Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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\)t tootchmon mh THE 81MT1H WATCHMAN, tMnl lished April, 18*0. "Be Just and Fear nut?Dot all tho ends Thou Alms't at be thy Country's, Thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTILROX, Established Jane, 1 Consolidated Aug. 3,1881. SUMTER, S. C., SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1914. Vol. XXXVIII. No. 18. MARINES TAKE VERA CRUZ AFTER SHARP FIGHT Navy Opens Hostilities With Mex? ico Winning Victory, But Has Loss of Four Killed and Twenty Wounded. Vera ( .-. April 21.? Vera Cruz to? night is In tho hands of forces from the L'nltod States warships, but the occupation of the port was not accom? plished without loss of American live? Four American bluejackets and marines were killed by the Are of the Mexicans and 20 fell wounded. The Mexican loss is not known, but it is believed to have been heavy. The wa? ter front, the customs house and all important piers, including those un? der the terminal works, from which extended the railroad* to tho capital, have been occupied. All the territory around the American consulate is etfonglv patrolled and detachments hold other sections of the city. The Mexican commander, Gen. Gus? tav Mass, offered a stubborn resist? ance to the American advance and for many hours there was fighting; in the streets. Towards nightfall it was re? ported that the main body of the fed? eral garrison was In retreat to the westward. Rear Admiral Fletcher, co nmand Ing the United States warships, pre? faced his occupation of tho port by a demand, through the American con? sul, W. W. Canada, for its surrender. Oen. Mass promptly dec lined to ac? cede to tbis demand and shortly after? ward whalehoats were sent off from the aide of the I'rnlrle loaded with marine*. These boats effected a landing In che neigh? rhood of tho customs house before noon and a few minutes later Capt. Wm. R. Rush of the bat? tleship . Florida, who was in com? mand of the operations ushore, brought Ml dag in. Capt. Rush's men already had taken up their positions. They mini bered 150 bluejackets from tha Flor? ida. 390 marinen from th. I'r.u ? and S3 marines from the Florida. Lit r these were augmented by a ifOtach ment from the Ctah. The corning of the Amerlear forces was not heralded by any gre .t e.v cltcment. but nrn.il' ci>wds | 'her * to watch the landing. So. u ti ? Mm Jackets and marines marched trough the streets, leading from th< water* front and along tho railroa? yards, others proceeded to the u rica? consulate, while still others '.re de? ployed along approaches i?, cen? tral plaza, in which Gen. Maua had concentrated his men. These niuiincinn-s wero effected without opposition, bed suddenly Gen. Maas challenged the ad\ate I with tho first shots?a volley tired from a point three blocks from the marines and two blocks south of the main pla/.a. The marines replied immediately, but the action ceased in a moment. There was a lull fur ten minutes and then another brlel exchange from the west end of Monte?? noa street, where a federal outpost whs stationed At 12 30 the tiring became general snd st 1 e'eesetl the BJttai el tbe trans-1 port Pruirio went into action. Prior to this, a deta? hment of bitte? Jackets from tho (tab, hold lee the ground between the consulate and the waterfront, opened with two of their three-lie h guns. The pint shots from these pieces were due'ted against tin ancient Henlto Juarez, tower which once served :n a llghthouae. The. who occupied \,\ .Mexieiin sharpshoot ers. Lieut. Commander Hu Imnan of the I loud i ordered that it be de? stroyed. Klve shots brought the old tower down. The women of the Ano-re .i i eotony In Vera Crux had been placed aboard the chartered steam* r-j F.spcranza and Mexico, hut the feettatfl colony, espe? cially the American, was Bjfetttlf eusJ" mented thin morning when line tramloHd-; arrived fr un the cipitul Some of then* rem.mied . Mmro. but many Vtft taken aboard th I str?n rr?*. So Mr M can bi barned. Bja refugees were injured The demand tor the surrender of Vera Crux was made at '.? o'clock in the morning. Consul Canads railed Gen. OustsM? Mans. ommandani o( Wrn Cfttttj bj lelephews ; ?d nrseent? ed ftie d? mand. ? 