Yaqui Rampage

While a handful of Mexican bandits were kidnaping the retired Long Island butcher, Joseph Rosenthal (see above), over 3,000 Mexican Yaqui Indians were doing their best to kidnap that doughty one-armed warrior, General Alvarp Obregon, onetime (1920-24) President of Mexico.

The General, himself more than half a Yaqui, was en route from Hermosillo, capital of the State of Sonora, to Cajeme, his ranch stronghold. Prudent, he had obtained from Governor Alejo Bay of Sonora a guard of 150 soldiers for his private* train.

Near Vicam, Sonora, the Yaqui, 2,000 strong, besieged the train at 4 a. m. with many a war-whoop. Leaping pajama-clad from his berth, General Obregon personally directed and encouraged his soldiers as they sniped at the Yaqui from behind the drawn blinds of the sleeping cars. For 17 hours the siege continued. At last a portentous puffing was heard. A troop train sent by President Calles to rescue his friend, Ex-President Obregon, steamed up, commanded by Generals Bernal and Montano. Soon the Yaqui fled. General Obregon, his equanimity unruffled, slept that night at his extensive rancho.

Why did the Yaqui thus molest the so distinguished general in whose veins courses so much Yaqui blood? Friends of General Obregon widely expressed their surprise. Then a despatch reported that the Yaqui have been forcibly prevented by the Calles Government from making their usual pilgrimage to certain of their (Catholic) shrines. Allegedly their attack upon Obregon was intended as a reprisal for the Mexican Government's suppression of the Church (TIME, Feb. 22 et seq.).

President Calles announced that an army well equipped with armored cars, airplanes and poisoned gas would be sent to discipline and suppress the rebellious Yaqui who have been more or less continually in foment since the conquest of Mexico by Spain (1521).

No further developments of note occurred last week in the Mexican struggle between Church and State.

* General Obregon, "chickpea king of Mexico" has derived immense wealth from judicious exploitation of his numerous farms and ranches. At one time he virtually controlled the entire garbanzo (chickpea) crop of Western Mexico.