Bisbee daily review., 1916-04-02
TROOPERS PRESS FuoITIvEs

| COLUMBUS. \. M.. April Hid ' ing mercilessly, four hundred Ameri- can troopers under Colonel George A. Dood. are making desperate efforts , to capture and wipe out the survivors of Francisco Villas largest command. which they defeated at San Geronimo
 ranch several days ago, according to
 meagre reports seeping across the bor- ' der today.
 The speed and the relentlessneSS with which the pursuit Is being made
 is indicated, according to army men 1 here. by the fact that General Persh- I ing, who last reports said was speed 1 ing from Namiquipa across desert trails and through mountain passes to the scene of action, has not even ta- 1 ken time to make detailed report or the engagement. Nor was any word received from Colonel Dodd. although service at army wireless station. was resumed today
 Military headquarters here made this statement;
 No details of the engagement have been received The only messages re- ceived from the south were of pure ly routine nature and in none of them
 VI Other information received indicat- ed. however. that there is still much doubt at the American field head quarters as to whether the bandit chief was with hi sforces during the engagement.
 One report, given much credence. was that Villa sustained the wounds which broke his leg and shattered his hi f,, h. .H- do rh. Carranza garrison at the town of Guerrero. March 27 and that the lead CT was carried away by few chosen followers in a jolting wagon 10 SC cret hiding place in the mountain wilderness around Guerrero
 Although the pursuit by the Amer jeans is new experience for Villa and one he has never met in all his career as a guerrilla. army men here are not inclined to minimize the task before Colonel DOdd. The Guerrero district in which Villa. with a price on his head. was able for eight years to escape capture by Porfirio Diazs rl- rales. abOunding as it does in caves. canyons and almost impossible noun tai ntrails. all screened from the eyes from the eyes of air scouts by heavy growths of mountain pines. is admit tedlv one of the most desolate regions in all Mexico and the one in which the bandit has the largest number Of friends
 From the moment the news of the battle was announced the greatest excitement has prevailed in Columbus the town which Villa attacked less than three weeks ago and in which he murdered eight civilians and seven American cavalrymen.
 Scores of persons, civilians and sol diers gathered around the army wire less station expecting momentarily the news would be flashed through the air and that he had been captured or killed. Some suggested that even if Villa is captured it would he unwiSe to bring him across the border be- cause of the feeling of the people.
 Something of this feeling was ex- pressed at sale of 34 Villa mounts. captured by American troopers afte the raid on Columbus Men gazed at the pitiful wreck of what once were stout COW ponies. the bones Of which. even within three weeks of American grain, had been unabl etc conceal at at the Hanks which had been cut into stripes by cruelty rowelled spurs. spat on the ground and cursed the ban dits who had owned the animals The jibes Of the auctioneer. who pointed at one sorry animal and said he must have been good one He looks like they'd sll taken turns al riding him" aroused no response except muttered curses.
 (Continued on Page ThreeD