The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-24
ADEQUATE FoRcEr ASKED TO
SEND TO PERsHINo's AID IN
INTERIOR OF MEXICO.
VILLAS LINES REACHED
BANDITS CUT MILITARY TELE.
GRAPH; ARMY MARooNED
IN WILD DESERT.
western Newspaper Union New. Service.

San Antonio, Tex. March 22.-Gen.
Funston asked the War Department
Tuesday for more troops to send into
Mexico only after long consideration
of the advisability of continuing the
operations against ~Francisco villa
with the forces now commanded by
Gen. Pershing.
Gen. Pershing suggested that an
other regiment be sent to him and
Gen. Funston asked the department
for what he characterized as an ade-
quate force.
El Paso. Tex, March 22.-In the alb
sence of any news either from Gen.
Pershing or Gen. Gavira. there was
nothing left but conjecture in the
minds of military officials. but it is
known that the tines of villa and the
Americans have met, with United
States troopers eager for a decisive
battle. 1t may be in progress.
The field wireless of the army, at
Casas Grandes, failed last night, cut
ting off Gen. Pershing from the
United States. The telegraph already
had gone out. as result of raid on
the railroad The wires are known to
have been cut in twenty-eight places
presumably by villa bandits. One of
the last messages from Gen. Pershing
said he was near villa"
Despite reassuring reports from
Washington there was no lessening in
the tension along the border or no
weakening in the freely-expressed be-
lief that there was serious disaffec-
ton among the Carranza troops The
proposed protocol between the Ameri-
can government and Gen. Carranza
did not alter that opinion.
Columbus, N NJ, March 22.-Two
lieutenants of the First Aero squad
ron are lost somewhere in the desert
foothills 'of the Sierra Madres with
but three days rations and two small
canteens of water between them and
starvation. 1t was officially made
known at military headquarters acre
last night. Army officers do net
credit reports In Columbus that the
two lieutenants may have fallen vic
tins of snipers.
Washington.-A tentative draft of a
proposed protocol between the de
facto government of Mexico and the
United States under which American
and Carranza troops would cooperate
in running down villa the bandit. was
prepared by Eliseo Arredondo, Mexi-
can ambassadordesigna
Ell Paso. Tex. March, 22.-The forces
of Col. Cano were engaged in battle at
4:30 Monday afternoon with bandits
led by Villa. in Numiquipa, according
to dispatch received by Gen. Gavira,
Carranza commandant at Juarez.
The result of the fighting was not
decided at the time of the receipt Of
the dispatch Namiquipa is In the dis
trict of Guerrero, state of Chihuahua.
Col Cano is in command of a forco
of 900 cavalry and came in contact
two days ago at Ell Vale with Villistas
who fled without giving battle A dis
patch from. San Antonio says Gen.
| Funston announced the positions of
/
force as follows: The first moving
southwark from Casas Grandes toward
Babricora; the second moving south
east towards Ell Vale, and the third
towards Carmen.
Villa was reported to have been de-
feated by Carranza troops at Cruces
and to be on his way north towards
Ell Valle.
! A feature of the gravest Importance
was injected into the border situation
by substantial confirmation of the nu-
4 merous reports received last week
that the Carranzistas not only were
failing to cooperate with the Ameri-
can troops but in certain instances at
least actually were Withdrawing from
the field of operations. The Associ-
ated Press learned on unquestionable
authority that the troops of the de
Y facto government which had been sta
toned at Casas Grandes have been
withdrawn and are now in and about
Juarez. From the same source it was
learned that at least one detachment
OF Carranza troops had refused to
fsht villa and had withdrawn on the
bandits approach. This detachment
Withdrew on receipt of message that
he was warning not on Mexicans bu;
the enemies OF Mexicans
The extraordinary rapidity with
which the American cavalry pushed
into Mexico gave rise to high hopes
that the unexpected had happened an j
the notorious bandit was cornered
This seemed inevitable, If the Carran
sa soldiers did their part. and if the
account of the strength of their field
forces was correct. villa, cut off from
the north by the forward sweep of the
American columns. from the west by