New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
Major FierrO, Slayer OF
Benton, Reported To
Be ASSailant.
LATTER SAID TO
HAVE BEEN KILLED
Shooting Followed Threat
OF General 20 Arrest
His BOdyguard.


+! Paso. Tey.. Jan. 30. Unoffic.al
reports 10 Juarez tonight say that
General Villa died to-day while being
brought 30 the border for surgical al.
;cation from Agusscalientes. Previous
reports said that villa had been shot
twice b. Major Rudolfo Fierro, his
personal bodyguard
The shooting took place a. Villas
car in the railroad yards at about the
time John r. Silliman, ,he American
Consul at Mexico CITY. ;elegraphed
Washington officials that he had re
ccived a report of Villa having been
seriously injured.
Villa and Fierro. the report says.
quarreled and Villa threatened TO have
Fierro arrested. Fierro then opened
fire upon his chief, shooting him once
in the stomach and once in the right
hip.
Major Fierro. who was neld respon
sible by commission appointed by
/ Carrarza for the death Of William s.
Benton, British subject, and Gustav
Bauch. an American. in Juarez, is re-
ported to have escaped. Csrranzists
secret agents in Torreon say they have
received word that he has been caught
and put to death.
General Tomas Ornelas, commanding
the Juarez garrison. says no word has
been received there which would indi-
cate that harm had befallen Villa. al
! though he was, he says, in cOmmuni-
cation with Villa to-day. George {.
Carothers. special agent Of the State
Department. now in FL Paso, but who
/ has been with Villa for months, re-
ceived a telegram from Villa to-day
which was dated at Aguascalientes last
I night. II was sent at 10 p. nj. and
made no mention of Villa having been
I shot.
/ Americans and Mexcans having busi-
ness connections IN Chihuahua and
/ Torreon, however. received code mes
ssges to-day saying there was no ques-
/ tion but that Villa has been shot. The
same report has been made to. the Car
rama consulate here BY secret agents
/ in Chihuahua, which is in direct COM
munication with Aguascahentes.
For two days no definite word has
come of conditions in the interior south
/ OF Apuascalientes nor of any important
military movements on either side
South OF Aguascalientes there is an
embargo on both railroad and tele-
pranh service. The Villa officials at
/ Juarez even have failed to confirm re-
ports that Carranza troops occupy the
/ capital.
/ Laredo. Tex. Jan. 3O.-San Luis Po-
tosi is again in the hands of Csrranza
forces. II was turned over yesterday
/ without a battle, and the fall of Mon
terey. now held By Villa troops, is re-
ported imminent
San Luis Potosi is the capital of the
state of that name and on the railroad
/ TO Mexico City, about 200 miles south
B of Monterey. It's fall was said TO be
/ result of Gutierrez's detection from the
/ Villa-Zapata combination. It's garrison
was composed OF both Villa and Gutter
Iez supporters.
/ General Blanco and General Robles,
commanding 10000 Carranza troops,
were preparing to attack, when General
dc la Cara, said TO be a Gutierrez
J svmpathizer. surrendered the city un-
/ conditionslly, renOuncing allegiance 70
villa and allying himself with the Car
ranza party. 1t is reported his forces
will 90 south to help in campaign
against Queretaro.
Washington. Jan. 30.--General 0bre-
gon rules at Mexico City in the name
of General Carranza, First Chief OF
the Constitutionalists who is at Vera
/ Cruz. General Villa is at Aguas Cali
entes. General Zapata at Cuernsvaca'
and the whereabouts of Rogue Con
/ zales Cara and Eulalio Gutierrez, lately
/ successively in charge OF the executive
power in Mexico City, is unknown.
This is the geographical distribution
of the various chiefs in Mexico, shown
in advices to-day 70 the State Depart
ment. Three distinct movements inde-
pendent of each other are IN the neld'
with forces Of varying magnitude.
General Carranzs. at the head or
large part of the original Constitu-
tionalist forces. will remain at Vera
| Cruz. which. il is understood. Will CON
tinue as the capital of his government,
Notwithstanding the occupation of Mex
ico Os,v hy General Obregons men.
The forces Of General Zapsts menace
the line OF communication between
Vera Cruz and Mexico City. They are
still said TO be working IN harmony
with the villa forces under the autnof-
ity of the convention government.
In the north the Carranza forces
hold San Luis Potosi, and are threat
ening Monterey, which is held by zen
eral Felipe Angeles, CHIEF lieutenant
OF General Villa.