The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-10-27
REPORT SAYS BANDIT NOW IN
COMMAND OF PRINCIPAL
NORTHERN CITY.
WASHINGTON IS WORRIED
stosdy Rise of Once Great General
Threatens Control of
Carranza.


parently authentic reports here are
~ the effect that Chihuahua City was
sken by villa early today.
These reports, however, have not
been confirmed in advices to South
err Department headquarters of the
United States army. Maj. Gen Fred
. erick Funston. questioned regarding
the reports said tonight that so far as
he knew they were not true.
Washington. Oct. 25.--Conditions
in Northern Mexico, revolving on the
new ascendancy of villa az a mill
tary leader, are commanding more at
tention than at any other time since
the border raids which resulted in
the dispatch of the American punt
tive expedition.
Administration officials made no
effort tonight to disguise their opin-
ion that the American Mexican Com
mission sitting at Atlantic City can
not be expected to arrive at a salts
factory solution of border problems
until the situation in Chihuahua has
been clarified. Any agreement for
the early withdrawal of Gen. PERISH
ing's forces from Mexico apparently
is considered now as out of the ques-
ton.
Moreover. the impression stood out
clearly from all the views express
ed that. while the present situation
exists, there is little possibility that
the forces of regulars or national
guardsmen on the border will be re-
duced II was indicated that no
chances would be taken of another
raid into American territory.
villa Menace.
Coupled with ugly reports which
disparage the stability of General
Carranza's regime and interpret his
removal from Mexico City to Quere-
taSo as a sign of the breaking-up pro-
cess which his enemies have repeat
eddy perdicted, the military move
ments of villa, now making formi-
dable campaign in Chauhuahua, are
regarded here as menacing the de fac
to's control of the whole northern
' country.
Prominent in the whole situation
are apparently well-founded but in
definite reports of the connection of
the so-called Legalista movement with
the whole train of events, which are
expected by those familiar with the
Mexican situation here to develope
within short time.
The Mexican embassy today de-
clared that Villas forces consist on
ly of a few hundred men Claiming
Villa as their leader" and branded
reports of instability of Gen. Car
ranZa's Government as "a flood of
misrepresentation that might be ex-
pected from enemies" when the Mex
ican-American Commission began its
work.
At the same time reports came to
the War Department that Villas
campfires were in sight Of Chihua-
hua City and that GSn. Treyino, the
Carranza commander there, although
plonufully supplied with arms and
receiving reeaforcements, was short
OF ammunition and considering svac-
uating The carital.
Department officials said tonight
they rad not heard the reportTeach-
ing the border that chihuahua ac-
tually bad fglDn. As a matter of
military strategy II was pointed out
that villa once occupying Chihua-
hua, could compel the surrender OF
Juarez. as he did easily once before,
and at another stroke might take
Torreon. Monterey and Saltillo, when
he would be a military factor some
what different from the bandit for
whose life an American military ex-
petition was dispatched.