Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-05
VILLAS STORY DENIED.

american Surgeons Beloved Held 70
Care For Mexican Chiefs Wounded.
Douglas. Ariz.. Nov. 5.-Information
from several reliable sources today
definitely contradicted Francisco Villas
statement to General Frederick Fun
ston. at Naco yesterday, that DR.. II. r.
Thigpeny Chief surgeon Of the Cananea
Consolidated Copper Company. his as
sistant.t DR.. James :Millera and two
American chauffeurs, J.. ID. Pylant and
A. L. Wilson, had been killed wednes-
day by Carranza rifemen near Aqua
Prieta.
The four men are declared held
prisoners at Villa Verde twenty miles
south Of Naco, and the belief is gem
orally expressed that Villa deliberately
told the story Of their death in order
that he might hold them and supply
his urgent need of surgeons without
being subject to inquiry or the neces-
sity Of giving them up.
The Cananea Consolidated Company
officials automatically assumed. how
ever. that Villa merely had been mis-
taken and went to the Mexican out
law chief today with a request that
they be released.
Held For Medical Service.
The request was based on the ground
that the copper company. had agreed to
care for seventy-f five Of Villas wounded
and could not carry out the contract II
deprived Of the services OF Thigpen and
Miller.
Doubt was first cast on Villas story
last night when DR.. Fred U. Wichman.
of st. Louis, Mo-, rushed across the
line into Naco. Ariz., and after declar-
ing he had barely escaped execution.
made the assertion he had seen the
American doctors and chauffeurs alive
Wednesday night.
Today George Snow. motor truck
driver, delivering supplies to Villa
Verde, reported he had seen Drs. Thig-
pen and Miller and Wilson and Pylant,
at that point. They were held prison.
ers, Snow said, but he could not learn
what charge had been made against
them.
Funston Meets Villa.
General Funston, commanding the
American forces here, went to Naco
yesterday, after Villa had reported to
Major Evans, of the cavalry force at
Naco, that the four Americans had been
killed and buried on the battle field
General Funston and Villa con-
ferred at the line and the Mexican chief
told him a story that varied somewhat
from that given by Major Evans. Villa
said the men had been killed by rifle
men and later said shrapnel shell had
killed them while they were on the field
under Red Cross flag.
Since Villa is an outlaw in the eyes
OF the American government General
Funston could take no action in tho
case.
Buryins the Dead.
The Aqua Prieta battle field, still
dotted with the slain. became offensive
today and burial parties were hurried
out by General Gales with orders to
burn bodies to prevent danger OF pesti-
lence.
Gen. Alvaro Obregon Is expected here
today to take command OF a campaign
against Villa. Gales alleged failure to
take advantage OF opportunities to de-
feat Villa has caused some dissatisfac-
ton.
The Aqua Prieta commander insisted
on remaining in his trenches while VII
las army. in widely separated divisions,
was coming thru a narrow pass OF the
Ch:ricahua mountains. east OF here. A
comparatively small force. according to
military men, could have held Villa out
OF the valley indefinitely.
villa was preparing to leave Naco
this morning and did not Immediately
reply.
Conditions were rapidly assuming
normal proportions today. With the
exodus Of tho last villa forces from
this section, work Of clearing the
battlefield Of dead and wounded was
proceeding. Most Of the 5000 refugees
who sought shelter 81 Douglas and the
surrounding country. have returned to