The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-01
FRANCISCO VILLA IN
 FIGHTING MOOD NEAR
 AMERICAN BORDER ON EVE OF BIG BATTLE
tcontinued from Page one)

| tonight bringing the Ilgnllng SlreHs LII
 of the Carranza garrison to approx1-
 mately 5000 men.
 Villa, according to reliable estimates.
 has 10000 soldiers. He claims to have l 18,000. It was expected here that Vil- la would open the engagement as quickly as possible because of the con dition of his men, thousands of whom were thirsty tonight and with scant
 supplies of food. This was learned from Villa himself and three Mexican ranchmen who arrived here tonight stripped of all they possessed. It IS believed Carranza contemplates moving
 his main body intosposition sometime during the night following one of his favorite plans.
 Three thousand Villa troops, mounted
 and afoot and driving pack animals, apparently loaded with machine guns or
 unmounted cannon, were tonight at a point four miles east of Douglas and about the same distance south of the internation boundary Camp Fires Are Visible Camp fires were visible tonight both from Douglass and east trenches or the Gales stronghold, which were Filled with riflemen, machine gun operators and gunners manning field pieces. Villa himself was with his cavalry, which passed along the border today to take position just out of range or the garrison. It was during this march that Carranza endorsements had been transported over American territory. "Agua Prieta will be mine,' he as serted Americans or no Americans. Pointing his finger toward the town, he added:
 There is food and rest for our men. We may have to fight the whole Amer ican army, if necessary, but no mat ter, it will be ours.''
 "When?" he was asked. q know" was the reply 1 Suddenly Villa asked again if it were | true that the United States govern
 ment had permitted General Carranza to transport endorsements over Amer 1 can territory. He then said:
 "This is the way the United States
 repays me for the Urea tment and pro- 1 lection I have given foreigners in Mex 1 ico Hereafter I don't give d-T7rr what happens to foreigners in Mexico.
 or in my territory.
 Through With U. s. "I am through with the United States. I can fight my battles. Let them fight theirs
 q can whip Carranza and his entire NoeeA 1 to whip the United States also; but | suppose I can do that too" | Villa asserted that his entire plan or l campaign had been mapped out Villa
 declined to pose for photograph. NO more of my pictures for the | United States he explained, smilingly. Part of the advance guard approached and asked about water. They were told that there was water at the Gal 1ardo ranch.
 "Oh," replied a Mexican officer,
 i've have drunk all the water there. This officer also stated that the de- tachment of 5000 last seen deploying on the desert four miles east of Agua Prieta was almost entirely without water.
 The border line was closed tonight, but arrangements were made by United States immigration authorities to admit under guard thousands of refugees from Agua Prieta whose number was augmented by women and children camp followers with
 the Carranza contingents arriving over l American territory from Laredo. Refugees Arriving | Officials declared that the refugees and camp followers would not be allowed to cross until firing actually began | Most of the Gales troops remained in | their trenches tonight. Searchlights played on the brush-covered mesa over
 which the Villa forces must advance to
 the attack
 l General Gales sent to Douglas tonight nearly 2oO0 head of horses, including those brought from Laredo and Eagle Pass,
 thus revealing that he has no intention of going out to attack Villa. but would await
 an attack on the garrison.
 ! General Davis said he has received nc
 word from Villa. q do not want to talk | to any of them,'' he said.
 ], Nogaless Ariz., October 31.--A battle has
 been in progress since 4 a. m. today at Torres. Ariz, between Carranza forces commanded by General Dieguez and a Villa column under General Flores, ac- cording to reports received tonight al Nogales. Sonora. No details could be ob- | tained.
 General Dieguez, who recently captured | Guyamas, on the west coast of Mexico l has been advancing with his troops to- ! ward Hermosilo in an effort to drive them toward the international border. Torres is short distance south of Her. mosillo.
 | Mexican soldiers of the Nogales, Sonora garrison began today to tear up the tracks | of the Southern Pacific railroad of Mexico south of the border. This action, 1t is said, was taken as result of the notice {! given Carlos Randall. acting Villa gov ernor that the railroad no longer woult serve him. San Antonio, Tex, October S1.-Roher V. Pesquera, personal representative oi General Carranza, stated here tonight tha a commission will be appointed by the dc facto government of Mexico within few days to cooperate with United States of ficials in suppressing bandit activity along 1 the Texas Mexican border.
 C0nfers With Governor Mir Pesqueira conferred with Governor Ferguson of Texas yesterday and today met Mayor Brown of Brownsville. and { }delegation of citizens of the lower Rit Grande valley here He will join Gen ] eral Carranza when the first chief ar rives at Piedras Negras this week.
 Tn addition to the appointment of (
 commission to study the situation an' events which have led to the present stat of unrest" MT Pesqueira said. 'troop now stationed at Matamoras and nearb, garrisons will be reinforced and effort will be made to prevent the crossing O
 bandits from Mexico into the unite' States and in turn from Texas into Mex
 ico.
 The Carransa government has basn n