Rebels Shoot 25 Federal Officers.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 12, 1913:
Public Execution of Mexican Commanders Ordered by Authorities of Hermosillo.
HUERTA'S FORCES RETIRE
Fall Back After Three Days' Fighting — Revolutionists Cut Tampico Railroad Line.
    NOGALES, Ariz., May 11.— Twenty-five Federal officers, including an infantry and artillery Colonel, who were taken prisoners in last week's fighting above Guaymas, were shot at a public execution by order of the Constitutionalist commanders. The execution is admitted officially by State authorities at Hermosillo.
    The official statement also admits the loss in killed of 200 State troops during the three days' fighting which resulted last night in the driving of the retiring Federals into the first station north of the gulf port town. Fighting at this last stand continued to-day.
    The reported deaths of Chief Bule, commander of the insurgent Yaqui Indians, and of Col. Guiterrez of the State troops were announced as confirmed in the report.

    MEXICO CITY, May 11.— What may embarrass the Government more than the rebel success in the north last week was the cutting to-day of the railroad from Tampico to San Luis Potosi. Over this route all the fuel oil used by the locomotives is moved, and it will now be necessary to ship from Tampico to Monterey, which is a more circuitous route.
    The Tampico line has been cut repeatedly and has only been temporarily repaired. if it is cut again and the rebels prevent repairs between Tampico and San Luis Potosi, it will be necessary to use the West Coast ports as a makeshift. The oil on hand is sufficient for only two or three days. Any condition that prevents a further supply will result in the practical suspension of transportation and seriously cripple the big industrial concerns.
    The past week has shown little, if any, improvement in the situation for the Government. Conscription has Continued; more troops have been mobilized in the north and in the State of Morelos, but they have not yet been able to do anything but act on the defensive except in a few instances. The regions are overrun by rebels, and the towns occupied are so widely separated and so numerous as to make specification difficult.
    In Guerrero the Federals are accomplishing almost nothing. in Morelos the rebels have resisted an attack at Cuernavaca, and yesterday they inaugurated a campaign of destruction by burning the village of Chamilpa, three miles from Cuernavaca.
    The Zapata forces are active, and do not hesitate in taking the initiative in attack. The Zacatecas garrison was reinforced to-day by Pascual Orozco, Jr., with 200 men. Torreon has been isolated. Gen. Telles, in command of the operations around Monterey, has made only questionable gains.
    The Government does not admit reverses in Sonora or at Reynosa, near Matamoras.

    EL PASO, Texas, May 11.— Riding on burros or bicycles, and using every other available means of transport, 300 residents of Parral are moving with the Federal garrison of the Chihuahua mining town, peacefully occupied last week by Constitutionalist forces. From Parral to Chihuahua City is a march of 200 miles. The trip will require a week.
    Most of the refugees are residents who had declared themselves against the revolution, thus endangering their safety when the 1,200 Federal troops were withdrawn.
    It is thought that a battle will result before the arrival of the refugees at the State capital. Already there are rumors of fighting, in which groups of insurgents have begun to harass the retreating Federal column preliminary to an actual attack. A large portion of the column is of infantry, necessitating slow progress, while the insurgents are all mounted.
    Gen. Antonio Rabago, Military Governor and commander of the Northern Military Zone at Chihuahua, states that the Parral garrison will augment that at the State capital, which is of no more than 500 men, while another strong column moving north from Torreon will retake Parral.