Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1916 — VILLA DEFEATED IN FIGHT WITH CARRANZA MEN [ARTICLE]

VILLA DEFEATED IN FIGHT WITH CARRANZA MEN

Bandit Flees After Losing Two Battles. U. S. TROOPS IN SKIRMISH? .. is— Rumored That American Forces Under Colonel Dodd Routed Outlaws and Pershing Reported to Have Clashed With Carranzistas. El Paso, Tex., March 24.—Qen. Francisco Villa was attacked and defeated at Santa Gertrudes l>v Carranza troopß, according to a dispatch received by General Gavlra. Carranza commandant in Juarez. General Gavira said he had received authentic information that following the reported skirmish at* Santa Clara earlier in the day. where Colonel Cano's command was said to have defeated Villa, the bandit chieftain was pursued and again defeated at Santa Gertrudes. Villa, the dispatch says, left several dead and wounded on the field, and General Gavjra says 100 horses were captured friim sj[m by the Carranza forces. / From Santa Gertrudes \<kla fled to El Oso, where he Is reported to be reorganizing his forces. Santa Gertrudes is a ranch settlement in the Guerrero, district not far from Namtquipa. Other Battles Rumored, Several rumors, none of which could be confirmed, told of armed clashes with Villa by Carranza men and American troopers. One had it that Colonel Dodd’s col-< umn had met Villa and defeated him somewhere south of El Valle. Th» Americans were said to have killed 84i of Villa's followers and driven tho bandits southward. It was said that several of Colonel Dodd’s troopers were killed. All efforts to verify thisi rumor failed. The military authorities! said they had heard nothing about it., It was also vaguely reported that Carranza troops had fought “a pitched! battle with General Pershing’s column! somewhere south of Casas Grandes.”. No substantiation of the report has) been received. This rumor said that four American soldiers were hilled and fourteen wounded. Three hundred Carranzista troops were said to havoi been killed. Herrera Revolt Confirmed.

San Antonio, Tex , March 24. —Gen-| oral Bell at ’sl Paso sent to General] Funston a ’message saying that his (Bell's) report that General Herrera, had revolted has been confirmed. General Funston advised the war department However, about the ' time this ines-| sage was received Sanyad Belden* counsel for Carranza, made public a message which he said he has re-! ceived from General Herrera through General Gavirn at Juarez. The message says; "CbihuahuA 'March 23. — Your telegram received. Deny in rny name,* emphatically, the rumor that the reactionaries have circulated in San Antonio, Tex., saying that I had gone; over to Villa. On the contrary, 1 amj ready to tight him as energetically aa| possible.”

May Be Using Railroad. That General Pershing had taken! over the Mexico >lorthwestern rail-' | road and was operating it wouth of) | Casas Grandes to the Cumbre tunnel! i was considered entirely possible by, 1 by General Funston. ' General Pershing has not reported to me that he has done so, hut 1 believe he may have done so,” said Funston. “Of course he would tlrst obtain the consent of the local Mexican military commander, as the road | Is now under the control of the Mexican war department. ] "As 1 understand it, the road is ln| fair condition for operation between Casas Grandes and the Cumbre tun--1 nel. The explosion in the tunnel which ! wrecked It about a year ago has never been repaired; A switchback is now c mating about the tunnel and threei cars at a time can be handled over it.”i Villa Holds Up Train. El Paso, Tex., March 24.—Garcia Flores, a Spanish merchant of the city of Chihuahua, who arrived here, said that Villa had held up a train on whibh he was traveling, at Moctezuma, 85 miles northeast from Nainiquipa, where the Carranza authorities have insisted the bandit chief was located. Flores is well known in business circles in El Paso.

“When we reached the station we were amazed to see Pancho Villa himself enter, the train. We had supposed he was many miles to the west. He walked through every carriage, declaring that he was searching for Americans and that he would kill any be found. ‘“I am not fighting Mexicans,’ he

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