The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-16


day he had been notified that
General Villa was en- route from
CaSaS GrandeS to Sonora. He
says his information is correct.
FL Paso. Oct 16.-Reports current
here for twelve hours that General
Francisco Villa, chief of the ccnven-
tion forces in Mexico, had been ar
rested by his own men at Casas
Grandes, convicted and Lut to death
could not be confirmed here early to-
day.
Messages from General Villa in his
private code were received at Juarez
at o'clock Friday afternoon.
report that General Francisco
Villa, leader of the northern faction
brought to Ell Paso early today by -
Mexican who just arrived from Casas
Grandes.
Shot in Fight.
According to the story Villa was
shot in a fight when dissatisfaction
broke out in the villa army late yes
terday. Another report brought by an
American passenger said that on Fri
day Villa was being tried by a court
martial and the trial was still in prog
ress when the train left Casas
The Mexican who reported villa
shot declared that the trouble arCse
when the chief called upon one of is
comrades for forced loan.
Troops Revolt
The man was ordered shot. the re-
port continued, when he refused 20
accede to Villas demand. Division IN
the army resulted, it was said. appar-
emily several thousand of the nins
thousand troops revolving. In a fight
that followed, the Mexican said villa
received mortal wounds.
The Villa garrison at Juarez last
night was said to be greatly dis
turbed. The exact nature of the con-
ditions there could not be learned. as
residents had feared to cross the in
ternational bridge.
crowd CT persons gathered az the
river late last night but little infor-
nation filtered through.
Another One Dead?
The Villa messages related to busi-
ness with his representatives in
Last night a report that Gen. Ru-
dolfo Fierro was dead was received
over the military wires from Casas
Grandes. 1t stated briefly that F'ierro
had been drowned while fording
river.
Villas Right Hand Man.
General Fierro was regarded as one
of the most picturesque and audaciouS
leaders produced by the Mexican revo-
brakeman. Later he turned bandit
and robbed an express train at Lam
pasas, Mexico. For this he never was
prosecuted.
When the revolution broke out
Fierro Joined Villa and won the esteem
of his commander at the battles Of
Torreon and Zacatecas. subsequently
he became known as Villas fright
hand man." vho could be relied upon
to carry out particularly atrociouS
plans. 1t was Fierro who is said to
have taken William Benton. an Eng
lishman, in charge when the latter
attempted to call Villa to account for
the confiscation of Benton's property.
The death of Benton was attributed
to Fierro. He was with Villa on his
recent visit to the ranch of General
Tomis during which Urbina was killed.
Death Denied.
Washington. Oct. 16.-At the villa
agency here a report of the generals
death was officially denied. 1t was
stated that messages from Villa, sent
by him last night, had been received
today.
Thomas of Topeka Discrcdits IL.
Reports of the death of General
Francisco Villa, powerful Mexican fac
tional leader are discredited by 2. 8.
head of the f. S. Thomas
Loan and Insurance company OF To-
peka, and a personal friend of she
Mexican leader.
Had there been anything to the
report of the death of General villa, 1
would have received a telegram to that
effect long ago." said Mr.. Thomas to-
day. 81 do not believe villa will ever
meet the kind of a death outlined in
the dispatches
LAS fer the reported drowning Of
General Rudoifo Fierro, / also dis
credit that There isn't enough water
in all Mexico to drown that Mexican
Mr.. Thomas stated that he saw both
Fierro and Villa about a month ago
and that at that time there was no
evidence of such a revolt as IS out
lined in today's dispatches.