'It Vt\ ed States forces wtN abotti 0 oe-, cupy anil hold the town. He called upon him to surdrender in '.ho name of humanit> and assist the Ameri-, cans in restoring order. Gen. Maas replied that compliance was impossible and asked the consul for a personal parley. The consul informed Gon. Maas that he had no instructions to grant a parley and ended the conversation. ; He then called tho jefe politico and the customs collector by telephone! and informed them of the prospective landing and asked for their coopera? tion in the maintenance of peace. Neither eould promise assistance. Rear Admiral Fh: tcher, aboard the flagship Florida, by this time was In communication with Hear Admiral Hadger, who , was speeding toward this port with five warships. Admiral Fletcher decided to act and marines Vegan leaving the side of the trans? port Prairie shortly before 11 o'clock They entered ten whaleboats and ef? fected a landing within half an hour at the customs house and No. 4 pier. Information that President Hu.'rta was counting on receiving from the summer Vpsiranga of the Hamburg American line, due to arrive today, a big consignment of ammunition, rltles and machine guns was respon? sible for the occupation of the cus? toms house somewhat earlier than might otherwise have been the cas_. The y|> iranga is outside tho harbor. She hag < :i board among other sup? plies 10.000 lines and 10,000,000 cart? ridges. President Huerta has been making every effort to safeguard this con? signment and had given orders that it be unloaded Immediately, placed on B epOCta] train drawn by two locomo? tives and lushed to tl " capital. The Humburg-Amertceu steamer rpaUransa moved Into port this after? noon and signaled the United States ship, voluntarily placing herself ; under Hear Admiral Fletcher's or? ders. Ihe Ypsiranga will stand by tonight lad the captain has given his word that he will not go out beyond hailin ? Hanoe tomorrow. The second MCtlon of the morning train from IIOSl00 City tilled with ref? ugee Americans and a special train of rOfUoTOSS have both been held tip Somewhere along the road to Vera ' r uz, presumably by Gen. Maas. Telegraphic communication with Mexico City was OUt tonight and it is imed that the railroads also are cut. * At a late hour tonight the Ameri? can forces in Vera Cruz numheici 1.200. The first landing party consisted of more than 500. The second detachment landed two hours later. MAY INVOLVE REBELS.. I '?SklVOS Tear That They Will He Drawn Into It. Fl PaSO, Texas. April II,?81X Americans, eight Germans and nine Frenchmen and worn* n arrived here in iv from Chihuahua, The Amori conftrmed the statement thai iii \ were Instructed to leave by American consul Lstcher. They said Mexicans In Chihuahue believed the rebel] would be unable to remain out lh< ii erts Washington complica? tion and sddod thai rebel leaders feel compelled lO n<??i>t the view that the blockading ot t. mpico and Vera ''in/ would be a national matter of footing the honor of every Mexican, rogsrdless of polities! affiliations, Lstcher, lho) ealdi was endeavor? ing to get in? Americans out with? out nttrnetlng undue attention and his efforts m II 11 direction were be* Ing assisted by Qen, Cnrranss. Most oi the letter's conference with Qen, Villa yesterday, the) asserted, erei devoted lo consideration of ihc Tampleo im idem* and Us develop menti as effecting the rebels, The gravest view was taken, sc? cording to report, in the csfes, el?ihe and other gathering places Mexicans cd Isens, practical!) all of whom nte rvbel sympathisers, sold oponly thsi A QUIET NIGHT. QEN. MAAS FLED TO SOLEDAD IN INTERIOR, Mst of ilmon Irom Killed In Fight Yesterday?Mexican! Killed Num? bered Above Olio Hundred und Fifty?.Admiral Hadger with licet of Dreadnoughts Arrived Early This Morning. Vera Cruz, 6.30 A. M. April 22 ? This city is quiet early this morning. Hide shots were beard occasionally ?luring the night, but no sharp lighting occurred. Gen. Maas and most of his soldiers have disappeared and it is reported that they lied to Sole-dad, a railroad junction northwest of here. The Americans are maintaining pos ?etaion of the custom house and city| without taking further action. "Firej only when lired upon" is their or- j ders. Admiral Hadger, with thCj squad of dreadnaughts arrived early this morning. Fifteen thousand ma? rines and sailors arc now here. It is not believed there will be any more lighting at Vera Cruz. A train bearing three hundred Americans from the in? terior has been cut off and there is great anxiety for their safety. The best estimate is that two hundred Mexicans were killed and wounded in yesterday's lighting. Nearly ull business has been sus? pended here. The sight of the huge dreadnaughts in ( the harbor has brought a feeling of safety to the American refugees. The Americans killed yesterday were: Daniel Hag gerty, sailor, of