El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-12
VILLA ARMY. IS
NEAR IRAPUATO
Carranza and Villa Stories
of Field Activities Differ
as Usual.

Cen Francisco Villas troops have
reached the suburbs Of Irapuaso and the
next big engagement with Gen. Aware
Obregons army Will probably take place
at that point, IS miles north of Celaya,
according to unofficial adivces received,
I'm JuareZ late. Irapuato is a railroad
center and Of great strategical import
anCe. as il commands the railway lead
ing 10 Guadalajara- 1t was at this city
that Villas retreating army halted in
its flight month ago from the battle
field Of Celaya. where the Carrancistas
administered them a severe thEashing.
Villa himself, II was reported. is at ST.
lao, directing the movements Of his
army
At least half of Obregon's $4,000 SOL
diers are at IrapuatO. IL is believed. al
though Carranza sources here claim TO
be in absolute ignorance of the exact
whereabouts Of the Oregon division.
IrapUato was fortified several weeks
ago when ObregOn came north as far
as Silao in pursuit OF villa and this fact
gives foundation to the belief that the
Carrancistas will make a stand there-
Think Oregon laying a Trap.
However. CarraHza officials in FL
PasO intimated today that, il Oregon
has actually fallen back 80 to 40 miles
from his original pOsitions-as the VII
listas claim he has done, he must be
trying TO draw Villa southwark to some
battle site which he has prepared 1t
was suggested that ObregOn may be at
tempting to get Villa in the vicinity Of
Celaya once more before risking a bat
tie.
Carranza officials declared today that
they had received a report Of the SER
Gus wOunding Of RodolfO FierTo. Villas
Man Friday IN an engagement north
Of SiiaO. They said they had no details
Of the affair.
Angeles Near IraDuato.
Part Of the artillery brigade under
Gen Angeles arrived within striking
distance Of Irapuato Tuesday afternoon.
according to reports in Juarez this
morning Americans arriving from
the south yesterday told Of having seen
Ernesto Rios, former Villa hide seller.
in a majors uniform at Aguascalientes
last week Rios, who is well known
here, was arrested in Juarez two weeks
ago and sent to the chihuahua peniten-
tiary. His friends here feared he
would be shot. but stories brought TO
the border show that he is now q major
of artillery. Villas favorite method OF
furnishing a civil employee whom he
suspects is to make him an army Off
Ger and send him into battle.
Carrancistas Deny.
Villa military authorities in Juarez
still insist that Obrogon's left wing
was defeated and forced to retreat Sun
day in the neighborhoOd Of Leon The
withdrawal Of this flank, they say,
forced ObregOn TO order a retreat of his
right and center. The Carranza pub
Lefty bureau IN Fl Paso yesterday IS
sued a denial OF all reports that Villa
had beaten Obregon's troops. The
statement. was to the effect that Obre-
gon had lost no men OF strategical ad-
vantage in any recent fighting with
villa 40 inkling OF Obregon's position
was given It was also denied that
Gen Tomas Urbina. a Villa leader, had
gained some success at EbanO, 20 miles
from Tampico. in the past few days as
claimed by Villa official reports.
Juarez Feels safe.
Juarez can hold out three days
against attack from any quarter or in
any strength, according to a Mexican
colonel who commands a regiment in
the garrison. This officer, who refused
TO allow his name to be used, said yes
terday that no army could take Juarez
in less than three days. by which time
Villa could send ample reinfOrcements
TO the relief Of the city in the event It
is attacked.