Evening star., 1915-01-10
VILLA PROMISES
PEACE ON BORDER
Mexican General Gives Word
to Scott to Prevent Fight
ing Along Line.
FORCES UNDER GEN. HILL
ARE To EVACUATE NACO
Report From Saltillo Indicates That
Battle Continues Unabated With
out Decisive Result.

Ell PASO. Tex, January 9.-Gen,
Villa today gave Brig. Gen. Scott his
word that he would prevent further
border fighting. which, since the Ma
dero revolution in 1911, has been men,
ace to residents of American border
towns.
The Mexican leader after a confer
ence at Juarez promised that he
would order Gov. Maytorena to sign
an agreement which had been drafted
by Gen. Scott at Naco. 1t would pre-
vent a recurrence of the fighting there,
which. during the last two months, has
caused the wounding and killing of
more than fifty persons on the Ameri-
can side. Gen. Hill, commander of the
Carranza garrison defending Naco.
Sonora, already has signed the agree
ment.
The eight thousand Villa troops pass
ing through Juarez, on their way to
Sonora. will be sent. Villa said, to
Guaymas, on the California gulf, and
will not participate in fighting along
the border.
The Mexican and American generals
met there last night at preliminary
conference The meetings here and in
Juarez We're held at times and places
supposedly unknown to any one ex-
cept the official participants.
The Agreement.
The Maytorena-Hi agreement, which
Villa promises Maytorena will sign. is
substantially as follows:
The port of Naco. Sonora, shall be
evacuated by the forces under Gen.
Hill. Gov. Maytorena and Gen. Hill
both promise not to occupy the port,
which shall remain neutral territory
and closed to commerce until some
constitutional government is establish
ed in Mexico and recognized by the
United States and until one of the con-
tending factions in Sonora entirely
dominates the other. The port of No
gales, held by Maytorena, and the port
Of A qua Prieta, held by Hill. shall not
be attacked for any reason whatso-
ever.
The troops under Maytorena shall re-
tire to Cananea or Nogales, and shall not
molest the movement of the Hill forces
from Naco to Aqua Prieta.
greatest opposition by the Maytorena
faction. Naco is between Nogales and
Aqua Prieta. Gen. Villa is expected to
return south to direct personally the
campaign against the Carranza forces in
the east. Gen. Scott will return to
Washington, perhaps. after brief visit
to Naco.
A Villa force will be detached to hold
Gen. Hills force at Aqua Prieta, but it
is understood not to attack him.
Gen. Villa announced tonight that he
would welcome the return to Mexico of
all former regular army officers, many of
whom are reported in a destitute state in
the United States and other foreign coun-
tries. He also issued statement claim
ing a decisive victory against the Car
rama troops near SaltillO.
Battle Is Unabated.
LAREDO. January 9.-News from
Saltillo today said the battle between
villa and Carranza forces continued
unabated with no decisive result. 1t
was reported that force OF 1000
Carranza troops had left Monterey to
join in the fight.
A strict censorship is being main
tanned at Nuevo Laredo, the Mexican
town opposite here, and reports are
difficult to confirm. 1t was learned from
apparently reliable sources that the
$4,000. and the Villa troops 10000.
The fighting is said to be taking
place in Saltillo, which the Villa forces
recently occupied, and a force five
miles to the north. 1t was said part of
the Villa forces were between two fires
today.
Hill to Pass Through o. S,
NACO, Ariz.. January s.-Permission
has been granted by the American
State Department to Gen. Benjamin Hill,
Carranzista commander in Sonora, to
pass through the United States on his
way to Vera Cruz. He will depart to-
morrow under orders to report to Gen.
Carranza on the killing and wounding
of persons on the American side Of
the line during the siege of Naco. Som
ora, by Gov. Maytorena's forces. It is
Col. 2. Elias Gales will be his sue
cessor.
Convention Fails to Meet.
MEXICO CITY. January s.-The ma
tional convention. called for the purpose
of naming a provisional president and
| adopting a reform program. failed to
meet today, the sessions have been sus
| pended indefinitely. The southern dele
gates however held meeting TODAY
Those present represented only the "a.
| pata forces.
Carranza to Ban Gambling,
VERA CRUZ, January s.-Gen. Car.
rama has announced his intention of
promulgating decree aimed at doing
away entirely with gambling in Mexico
| lotteries, but. 1t is said. will be so far
| reaching that virtually all games of
chance will be placed outside the law.
Maco Declared Neutral;