The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-12
VILLA AND HIS FOLLOWERS
MAKE GOOD FSCtPR

Washington. April t1.~-Reports to
the War Department from army avia-
tors today confirmed the apprehension
OF the general STAFF that Francisco
Villa has escaped his pursuera. rhs
State Depa rtment has nothing TO con-
firm The report that Villa is either
dead or wounded. and army Officers
think his reported woundinr may be
a trick of war.
War and State Department otfi >ialS
were disa appointed today when General
Scott chief of staff. and acting Scc-e-
tary of War, made public tele5ra n
from General Funston. which vas
ia ken TO indicate that Villa had
ESCAPED. The telegram said:
Following received from Columbus
today: 'Aviators D'Argue and iorrel
= tffres3 IN aeropiane thts morning IN
little over fopf hours. They bron2tIt
no dispatches from General Persh-
ing"
This feat OF the aviators in making
such record time in their flight. army
officers said. indicated that they had
had opportunity to ny considerable
distance beyond The advance cavalry
squadrons and that they had faiiei
10 locate villa
state Department officials said re-
ports of Villas death were not rev.
hat frequent Villa may he now. they
yaid In the state Of Durango. raIlNinR
his friends.
Nlarufed Over Conditions,
High officials in tonch with tbs
cabinet discussion today declare the
administration is alarmed over coudi-
lions In the rear Of General per=nins.
The people are said 10 ne hostile. and
army officers state that II General
Pershing should he cut of from his
haee at Columbus. the american
soldiers composing the punitive cx-
petition may act on their own ar-
count. and that a catastrophe may
Occur
After tho Cabinet meeting today
II was statnd that the concern of tbs
administration over the situation in
the rear Of General i'ershing is gen
uiue. General Carran2a 1t was as
serted is sttil suggesting that the
American iroans he Withdrawn "waen
the pursuit Of Villa becomes hope-
less or his bands are dispersed"
Advic"s to the War Department IN
dictate that Villas followers apparent-
~ have escaped and II was stated at
the department there is constant dan
ger of clash between the American
soldiers and the CarranZstas along
the l'ne OF communication from Casas
GfaHdes to Columbus.
& high official sai id the large mum
Der of American troops which have
heen sent secretly to Mexico and
which do not belong TO the columns
in pursuit of the fleeing bandit were
sent there for the purpose OF pro-
viding against collision with forces
other than Viilistas," Army officers
declined to disclose the number of
troops moved into Mexico against this
possible contingency. but no attempt
was made to conceal the fact that
more soldiers would be sent across
the border
1T would he impossible to exaEger-
ate what the American troops might
do III their line of telegraph COM
murication were cut and General Per-
shing and his advance forces got out
of touch with General Funston and
the headquarters at Columbus" II
was stated at the War Department
Could Not Hold In Army.
The positive assertion was made hy
an administrative officer of the army
that II would be impossible to hold
in" the American officers and troops
in Mexico should II be reported Ia
them that the line of communication
with Columbus had been cut. Fla
said the ranking officers on the ground
would act precisely the same as Col
Slocum did when he crossed the bor- &
der without orders in pursuit Of the
outlaws who attacked. Columbus.
The War Department gave out to-
day the names of the American sol
diers OF Troop G OF the Seventh Cav
airy who were wounded In the A9bt
with Niliistas on the 2sth OF Marcia
at Guerrero. They are: u
Thomas r. Brown. cheek. back ~