Massachusetts; J. P. Poinsett, sailor, of Philadelphia; John Shoemaker, Coxswair, of Brooklyn; S. Martin, private of the marines, (fourteen were badly and six slightly wounded. It is now belie' d that the Mexi? can dead will not reach one hundred am', 'Ifty. Many of these wore civilian clothes. Gen. Maas lied in the middle of the afternoon when the battle became brisk. The marines were today ordered to "ahoot looters on sight." The dead bodies of Mexicans killed yt?terduy were buried during the11 night. The wounded have been treat? ed by the medical stau of the United Slates ships. The steol jacketed projectiles from the Prairie ripped great gape in num? ber of the buildings, where the Mexi? cans were gathered, and tiring on the marines. The German liner Ypsiranga, with a heavy eur^o of arms and ammuni? tion consigned to den. Huerta has made no effort to unload, the captain voluntarily placed himself under the orders of Admiral Fletcher and stood by all night. President Wilson's course was an af? front to the Mexican nation and that a common enemy must be met by a united country. Meanwhile 1 acre was no definite announcement of policy by Carranza, tho Americans reported, adding that it seemed to be bis purpose by silence to imply the truth of reports that he would continue with tho revolution, regardless of foreign complications. This, they said, in view of the excited talk in the cafes and elsewhere de? ceived nobody. In Fl Paso prominent rebel sym? pathizers were unanimous, so far as they could be questioned, in the view that m>t Huerta alone but the na? tional honor was at stake. RIOTS ON DOHDFIt. Huerta Sympathizers Shoot Americans ?Thousand Deputies Sworn in at Iii Paso. HI Paso, April 22.? Race riots al< in; the border and the shooting of several Vmorlcani by Huerta sym? pathisers are reported today. A thousand deputies have been sworn in here today to patrol the city. Washington, April 32.?The Ameri? cans advanced on the uncap tu red por? tions of Vera Crus, under the pro te? I ion of lire from t he fleet at S o'clock this morning. The warship arc vigorously shelling the city and four thousand marines and sailors are battling, with the Mexicans today. The heavy lighting is proceeding ?" southern portion of tin- city. The marines have nrrlvcd from Tampico ami ihcy went immediately Into sc t ion. An official dispatch today states that the cargo of tin- Vpslrangs wan I inded on Mexican soil and imme tllately seised b> the marines, Tins leaves lluorta's army practically without munitions. The hon this morning agreed to the neunte substitute resolution by a rlvii \o?c vote ami thunderous ap WILL STOP JAI* SHIP LOADED WITH ARMS FOR HUERTA. Prospect of Foreign Complications Comes Early ? Anxiety Concerning O'Sha ugliness y?No News for Forty eight Hours?In Possession of Vera Cruz. M Washington, April 22.?It is report? ed that a Japanese ship is enroute to Salina Cruz with a cargo of ammu? nition for Huerta. The gunboat An? napolis and the cruiser Denver have been ordered to Salina Cruz to pre? vent the delivery of the cargo and there may be a clash. Xo word from Charge O'Shaugh ncssy at Mexico City has been received in forty-eight hours and there is con? siderable anxiety. A dispatch received at 2 o'clock this afternoon from Vera Cruz states that the merican forces are in com? plete possession. FEDERALS AND REBELS UNITE. Two Armies at Tampico Reported to Have Agreed to Resist Landing of American Marines. Galveston, Texas, April 23, 1 P. M. ?The Mexican federal and consti? tutionalists at Tampico have mado a truce and have agreed to unite in re? sisting any attempt of the United States to occupy that port and seize the customs house, as was done at Vera Cruz. This news was brought by the captain of the steamship Hagau which has Just arrived from Tampico. He state that it was re? ported at Tampico that the federals have a force of one thousand men in Tampico. He stated that it was re? claim to have three thousand within easy reach of tho place. WILL BEIZE RAILROAD. Orders to Marines Relieved to Indicate Intention to Advance on Mexico City. Washington. April 23.?Orders have been issued to the marines at Vera |Mruz to seize two railroad bridges west of the city on the road to the capital and prevent the Mexicans cut? ting communication with Mexico I'ity, la believed to indicate that the Americans expect to advance on the capital soon. QEX. WOOD WILL HASTEN TO OALVESTON. Ho Will Take Command of the Ann) That Will Is- Scut Into Mexico if In? vasion Becomes Necessary. Washington. April 23.?Maj. Gen. Wood Is preparing to leave for