The Yale expositor., 1916-03-23


partment say that troops flying the
American flag will probably engaged
Villa within two days time. Hope is
held out that the engagement will re-
suit in the capture of the outlaw II
is admitted however, that probably
only the advance guard will take part
on the American side and that Villa
may be able to get away while rein
forcements are being brought up.
The race between Villa and Colonel
Dodd is nip and tuck. The bandit
had five days start, but apparently
did not make the most of his time,
spending some days trying to arouse
the countryside when he should have
been making good his escape.
News of the first clash between his
band and Colonel Dodd's force is ex-
pected to reach Washington this week
Leave Men Behind.
FL Paso, Texas-Reported hemmed
in among the canons of the Guerrero
mountains, Francisco villa was be-
lieved surrounded by several columns
of Carranza troops and the American
expedition closing down on him from
the north.
However, there were miles OF noun
famous desert in the net the pursuers
were drawing around the outlaw.
Aeroplanes were used in spying out
Villas hiding place. Soaring among
peaks several thousand feet high they
could pick out Villas men on the
mountain trails and signal their where
abouts to General Pershing's scouts.
Villa was reported to have left
small detachment at the Hernandez
ranch to hold off the American cavalry
until he was safely hidden in the fast
ness of the Sierra Madres
Fighting with his rear guard was
expected to bsgin daily. The Ameri-
can column, matching it's cavalry
horses against Villas ponies was max
ing forced marches to get at grips with
the Villistas. Their only hope of cap
turing him lay in making him fight.
Want to Use Railroad?
w III the AulCIlCdH tAptulllOH peut-
trating interior Chihuahua, where it
was impractical to send provisions and
supplies by automobile trains from Co
lumbus, a second request was report
ed to have been made by Washington
for immediate permission to use the
Observation-Disclosures railroad
A sensational rumor was current
that United States troops would give
Juarez 10 minutes to surrender and
would then take control of the border
town, which is the terminus OF the
railroad, If the permission was re-
fused.
A shallow river and a winding wag-
on road, cutting like the two blades
of a pair of scissors through the
heart of the Sierra Madre oriental
mountains, are thought TO be the con
Meeting link between Villas bandits
and the pursuing columns of General
Pershing.
According to Colonel Bertani, Car
rama commander at Casas Grandes.
part of General Pershing's troops are
near Casas Grandes and a part are
near Galeana, some 80 miles southeast.
Dispatches to General Gabriel Ga
vira, commanding the Carranza forces
at Juarez, says that Villa is in the
Babricora lake region on the ranch of
Mrs. Phoebe Hearst.
Troops Near FL Vale.
If General Pershing's troops follow
the route initiated in Columbus and
continued through Casas Grandes to
Galeana, they must by this time be in
the neighborhood of or beyond FL
Vale.
A part of the way south from FL
Vale the wagon road is an old trav-
eled highway. Later 1t runs into the |
mountains, where there are forests of
scrub oak and pine. In this region,
the Santa Maria is called in by lofty
canyons and would be unsafe for cav
airy transit as huge boulders could
be toppled down on the passing troops.
However, the wagon road passes over
the mountains and continues on to
Cruces.
In army circles here It has been be-
lieved that Villa might be headed to
the south instead of stopping in his
old stamping grounds in the Cruces
region.
IL was pointed out that in his re-