Evening journal., 1914-03-18
VILLA ARMY
HARD FOUGHT
BY FEDERALS
Absence Of News From Tor
rOOn May Mean That Rebels
Are Losing Ground
ONLY REINFORCEMENT
WOULD SAVE CHIEF
By The United Press.


Ell PASO, Tex, March ls.-That Gen.
eral Francisco Villas forces at Escalon.
the Constitutionalist base of supplies for
the campaign against Torreon, are being
hard pressed was the Interpretation be-
ing placed today because of the fact that
not a single word of news regarding the
battle raging there had been allowed 10
come out OF Chihuahua and the south
for "a hours. The last despatch, how
ever, brought important advices. A local
correspondent, using a harmless looking
code, sent through news that Villa was
compelled to fight desperately against
a Federal attack at Escalon and that
federals from IOrreon were attempting
to get to the rear of the CONSTITUTIONAL
ist army by coming to Jiminez, fifty
miles north of Dscalon. The Federals
advanced towards that point through
the Valley Rio Florida and were pro-
ceding rapidly when they encountered
General Tomas Urbina's rebel force at
Rosario.
Constitutionalist officials in Juarez
vigorously deny that a battle is in prog
ress, but admit that they are getting no
dispatches The riqidity of the censor
ship is believed to imply first, that Villa
is still master of the country north of
Escalon, for ne controls the telegraph
and second that everything is not going
well with his hitherto invincible army.
Were he sweeping everything before him,
as he had boasted he expected, il is be-
lieved the wires would be loaded with
news of his victory or his progress
written by correspondents favorable to
him.
In Huertaist circles here a rumor was
current last nignt that General Eugenio
Aguirrc Benavides. whose Zaragoza bri-
gade has borne the hrunt of the battle
which had ragged since Saturday near Es-
Gallon was killed yesterday. If true, the
correspondent who sent through a brief
code message. did not mention it, al
though that may have been because he
did not have code words TO cover IL.
Another Tiuertaista story was that
the Federals had captured Jiminez
north OF Escalon. This is doubted by
those familiar with the country and ths
conditions there. They say that the
party of Federals which passed through
Canon Lacadena Saturday even though
not opposed BY General Urbina's fore,
of $500 rebels, could scarcely have
marched to Jiminez in the time that has
elapsed since then.
Should Villas center be driven iron
LriNlNNs u WNNNN NATURALLY ANn hANN ~
Rellano Pass, which has been the seen,
Of two decisive battles since the Mexican
revolution began three years ago. j
Villa should succeed i'm getting his ar
tillory 10 nellano he could stay there as
long as his ammunition held out, re
gardlcss of how many Fedcrals wer
sent against him. He would find riff
pits. even fortihcations ready made, lef
over from two great battles Tough
there March, 1912.
should the Huertaista prediction
prove true and the Federals defeat Ur
bina and reach Jiminez, General Will
would find himself caught between tw'
fires. Unless his forces now scattered
TO the east, south and west of Torreol
could come up to reinforce him, whicl
is doubtful, his position would be Yer,
perilous.