Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-18
American Forces Stop Drive
Into Mexico-Cannot
Go Further.
REFUGEE NOW SAFE
If Quarry Is Beyond Range
of Troops They Cannot
Capture Him.
Camp Of General j. J. Pershing,

Camp Of General j. J. Pershing,
at the front, April II, by motor
and wireless to Columbus, April
1S-The American pursuit OF
villa is at standstill because OF
the unprOvOked attack upon
American cayalrymen by the In
subordinate soldiers Of the Car
rama garrison at Parral. At Gen.
eral Pershing's headquarters there
seemed no prospect Of the re-
sumption of the chase while there
we're numerous indications that q
continuation Of the pursuit would
meet with armed resistance.
A small party of American off.
GERS was fired upon near here last
night, none of the Americans be-
ing injured. This coming on the
heels of other reports of snip
ing Is responsible for the belief
that the expedltionary command Is
confronted with serious prob.
lem.
A report received here from
Carranza sources that villa COL
onel, captured near Cusihuiriachic
had promised to lead party to q j,
= grave in which villa was said to
have been buried last Friday, Is
generally discredited by military
authorities here.
San Antonio, Texas, April 1s.-Ir
Francisco Villa is not dead he has
low an excellent opportunity to es-
ape into territory far beyond the
most advanced of the American de-
achments because the punitive force
las penetrated about as far south as
is going to go with the present Or
sanization. Official admission that 1t
vas impossible to extend the main
inc of communication south Of
5atevo was taken today to mean that
he field of operations would be re-
stricted to that district over which de-
,achments of cavalry with provisions
for one or two days could ride. Be-
yond the arc of that Villa would
be safe so far as the Americans are
concerned.
Pershing Explains Situation.
General Pershing is believed to
have explained in detail this phase Of
the situation in report to General
Funston and to have made recon-
that more effective facili-
ties for the pursuit of Villa be author
lied. The drive of the three cavalry
columns to Parral and it's environs
established the fact that there is nc
chance of obtaining provisions in that
region and that every force sent for
ward must depend wholly on the quar-
termasters with the main column for
They were reported tc
have fallen back to Satevo but wheth-
err they have started out again to beat
the trails in the district beyond ha;
not been told.
Guard Against Attack.
Officers here regard the Parral in
cident as indicating clearly tina
Pershing's men now have 4
guard themselves not only against at
tack by Villas men but by those de
tachments of Carranza's army tina
are antagonistic to his announced at
titude of cooperation.
General Funston sent messages to
day asking that a report be made t
him at once on the unofficial rumo
that train load of forage shippe
from Juarez to Chihuahua and intend
ed for the American troops had bee
seized by the Carranza authorttie:
The arrival Of some of the supple
sent to Chihuahua has been reporte
but no advices that they had reache
the army have been received.
General Funston was awaiting tc
day the confirmation of the story tina
Villa was dead. No American off,cia
has sent any report other than repeti
ton Of the unconfrmed repors fror
Mexican officials.