Gal? veston at once to take command of the army that is expected to bo sent into Mexico. A large force is being mobolised as rapidly as possible at Galveston and transports are In readi nes to take the army to aey designat? ed point as soon as orders arc receiv? ed from Washington. plauae and it is now a law. The president is given full power to use the army and navy to compel Huerta to make amends for insults to the American atlg. VICTORY AT VERA CRUZ. Marines Have Practically Secured Control of city?Bombardment Roes Great Damage. Washington, 12 M., April 22.?A dispatch lust received at the White House from Consul Canada, at Vera ('ruz, says three thousand marines arc nearing the center of the city and the fighting will probably eeaso in about an hour. Two sections of the train from Mexico City have arrived bringing Americans, but the third section, with about two hundred and fifty Ameri? cans aboard has not been heard from. The customs warehouse was alire this morning, but was extinguished. Great damage was done this morn? ing by bombardment. WILD Hl MORS STIR WASHING TON. Inauthenlie Report That O'HIiaugh nessy IIa? Been Assassinated. Washington. April l'l'. An uncon llrmed report has come to the state department that Oen, Hucrtn lias or? dered Mexican Charge Algaro t<> ica\e Washington Immediately. u is believed that American Charge 0'Hhaughness> at Mexico City has been given bis passports. v wild rumor was circulated ibis inornlnK that Charge O'Shaughnessy ami Consul General Shanklln have been assassinated, but ii i'< generali) dii < I ed i I ed . A str?m; guard, with additional MEXICO S BIG CLAIMS. WAR MlMSTLR SAYS KB CAM RAISE ARMY OF MORE THAN A MILLION. This Great Ton e Blanquot Says Will Be Used Exclusively to Repel For? eign Invasion?Huerta Founts on All Mexicans Rallying to His Sup? per Mexico City, April 23.?According to figures compiled by Minister of War Hlanquet. and made public to? day, the claim is made that Mexico i can muster an army, "to be used ex : clusively to repel invasion by a for? eign enemy," of one million and forty i four thousand men. This force, Gen. Blanquet says, will be made up of the 'federal army, now numbering 83,000, the constitutionalist army, number-1 ing 4 4,000, the Zapata rebel force numbering 19.000, and 900,000 volun? teers. He says that the navy consists of six gunboats, two corvettes and one transport. The Huerta party in this city counts confidently on all Mexican factions burying their differences and rallying to the support of Gen. Huerta, in re 1 sisting the occupation of Mexican ter? ritory by the United States. They claim that the seizure of Vera Cruz I 1 has united the Mexicans to a man, that the acts of ':he United States con ?titute a declaration of war on Mex? ico and that they will resist to the bitter end what they regard as a war of conquest, undertaken by the United States. THE COLOKDO HORROR. Battle With Strikers Resumed Today Forty-four Reported Killed. - I Trinidad, Col., April 23.?Thirty ' five men, women ami children who were trapped and held prisoners in the blazing Empire mine, near Agul-1 lar today are believed to have been suffocated. Armed strikers kept the , rescuers away from the mine. Among those trapped aro President SJple and ! other ollicials and guards. Southern ' Western Fuel company and four oth , et mines arc afire. A thousand strik? ers line the railroad tracks at i^u<i . \ow% declaring militia reinforcement can never pass alive. The battle was resumed this morning with the mili j tia. H is reported that live were killed. The number reported dead now reaches forty-four. BIG INCREASE IN ASSESSMENTS. $312,040 Added to Snmter Township Assessments by Township Hoard. What, will come as a big surprise to many is the announcement that the Sumter Township Board has added, by increasing the assessments of the property, $312,640 in Bumter town? ship. This large increase in valua (lion placed upon the county tax books , was announced by the auditor on Wednesday, subsequent to the com? pletion of their work on the returns I by the township board of assessors. The larger part of this increase has been made on the business prop? erty of Main and Liberty Streets. In fact about ninety per cent of the in crease was that on the business prop ' erty of the city of Sumter. This is the largest increase by the township board in the history of the eount> andw it is probable that there will be a good deal of kicking at it, although all parties owning property in the business section of town were treated alike. The township boards in the rural sections have not yet returned their lists of assessment* to the sudltor and a meeting of the county board of as? sessors will not be held until all of these are in. it is probable that the I Increase on property will also be large In tho county. - Colorado Militia Mutiny. Denver, Col. April 23.?Company <', National Guards, mutinied today and refused to light the striking miners A train with re-enforcements is being hauled here, secret service men have been placed to guard President Wilson, the state war ami navy buildings and the Mex? ican embassy. ????????????