Tales Of Rebel Outrages.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 7, 1913:
M. A. Leach Describes to Bryan Horrors He Saw in Durango.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.— Some details of the disorders in Mexico for the past three years were laid before Secretary Bryan to-day by M. A. Leach, a wealthy American of San Francisco, who has lived many years in the city of Durango, capital of the Mexican State of the same name.
    It is reported that Mr. Bryan indicated that it would be unwise to give publicity to the facts in Mr. Leach's possession but Mr. Leach, explaining that he felt it his duty to inform the public, issued a typewritten statement of his personal adventures and views.
    Mr. Leach gave a stirring account of the capture of Durango on June 13, and described with bitter comment the conduct of the successful Constitutionalists. Mr. Leach is a warm supporter of ex-Ambassador Wilson's policies, and condemned the Constitutionalists as bandits little different from Zapata. Twice, he said, he was personally robbed by Gen. Villa, one of the Constitutionalist leaders, while the entire rebel army, he said, supported itself by plunder.
    The capture of a Mexican town by the rebels, said Mr. Leach, was the signal for indescribable acts of brutality. Women were roughly treated. Houses were burned. Non-combatants, whether foreign or native, were shot, and everything of value was taken.
    Mr. Leach denied emphatically that the rebellion had any patriotism behind it. He said he had on many occasions heard the rebel chiefs exhorting their men to loot.