The Elbert County tribune., 1916-04-14
VILLA REPORTED DEAD
AMERICANS AND MExicANS JOIN
IN SEARCH FOR GRAVE.
Fresh carranza Troops Plunge From
Sonora to U. S. Communication
Line, Led by Gen. Gomez
Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
| Douglas, Ariz.. April 12.-Gen. Go
mez, commanding the de facto Mexi-
can troops which have gathered on
the Sonora Chihuahua border for the
announced purpose of guarding the
mountain passes, is quoted by Mexi-
can friends in Aqua Prieta as having
told them he would enter Chihuahua
today at the head Of a cavalry do
tachfnent of approximately 1000.
Gen. Pershing now has something
less than $4,000 men and along the
border there are something more than
$4,000. Gen. Funston does not con-
slider it wise to remove any of those
now on duty along the border unless
their places are taken by others.
Columbus, New Mex.-Gen. Persh-
ing has ordered the United States
army aviators in Mexico to find the
spot where the body of Villa lies, ac-
cording to Lieuts. II. A. Dargue and
E. s. Gorrell of the First Aero squad
ron, who reached here after coming
from san Antonio, $50 miles south OF
the border, with but one stop. Their
flying time was 4 hours and 10 min
utes. The stop was made at Casas
Grandes The officers used the same
plane
The War Department announced
it has reason to believe Francisco
Villa had been killed in action.
Searching parties had been sent out
to find his BODY" was the official an
nouncement. wired to the border from
Queretaro. Mexico, Catranza's provis-
ional capital.
Information brought by Dargue and
Gorrell indicates that American cav
alrymen have surrounded the detach-
ment which is reported to have been
carrying villa on a litter. The ad-
vanced cavalry detachments, they said.
are about 400 miles south of the bor-
der, below Parral and near the Du-
range border, while SEVERAL columns
ara operating south of Satevo. where
Geu. Pershing was establishing his
now headquarters.
villa was last reported to Gen.
Pe-shing as having been in the vtcin-
ity of Bacabuiriachic, west of Parral.
This would place him III the midst of
tho different detaclmonts of Ameri-
can troops. II he is dead, it may be
that the end came while the various
forces were preparing to close in on
him
Natives in Cusihuiriachic, who are
strong Carranzista partisans and
friendly to the Americans, are firmly
Convinced that the report of Villas
death is true They said that they
knew Villa was suffering from blood
poisoning several days ago and that
he refused medical attention. One ma
tive told Lieut.. Dargue that the ban
dit leader had sent for bandages.
which he himself bound to his body.
The American force is attempting
to break up and annihilate every one
of the small bands into which the
bandit command has broken, accord
ing to the aviators. The small bands
have constantly harassed the Ameri-
can column, sniping now and then but
without avail
Ell Paso, Text is again reported
that Pablo Lopez. who murdered sew
enteen Americans last January at
Santa Ysabel, is not dead. but wound
ed, and that the Villa lieutenant is
trying to escape the Americans.
There are only two possibilities
accepted here as true in the present
situation; Pancho Villa either is dead
and his pursuit is automatically end
ed, or he is far to the south in Cen
tral Durango