Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-03-21
AMERICAN TROOPS
IN BATTLE WITH
VILLA OUTLAWS
UNITED STATES CAVALRY PUR-
SUES BANDITS ACROSS SoR-
DER INTO MEXICO.
10 AMERICANS ARE KILLED
Residents of Columbus, N. NJ, Are
Murdered When 500 Outlaws At
tack Town - Many Mexicans
Shot Down.

Columbus, n. NJ, March 11.-Nine-
teen Americans are dead as result of
an attempted wholesale massacre by
Francisco Villa, the Mexican bandit,
Thursday morning. General Funston
notified Washington that 46 Mexicans
were killed in the fighting here.
Nine of the dead were civilians,
eight were soldiers. One was a wom-
an.
Villa was driven off by troopers of
the Thirteenth United States cavalry,
on border guard, after part OF Co.
Iumbus had been burned.
List of Americans Killed.
The complete list of dead in the Co.
Iumbus massacre follows:
A. L. Richie, proprietor Central no.
tel; w. r. Walker, United States Gus
toms rider; c. c. Miller, owner Of
drug store; Mrs. Milton James, J. S.
Dean, Frank Kendall, horseshOer,
Troop X; Sergt NJ. A. Hobbs, machine
gun troop; Corp. Paul Simon, Sergt.
John Nievergalt, troop hand; Corp.
Henry WiswaI, Troop G.; Thomas
Butler, private Troop G; Fred A.
Griffin, private, Troop K; Michael
Barmazl, machine gun troop; Jesse
F. Taylor, Troop F; J. J. Moore, mer-
chant.
Americans burned to death in Cen
trail hotel Charles Dewitt Miller, Al
buquerque, n. NJ; NJ. NJ. Hart, cattle
inspector, Ell Paso, Tex; Harry Dav-
is, private, Troop X.
Wounded: Lieut.. c. c. Benson,
Troop G.; Theodore KatzOrke, Troop
l.: John Yarbough, Troop X; James
Venner, Troop NJ; John Keough,
Troop G.; James Veeder, Troop X;
Milton James, railroad employee.
Sleeping Town Attacked.
Led to the attack under the slogan,
death to the Americans" Villas fol-
lowers fought with desperation. Just
before dawn they crept along bitches
skirting the United States cavalry
camp and rushed the sleeping town,
firing heavily.
Fleeing Citizens Shot.
The first volley brought American
troopers into almost instant action.
While a portion of the raiders en-
gagged the cavalrymen others detailed
by the bandit chieftain began applying
the torch and shooting American civil
ians who ventured from the buildings.
Lights in homes and public build
ings Immediately became targets for
snipers posted at Villas direction.
Other bandits creeping close to Ameri-
can homes enticed a number of civil
fans into the open with English
spoken invitations. A number of ia
talities are attributed to this ruse.
Buildings Are Fired.
Stores were looted, oil was poured
upon frame structures and the match
applied by still other bandits. The
post Office was raided, furniture
smashed, but The hooters obtained only
one small registered package.
Civilians armed themselves and to-
gether with United States soldiers
fought a battle of several hours with
the bandits. Colonel Slocum's revol-
yer was shot from his hand as he left
his quarters. Some of the bandits, by
speaking English, lured household to
the streets and shot them. From
burning hotels and other structures
persons who sought to escape were
killed or wounded.
The fighting in the town ended al
most as suddenly as it began. Less
than two hourse after the first shot
was heard Villas buglers sounded the
retreat and the raiders began a disor-
dered flight, closely followed by
American troopers.
Villa at Head of Raiders.
Information that Francisco Villa and
his chief lieutenant, Pablo Lopez. were
in personal command of the raid was
given Colonel Slocum by a Mexican
rancher captured by the bandits last
Sunday and who escaped during the
fighting. This Mexican told of the
hanging of the American ranChers Nc
Kinney, Corbett and O'Neil. He added
that a fourth American, whose name
he did not know, had been hanged at
the same time The Mexican said
Villa attacked with from 500 to 1000
men and a machine gun platoon.
Threatened to Kill Americans.
The Mexican told Colonel Slocum
that Villa left the Bosques Grandes