The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-24
BACA AND BAND OF
10 YILLISTAS SLAIN
Wiped Ont When They At
tackled Santo Tomas, Gen.
Gutierrez Wires.
LOPEZ CAPTURED TOO

Ell rAso. Tex. April 23.-Manuel
Baca. Villas lieutenant, was killed to-
day at the head Of fifteen bandits.
When starving he attacked the town
Of Santo Tomas for food.
The inhabitants defended their prop
crty and In the fght killed Baca and
all but one Of his men. according 70 a
despatch sent this evening to Consul
Andres Garcia Of the Carranxa de facto
Government by Gen. Luis Gutierrez.
commanding the Carranza army at
Chihuahua. Gen. Gutierrez said the
message had Just been wired to him
and that ne had ordered the body OF
Baca sent TO Juares for the inspection Of
Americans.
Santo Tomas is a short distance north
west OF Guerrero. The telegram to
Consul Garcia said that one OF the Baca
band. wounded. told the people OF santo
Tomas, after the determination Of the
band. that they had been hiding In the
mountains since they had been scattered
at san Geronimo by the Americans and
hat they were forced to come out to
get food.
They had eaten nothing for three
days ending last night. he said, and de-
termlned to ride down upon the village
of Santo Tomas and wrest food and
money from the people and II possible
enlist some recruits. They swept In
upon the town at day break. but the
people had knowledge that the band
were hiding somewhere near and have
kept sentries posted on the edge Of the
town for the past month.
These sentries gave the alarm and the
residents. from behind the adobe walls
Of their homes. met the bandits with a
fire rs they rode into town that swept
them from their horses.
simultaneously with the news Of the
killing Of Baca and his bard Mr.. Garcia
received a message from Gen. Gutierre,
asserting that Pablo Lopez. author OF
the massacre of eighteen Americans a,
Santa ISABEL. Chihuahua. In January,
had been found wounded and DYING. IN
a cav near the scene Of his crime
There Il no doubt OF the identity OF
Lopez. the message says. and he Is being
brough, to chihuahua city FOR trial and
execution
Lopez said. according TO zen Cutter.
rez. that Villa abandoned him before the
fight at Guerrero.
News from the American front TO-DAY
tended to confirm reports of last night
that the American forces are concen.
tratins various bases pending the out
come OF negotiations between the United
States and the Carranza government
All Carranza forces In tn. immediate
vicinity Of the ~ rican forces In the
smaller towns of western Chihuahua are
being withdrawn and Concentrated IN
the city Of chihuahua and towns very
near that city for the announced pur.
pose OF preventing clashes betwee the
troops Of the United States and OF ths
defacto Government Of Mexico.
The American forces We're drawn IL
for the purpose of preventing ella she.
with the small bands of C~arrsnzistas
supposedly operating against Villa and
IN sympathy with the Americans. the
American commando fearing ,hs,
accidental clashes might at the present
time result In a serious i~nternationa
situation.
This movement Of American forces
virtually INTO concentration camps fol
police work In the country now occupied
by the Americans u believed To- he the
'~redisposition OF American troops re-.
ferred TO in an official Washington al
mission to day.
No clashes bci tween American force.
and :.cxlcans either bandits or Car.
ranzistas. we're reported to-day
Strengthening Of the american line OF
communication continued south Of Co
lumbus 10y the Seventeenth Infantry
part OF the 'wenty.fourth Infantry and
other organizations unnamed, cent in
yesterday.