The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-03-21
VILLA LEADS ATTACK
ON CARRANzA FORCES
Reported De Facto Governments
Troops Are About to Let Outlaw
Get Away.
CARKANZA ASKS PROTOCOL
for Cooperation i'm Chase for Villa
and His Band.

FL Paso, Tex, March 2O.-The for
ces of Col. Cano were engaged in
battle at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon
with bandits led by Villa in Mani
quipa, according to a dispatch re-
ceived this afternoon by Gen. Gavira.
Carranzas commandant at Juaraz.
The result of the fighting was rot
decided at the time Of the recent
of the dispatch. NamiQuipa is IN
the district of Guerrero. State OF
Chihuahua. Cano is in command Of
force of 900 cavalry which cazne
in contact two days ago at Ell Vasle
with Villa forces. which on this &c
casion fled without giving battles.
Despite the reports that Cano's
forces had engaged those of Nani
quipa persons well informed here
express the opinion that the Caran-
"a forces had failed to hold up thair
end of the net by which it was pro
posed to capture the bandit chief
ports received to-day Of the news
reserved for the last week that ahe
Mexican troops, not only we're fail
ing to cooperate with the Amari-
can troops, but in certain instances
at least were actually withdrawine
from the field of operations.
Carranzistas Withdraw
The Associated Press learned on
unquestionable authority. that the
troops of the de facto government
which had been seen at Sasas Gran
des have been withdrawn and are
now in or about Juarez From the
same source it was learned that at
least one detachment of Carranza
troops had refused to fight Villa fid
had withdrawn from the bandits ap-
proach, leaving him freeto pass into
his favorite mountain fastness. The
detachment withdrew on receipt of
message that he was warning, not
on Mexicans, but the enemies of the
Mexicans.
The extraordinary rapidity with
which the American cavalry pushed
into Mexico gave high hopes yester-
day that the unexpected had hap
pened and said that the notorious
bandit was cornered. This seemed
inevitable If the Carranza soldiers
did their part, and If the account
OF the strength of their field forces
was correct.
1t now seems certain that Villa
has been moving freely in at least
a large section of the country sup
posed to be held by the forces OF
the first chief.
The reason for Carranza troops
moving to the border remains unex-
planned. 1t is impossible even to make
a fair estimate Of the number of men
under Gen. Gavira at Juarez. The
nest conservative estimate places IL
at 5000 and calculation range from
that point upward to 5000. Most OF
the men are kept outside the town
among the hills. Reports from Agul
Prieta and Ojinaga tell of Mexican
reinforcements reaching those points
also, but nothing is known as to their
numbers.
! There is no question that there IS
serious and growing uneasiness in El
Paso, which has been sharply accen
tuated by the request of the United
States Government objective to Gen.
Carranza for the use OF the Mexican
railroads to transport supplies Amer
leans here did not believe that Car
ranza dare grant this request, es-
pecially as IL is understood that Gen.
Funston proposes, IL II is granted, to
take train crews and equipment into
Mexico and place military guards at
the stations. The presence OF Amer
lean soldiers on Mexican railroads, II
Is said, would be very likely misun-
derstood by the poems and It is feared
would be sure to provoke outbreaks.
YOUNG WOMAN FOUND DEAD.