The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-17

climax. The people of Parral are
strongly sympathetic with Villa, whom
they regard as Mexican hero, who
is being prosecuted by America. They
have also been told the old story
about General Carranza having sold
Mexico to the United States. There
is no question that Parral is not safe
place for Americans at present. And
I am afraid it will be long time be
fore the bitterness dies down on ac-
count of the number of MeXicans who
were killed by the United States sol
diers."
Extra, States TO Join Mexico.
sTexas. Colorado, Nevada, Arizona,
New Mexico, Utah and California will
declare their independence, with a
view to annexing themselves to the
republic of Mexico, is the news that
Ell Democratic, a daily paper published
in Chihuahua City, has just an
nounced "Jails are to be suppressed
and the negroes and Indians who had
been subjugated by Yankee gold are
to be liberated" if the plot succeeds.
Copies of Ell Democratic, a Consti-
nationalist organ, with this exclusive
piece of news spread over its front
page, have just been brought to Ell
Paso by Americans from Chihuahua.
War Dept. Gets News.
Mexico City, April 17.-Villa's dead
body has been dug up out of a two
weeks old grave by Carlos Carranza,
nephew of General CarranZa, the first
chief of the Constitutionalists, and is
now being brought by him and an es-
cort of soldiers to the city of Chi
huahua.
This information was contained in
telegram received by the war depart
ment
According to the dispatches thus far
received, Villas death was due to the
amputation of one of his legs, caused
by wounds received by him in the
fighting in the Guerrero district in the
state of Chihuahua. After being des-
perately wounded he was carried by
his followers to the town of Temosa
chic, where the operation of amputa-
ton was performed by a village doc
tor
AS soon as the bandit chief could
be removed he was carried south to
the town of Cusihuirachic. 80 miles
distant Here, according to the story,
he fingered for a few days, suffering
greatly, but death ended his career.
The identity of the wounded man
had been kept secret from the villag-
ers and he was buried at night so as
to attract as little attention as pos
sible.
| Body Disinterred.
Ell Paso, Tex, April 17.-Francisco
Villa is dead and his body, disinterred
]
session of the Carranza troops, ac-
cording to a series of telegraphic mes
sages received in Juarez by the Mex
/ lean officials.
For more than a week reports that
Villa had died from wounds have been
current bothAhere and in Juarez. To-
| days accounts were the most circum-
stantial and apparently reliable yet
received. They were accepted with re-
serve by American officials including
/ General George Bell. jr-, but the Mex
lean officials expressed confidence in
their reliability. The messages, in the
order in which they were received,
were as follows:
The dispatcher of the Mexican
Northwestern railroad at Juarez, re-
ported to Gen. Gabriel Gavira, Car
rama commander at Juarez, that ne
had heard a conversation over the
telegraph wires to the effect that
/ Villas body was in the hands of Car
| rama troops.
General 4Gavira notified Consul An
dres Garcia, who rushed messages to
the telegraph operators at MADEIRA and
Cusihuirachic. asking for confirma-
ton.
Photographers Confirm Report.
The MADEIRA and Cusihuirachic op-
orators answered confirming the re-
port and stating the body was being
taken to Chihuahua.
The telegraph operator at San An
tonic, fifty miles west of Chihuahua.
telegraphed Consul Garcia that Villa S
body was in possession of Col Carlos
/ Carranza, who was taking it in a spe-
eial train to Chihuahua.
In reply to these MESA ges, tele-
grams were sent to the Carranza gen
erals in the field and officials in Mex
leo City, Chihuahua City and other
points, asking confirmation, but no
answers have yet been received
Apart from the kilograms sent here