^?????????44 ? Japan Strictly Neutral. X ? - I X Tokio, April 22. ?< Officials to- X day do< larcd that the attitude T -?? of Japan would be one of strict 4 4. netitralitj In the Mexican sltun 4 ? lion. * ?????????????++ THE LIST OF DEAD. twelve mum) am) ran WOUNDED AT VERA CRUX. American Marines on Guard Patroll? ing Streets of City and Preserving Order?Fighting Seems to lie Over for the Present. Washington, April 23?9 A. M.?A revised list was given out at the navy departnent this morning, showing that twelve Americana were killed and forty wounded, twenty-six seriously and fourteen slightly, in the fighting at Vera Cruz up to last night. Offi? cials stated that ? jly fifty had been slightly wr i, altogether, and additional r v would be giv a en out when r J 3 are "onfirmed officially The are Coxswain Shumaler; M' >' Haggerty, Martin, Percy; Seam ? .ied, Watson, Poin sett, DoLov q tream, C. A. Smith, Devorick; ?5 vers Mate DeFavir. A numbe' o" nese were killed while under fir .ruce. jet at Vera Cruz. Vera Cruz, April 23, 8 A. M.?A dozen Americans were killed and two hundred and fifty to five hundred Mexicans were killed or wounded while resisting the advance of the American force yesterday: Two hun? dred Mexicans taken prisoners in the battle yesterday have been taken aboard the cruiser San Francisco and are being held as prisoners of war. Sentries were on duty all night pa? trolling the streets watching for prow? lers and looters. The powerful search? lights of the American warships swept the city all night and the night passed in comparative quiet, only an occasional rille diot being heard from ihe outskirts of the town. annual MEETING MAY oth. Chamber of Commerce to Hold Year? ly Smoker and Talkfcast?Visiting Secretaries to Attend. The annual smoker and meeting of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce adn Retail Merchants' Association will be held at 8 o'clock on the' evening of May 6th. The visiting commer? cial secretaries of South Carolina and other commercial organization officers who will attend the secretaries quar? terly meeting here on that date will be the guests of the commercial or? ganizations at the smoker that night. The Indies' Church Building So? ciety of Trinity Methodist Church will serve the supper. The commmittee of arrangements in charge from the com? mercial organizations is composed of President J. EL Levy, of the Retail Merchants' Association, Vice Presi? dent R. B. Belser, and Managing Secretary E. I. Rearcon, of the Cham? ber of Commerce. The annual meeting and smoker will be held at the hall of the Sumter Kaglcs on West Liberty street. TO give ANNUAL FISH FRY. T. P. A. Make Arrangements for An nual Outing. The Travelers' Protective Associa? tion Post G. are making arrange? ments for thtir anneal spring outing and lish fry. This year the event will come off on Friday, May 1. The place has not yet been decided upon, but it is probable that the fish fry will be held at Pocallo. Those on the transportation com? mittee are Messrs. L. B. Phillips, W. Phillips and B. L Leardon. On tho arrangements committee are J. K. Croaewelt, C. B. Yeadon and L. Lyons. The fish fry given >y Post G is an event always looked forerard to with expectations of great pleasure by the members of organization and it is thought thai there will be as large an attendance and as nuuh enjoyment on the one this year as usual;., ac? companies the event. Hasehall Team ;<> llaitsvlllc. The Sumter High School baseball team goes to Hartsvillc tomorrow for a K?me with tin high school team there during the afternoon. The Sumter boys on Tuesday won s game from Camden and hope also to take this game Friday. Those who will go are: Bradham, ss; Hums e; Nun namaker, n; Chandler, lb; Mona ghan, 2b; Flowers, lb; Robertson. If; Spann, cf; Allen, rf; Substitutes, smith and Bruneon. Now Enterprise for sumter. The Sumter ChorO-Cols Bottling omp.mv has been commissioned by the secretary of state aith s capital nt $10,000. The petitioners are YY. II. Bowers and M. ii. Morns.