Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-30
Of VILLA
BECOME ANXIOUS
His Supporters Without Def
mite News From the Bat.
tie of Torreon.
FIERCE FIGHTING THERE.
WITH HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE
Commander of ConstitutionaIists Re-
lleved to Be in Difficult and
Dangerous Position. ,

JlAREZ. Mexico. March 3o.-No re-
ports from Gen. Villa were received
TINS forenoon and il was said that
nshtlng at Torreon continued.
CHICHUAHUA, Mexico. Me-cb ao-For
seven days Francisco Villa military ,
leader of the constitutionalist rsvolu.
uon' mas waged his battle against Tor
reon For six days the fight has bee !
the oitterest, and the loss of life the
heaviest, In the recent history of
Mexico, judging from the measer
press dispatches received from the
front and the stories of slaughter told
today by many OF the 5SS wounded
in hospitals here.
Constitutionalist sympathizers and
rebel officers in Chihuahua again have
become anxious as to the fate of their
military leader and the remnants OF
the 1000 men who marched to Tor
lution's first decisive battle No word
from villa came early today to re-
lieve the anxiety which obtained
throughout Chihuahua.
Villas Supporters Anxious.
Reports that heavy reinforcemenls
were Fastening to relieve Gen. Refugio
Velasco, the federal commander at
Torreon. who has made such a re-
sourceful resistance against the rebels.
were received here with misgivings.
But it Is the fact that no news of Gen.
Villas progress has been had for many
hours. That is responsible for the
greatest anxiety as to his fate
When advantage had been with the
rebel leader in the past, free access to
telegraphic communication was given
,ny1 no. nj
but when he met with reverses, Villa
would allow no news sent over the wires.
Army officers here fear that Villa and
his army are in difficult and perhaps
dangerous position The many days OF
almost constant aggressive warfare at
Gomez Palacio and within the city or
Torreon. it is thought. have exhausted
both men and supplies. From stories
told by the wounded. the rebel vanguard
ran into trap at Gomez Palacio, which
cost them dearly in men and ammuni
ton. But, spurred by the seemingly ir-
resistible energy Of Gen. Villa, the soldiers
pushed on. wrestling victory from what
looked like defeat, and carried. their
! fight to the very heart of Torreon
velasco's Defense Marvellous
Those familiar with the geography Of
Torreon and its vicinity cannot under
stand how Gen. Velasco has been able
to withstand the vigorous attack by a
numerically superior fo-ca as long as
he has, he having been driven accord
ing to report, to the very southern edge
of the city. The only solution which
presented itself was that Gen Velasoo
and his men had succeeded in holding
the roundhouse and railroad buildings
in spite OF the artillery fire which Villa
| might have been able to direct against
them.
There are those optimistic enough to
believe that Gen. Villa has driven the
| federals from the stronghold. and Is
pursuing them down the valley to the
south. with the intention of demoraliz-
ing the federal forces so that his pos
session of Torreon might be undisturbed
| until he can reorganize his own army.
This theory is discounted, however, be-
cause of the fact that no news of any
character from the front has been re
ceived since Villas message Saturday
night. declaring that it was but mat
ter of minutes until Torreon would be
his