rebels made absolutely no effort to restrain his men from acts of brutality greater than any that has yet marked the campaign in the south. The wounded, pleading for their lives, were struck down without pity, and even looting was held in abeyance until the slaughter was completed. Bodies of Dead Mutilated. Not satisfied with robbing their victims in an ordinary manner, the fingers of men and women were chopped off with machetes, that rings they wore might be more quickly obtained. Ornaments were torn from ears of women and their bodies were otherwise mutilated. Most of the passengers belonged to the farmer and lower classes. The soldiers, who had been detailed to act as a guard, were from the Eleventh battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Reynoza. By costly experience the troops had learned to be on the alert, but from the time they left the national capital not the least hostility had been encountered until the train ran into the canyon. Here a rail had been loosened and as the locomotive left the track a volley of rifle shots was poured into the train. Passengers Shot With Soldiers. The fire was centered on the coach in which most of the soldiers were riding, but soon became general, the 'rebels apparently not caring whether they distinguished passengers from federal soldiers. Lieutenant Reynoza’s order to reply to the fire was promptly carried out by the entrapped soldiers, notwithstanding the advantage which the hillsides gave the rebels. Pluckily every man of the guard fought until silenced. A few of the passengers, seizing guns from the fallen soldiers, assisted in the defense, but the unequal battle lasted only a short time. U. S. Soldier Slain. El Paso, Tex., Aug. 13.—One United States soldier was killed and N one Mexican rebel wounded in a fight between border guards and ammunition smugglers near Columbus, N. M. Col. E. Z. Steever, commander of the department of Texas, has received a report of the encounter.