The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-17
PERSHING TO VILLA
CONTINUED from Page one,


ne border. the American troops wall
he recalled from Mexico at once &C
s-sr5ing 70 official announcements
Latest reports saying that the paholt
IJodv- had been dug up from a Two
ryeal5s- Old grave by troops OF Genera
"a ,.Ts,,za and was being brought to
rsl,inuo hua focused attention on
American Consul Letcher. OftlclalS
ieaxed to him to throw authentic nsnt
t,non Villas death and also promptly
10 identify the body if possible
~ Villas Death Would End 1t.
President Wilson and Secretary
fssIxer had before them today the tlrst
direct official information of the at
tack on American soldiers at Farrai'
n vas a report from Brigadier GEN
eral Pershing and while it renewed
Tears that the American cavalry force
had been wiped out, 1t lndlcateo IIlat
ire incident was far more serious than
was at first supposed. The report SAID
( that 200 Carranza soldiers Joined civ
ilians in the attack. The casualtles
. were two Americans killed and SIX
! sounded including Major Frank
! slc,y,, nISins. slightly wounded; forty
{ Mexican soldiers killed, one civilian
wounded.
were read with keen interest by con-
gressmen who realize that the death
~ Villa would end all further diplo-
n,atic negotiations over CarranZa's
I proposal for the withdrawal of the
: american forces in Mexico.
t1it why Kept News Silent.
Eel Paso, April 17.-Disappoint-
n,ent was freely expressed today over
the lack of any official confirmation
of the death of Francisco Villa
Mexican officials here and in JuareZ,
while still protesting confidence in the
ruth of the report, could offer no ex-
raanation as TO the silence of Col.
I fsaflos Carranza and the other officers
and officials who were reported to
have the body of the bandit in charge.
"a number of newspaper CORE
spondents and a few other Americans
departed today for Chihuahua in the
l hone that story Of the finding of Villa s
hody was true. Several other Ameri-
E cans who at first had intended to go,
abandoned the trip, some through
ekepticism and others because of the
lfoting that was reported here to have
: occurred in the Mexican state capt.
tai during the last two days. Mes
sages received here in regard to this
rioting. stated that there had been no
anti-American outbreak, but that the
trouble was due solely to the desper-
ate condition of the masses of people
who are facing starvation. Corn is
Z selling in Chihuahua at two pesos,
worth four cents American, a quart
beans. the staple food, costs two and
a halt pesos ktlOgram Ia little over
Two pounds; lard is fifteen pesos a
quart. With the standard of pay for
days work at two pesos, the labor
ing classes are finding a hard time
keeping body and soul together
Mexicans Loot Food Shops.
E According to the messages here, the
{. rioters have looted several shops and
only very half-hearted attempts tc
control them have been made by the
soldiers, who are themselves in almost
as bad a plight as the civilians Ar
rivals from Parrai report that there
are only three Americans left in that
4 city. These three are men who have
9 married into Mexican families and re-
: garded themselves as immune from
the prevailing hostility toward the
'sringoes
Among the Americans who left Par
raj following the fighting between the
: Mexican garrison and the American
8 soldiers on Wednesday was a woman
/. missionary. 1T was hopeless for me
10 think Of continuing my work. she
said. The feeling against Americans
WAS growing in volume every day and
f1e lighting on Wednesday was the