Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-24

! gan making camp, the men were
thiclly powdered from head to foot by
grayish white coatings of pulveriZcd
| lava.
The sense of smell detected Palomas
long before its collection of brown sun
burned huts of mud and cobblestones
| came into view. The odors were those Of
stockyards and tannery combined. Closer
there was added that Of unwashed hui
mainly and solitary raiment. ragged rem
nants of which lay strewn about with
the remains of slaughtered cattle that
lad furnished feasts for Villa and his
men during their brief stop, and rations
for the Carranza troops who were here
both before and after the bandits went
south through the village. The Ameri-
can troops camped near a number Of
lakes formed by stream which, like a
number of others in the southwest. dis
appears in it's course through Mexico.
Anticipated Opposition at Gate
| Colonel Socum halted the column at
the border gate south of Columbus until
the colors came up. When these had
crossed the boundary into Mexico, Maj.
Tompkins, a brother of the noted lieu
tenant colonel Tommy Tompkns of the
eth Cavalry. spread his advance guard
out In the form of wide fan the rid
ers of the guard galloped southwark. The
temper of the Mexicans was still mat
ter of speculation. There were officers
who would not have been surprised to see
the entry of the United States forces OPP
posed at the boundary.
But there were no Mexicans at the Dor
der gate and none were seen on the march
to Palomas. Only two bodies Of armed
men were encountered by either Of the
columns OIL the march here. At Ascen.
cion the mayor, Ramon II. Gomez, haG
> 100 Carranza soldiers and told Col Slo
cum he did not know whether to fight OF
let the American column peaceably pass
> on. After an exchange of official visits
. during which he observed at the Ameri
can camp the assembly of men and guns
he decided to accept the United State:
army officers statement that Carranza
had agreed to the entry Of the troops un
. opposed.
u Called "YeIIow Jackets"
The other body of troops was encoun
tered here Saturday. March is. Majo,
ing to Casas Grandes from MADEIRA afte
" scouting for Villa, was startled to Sc,
American troops in this vicinity His mel
referred to them as yellow Jackets" II,
stopped one of the guides of the column
and asked to be taken to the American
commander to assure him that his force
consisting of Sc men. were not "Villistas'
and in turn be assured they would not b.
fired upon.
Major Tompkins' advance guard
with riders at intervals Of 20 yards
swept the country between the border
and Palomas and stirred nothing but
jack rabbits.
PaIomas Deserted
. Major James 4. Ryan of the 18th
Cavalry. acting chief of staff to Gen.
Pershing, found at Palomas just two
human beings-a crippled Mexican, de :
scribed by the American guides as the
most cunning horse thief along the
border. and his wife. The only other
living things were a few stray dogs.
lnfantrymen We're posted all along the
route from the border to Colonia Dub
Ian to guard the line of communica-
tons and engineers maintained the
road for wagon trains and motor
trucks.
Colonel Slocum's column made Boca
Grande from Palomas. March is. This
was the point from which Villa start
, ed on his raid on Columbus. 1t was
near Boca Grande that Villa captured
and murdered Arthur Kinney, a
roundup boss for the Palomas Land
& Cattle CO.. and three other Ameri-
; cans Just before the raid.
American soldiers found the body
of one of the victims. battered and
mutilated. and in such a condition
that it could not be recognized. An Of
ficcr also picked up in the abandoned
Villa encampment an expense note
book of G. r. Watson, leader OF the
PARTY of is employees Of the Cusihulrla :
, chic Mining Co. who We're slaughtered
, by Pablo Lopez. Villa lieutenant, at
Santa Ysabel.
Health Of Troops Guarded
Men and officers of these columns
were not permitted to drink water tina
had not been previously tested. They
were forbidden to enter Mexican
: houses for fear of typhus The result
was that all are healthy and in goot
, condition. The orders issued by thu
commanding general provided alst
5 that no towns should be occupied. Fol
/. that reason the temporary base herr
was established two miles outside Co
t lonia Dublan and four miles from
r Nueva Casas Grandes, where the Car
rama authorities maintain a small gar
rson.
, ! Army officers said they found Car
J.. rama officers, both civil and military
ready to accord hearty cooperation IL
E the task Of hunting down Villa ant
l his bandit band. The intelligence de
partment of the American punitive ex
= petition headed by Maj. Ryan received
much information from Carranz,
t sources. American colonists near tn
; old town of Casas Grandes, southwes
l. Of the army camp. declared the feel
J. ing among the Mexicans there wa
|. tense, but there has been no evidence
: LOT it.
! Amazed at American Silver