Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-12
VILLA VICTORY DENIED,
BUT CHIHUAHUA CITY IS
MENACED BY OUTLAWS
Carranza Forces Constantly De-
sert to Bandit Chief as He
Recruits Army for Blow
in South
REPORTED SURROUNDED

Ell PASO, Tex, July 12.-Oficial denial
of reports that the Carranza army under
General Trevno Mt Chihuahua City had
of large Villa force was issued today in
Juarez. The denial was generally accepted
as true, although the reports of Chhua-
hua's evacuation had been so strong that
General Bell commander at Fort Bliss, had
forwarded them TO Washington.
That Chihuahun will again fall into
Villas power is not considered impossible,
however. General Trcvino's position has
always been far from secure. Chihuahua
City is a hotbed of Villa sentiment. 1t
was where villa shone as a bandit. Thou
sands in Chihuahua City look upon the
prospect of the bandidt's return as eagerly
as a racetrack fan scans favorable turf
news.
From all Indications, Villa is satisfied to
remain for the present comparatively quiet,
forming his army and reorGanizing 1t into
working units. His recruits are being
gained without eat effort.
Small detachs ents of his bandit horde
are conducting small raids more or less in
the manner of rehearsals They find no
distractions placed before them. Wherever
they go the Carranza garrisons either re-
treat or suddenly decide to become bandits
themselves. The Carranzistas have way
of disappearing before the advance of Villas
men.
BANDITS SURROUNDED.
However today there is the official report
that the Villa army is being surrounded.
General Fortuna Maysetta from Tepehuanes
General Maytas Ramos. from Jiminez, and
Colonel Cope, from along the line of the
Parral-Jiminez Railroad junction are hem
ming Villa in a trap. say the Carranza
leaders.
At the same time they made official
admission of attacks at Jiminez and Santa
Rosario, which had been denied up to this
time. In the official reports the Villistas
were repulsed at both places.
General PeTshng is at Colonia Dublan
with the 9TH, 10th and 11th Regiments of
cavalry the 10th and 2ith Infantry and
a battery of field artillery. At Joaquin, 40
miles to the north, he has company of en-
gineers and the 18th Infantry engaged in
a mighty effort to rebuild the thorough
fares.
Remounts are waiting at Columbus to
be sent forward. Until the roads are made
possible, IL seems that the ex- edition may
have TO depend on Carranza's permission to
send supplies by Mexican railroads, which
is q most unsatisfactory thing upon which
to rely for the support of an expedition.
Censorship has been put into working
order to screen much news that might be of
interest about the militia. But it may be
said that the principal problem of the army
men is keeping the guardsmen occupied.
MEASLES CONQUERED.
The most serious affiiction of the moblli-
cation threatened the lst Pennsylvania
Cavalry. II was measles. On the way
across the country Private Earl D. Ludwig,
of Troop K, was found TO be suffering
from measles at Kansas City. He was
detained there, A day or so earlier his
'bunkie," Ernest Button. was taken off
the train at Cincinnati with similar case.
There has been fear that this would mean
an epidemic, but the Pennsylvania boys
passed inspection nicely upon their arrival
in FL Paso.
Today they boast that there is not a
measle in the camp"
The Pennsylvania boys also claim trans
continental bathing record, having dipped
in the Potomac, the Ohio River
and a lake I'm Missouri.
The guardsmen are being assigned TO bor-
der patrol posts and look forward eagerly
to any kind Of duty that takes them nearer
to Mexico,