Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1916 — REPORT VILLA DEAD; BODY IS DUG UP [ARTICLE]

REPORT VILLA DEAD; BODY IS DUG UP

Mexican Consul Gets Word Bandit Chief’s Corpse Has Been Identified; Betrays Burial Spot. El Paso, April 16.—Francisco Villa is dead and his body, distinterred some days after his burial, is in possession of the Carranza troops according to a series of telegraphic messages received in Jaurez today by the Mexican officials. Today’s accounts were the most circumstantial, and apparently reliable yet received. They were accepted with reserve by American officials, including General Bell, out the Mexican officials expressed confidence in their reliability. The messages, in the order received, are as follows: .The dispatcher of the Mexican Northwestern railroad at Jaurez reported to General Gavira, Carranza commander at Jaurez that he had heard a conversation over the telegraph wire to the effect that Villa’s body was in the hands of the Carranza troops. Gen. Gavira notified Consul Andreas here, who rushed messages co the telegraph operators at Madera and Cusihuiriachic asking for confirmation. The operators answered confirming the report and stating the body was being taken to Chihuahua. The telegraph operator at San Antonio, fifty miles west of Chihuahua, telegraphed Consul Garcia that Villa’s body was in possession of Col. Carlos Carranza, nephew of Gen. Carranza, who was taking it in a special train to Chihuahua.