The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-12-29
BANDITS lay VIOLENT
HANDS ON SAN POT0S|
FATE OF MANY FOREIGNERS
WHO FLED UNKNOWN
Villa Is Aiming At Tampico; Outlaw
Chief Is Endeavoring To Reach Port
In Order To Import Arms, Ammuni-
ton and Supplies; He May Launch
Attack Against Chihuahua City

Ell Paso, Tex, Dec IA report
was received by sources known to be
close to Francisco Villa and by gov
eminent agents saying that Villas
forces captured San Luis Potosi
Many foreigners who left Torreon
before Villa attacked that town re.
Gently went to San Luis Potosi. No
details were available.
San Luis Potosi is southwest Of
Torreon on the National railroad line
between Aguas Calientes and Tam.
pico. Tampico is believed to be Vii
las objective in. order to obtain port
through which he can import arms
ammunition and supplies.
Villa was reported to be between
Torreon and Chihuahua City, and was
said to be preparing to launch an at
tack against Chihuahua City soon.
In anticipation of this attack, Gen
eral Francisco Murguia was reported
to have ordered General Francisco
Gonzales, former commander in Jua
req, to proceed south with his entire
brigade to reinforce the Chihuahua
garrison.
General Murguia also requested all
the available troops from his brother
General Jose Murguia, in Juarez, to
strengthen the force at the state cap
ital.
Foreigners Are Spared.
Washington, Dec. 27.-Villa is Civ
ing protection to those foreigners who
remained in Torreon after he took
the city, according to official advicee
to the state department, which added
that the party of foreigners who fled
with British Consul O'Hea before the
capture of the city were blocked at
San Luis Potosi because the bandits
had cut the railroad line northward
toward Saltillo. The Villa bands thus
have cut CarranZa's communication by
rail with the border
Method In His Madness.
UNITED Press Dispatch.l
Ell Paso, Texas, December Pit is
believed by expert military men here
that the seaport of Tampico, Mexico,
will be the next objective of Villa in
his victorious sweep. 1t is believed
that the stronghold of San Luis Poto-
81 is already in the hands of the ban
dit general. This cuts Tampico off
from it's communications with the
west. 1t is believed that Villa wish
es to gain possession of Tampico in
order to force some action on the part
of the United States and other for
eign countries against the Cara ga
government.
The British obtain quite fuel
supply for their ships through Tampi-
so and if that port should be in Villas
hand that fuel supply would be cut
off. 1t is believed that Villa thus fig
ures on Intervention by England, and
perhaps other countries, and that the
CarranZa government will be declar-
ed incompetent and not entitled to
recognition. Maltillo and Monterey
still remain in the way of Villa in
moving against Tampico, and it is
believed that he will soon move
against these towns.
Carranza Government Moving.
Dispatches from Querataro sly
that the Carranza government is do
ing all it can to concentrate it's
forces in the north of Mexico, and
wage a defensive campaign against
Villa. With San Luis Potosi in the
hands of the bandits, a great deal of
railroad service is cut off from the
use of the de facto government
1t is stated that 2,70O Carranza
soldiers were captured by the Villa
forces at San Pedro 1t is also re-
ported that quite a Carranza force,
hurrying to the defense of Torreon
was cut off and captured.