Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-22
No Confirmation Of Reported
Fighting at NamiQuipii If
True Bandit Leader Not Be-
Iieyed Personally Present,
Ell PAS0 STILL FEARS
GENERAL. UPRISING
American SoIdierSl Suffer Many
DiScomfortS and Inconyen-
fences Marching Across the
Deserts,

Fl Paso. Texas, March 21.--Follow-
ing hard on the news that the Mex
lean telegraph and telephone wires
between Juarez and Casas Grandes
had been cut, word came from Col
umhus tonight, In dispatch passed
by the censor that both wireless and
ground wire communication with
General Pershing had failed The
army field wire between Columbus
and headquarters of the expedition
AIRY force was severed in twenty eight
places The trouble with the wire
less occurred shortly before O'Clock,
but its cause is unknown.
General Gavira at JJuarez admitted
tonight that he had failed TO restore
wire communications with Cascas
Grandes and it was practically con
coded by the Mexican officials that
the cutting Of the wires was the re-
suit Of a Nilista raid on the railroad.
The extent Of the raid and the dam
age done was either unknown os sup
pressed.
In the absence Of any news from
either General Pershing or General
Gavira. there was nothing left but
conjecture as to the result Of the
fighting between Villa and the Car
rancistas said to have occurred near
Namiquipa There was a strong be-
lief here that Villa was not person.
ally involved in whatever fighting had
occurred IT was reasonably certain
that the bandit chief could not have
been at N9miquipa and at the various
places ut which he was located in
adviccs to General Gayra during the
last week.
Wouldn't Risk Battle.
~ if II Is true thnt villa has dlasheG (
at Namauipa with Carranza troops
In a general hattie in which he has
been defeated it is highly probable
that by this time his followers have
come in contact with the American
columns. The advance guard OF the
Americans was reported yesterday at
FL Vale, only thirty-five miles from
Namiqulpa. IT is not believed how
ever. that Villa would risk an open
fight with General Pershing's troops
but would split his men into small /,
parties before contact with the (
northern soldiers and indulge in his
favorite guerrilla warfare.
Fear Mexican Prejudice.
In spite of reassuring reports from .
Washington, there was no lessening
today IN the tension along the bor
der or no weakening in the freely ex-
pressed belief that there was serious
dlsaffection among the Carrancsta
troops. The proposed protocol be-
tween the American government and
General Carranza did not alter this
opinion. ii was pointed out that the i
first chiefs actions by no means re-
Elected the attitude or wishes of all
the Mexican people that large num-
bers of troops under his command il
had been former adherents of villa
and other factional chiefs who still
had strong claims on their sympa-
thies. Further proof was furnished
today that the American military an-
lhorities consider the situation along
he border as far from satisfactory.
The Fabens Incident.
On the advise of Captain Moses,
Of the cavalry troop at
Fabens, thirty miles east of here. DR..
Charles r. Kicker. the medical Off
'er with the troop, sent his wife and
'arnily to I'll Paso They were fol-
owed by five other American wom-
IN residents including the two school 4,
eachers who closed the local school =,
captain Moses refused to admit, how
.Ver, that he had experienced any e.,
rouble or anticipated any. He said
10 had advised the departure of Mrs. :
Kicker and her children simply be- {
.ause he did not believe scantily ;
populated points along the border +
we're good places for women and
ihildren at the present time. :
Rounding Up VilIistas. d
At the same time Texas rangers s
md the cavalry patrols have conf
nenced d round up of Mexicans d
dong the frontier who are suspected
# being Nillistas and Of being en-
,aged in the smuggling of anmuni-
ion across the Rio Grande, a prae
Ice that is admittedly going along.
seven of these men were sent into FL