The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-03-17

| the bandit leader. When the cabinet
met this morning, it was generally be-
lieved that the orders to the army
| would be to capture Villa, dead or
| alive. Now, it appears that the or
ders are merely to enter into Mexico
| and pursue and take the bandit chief.
The statement made by the presi-
dent today implies that in what is
| done, the full cooperation of the
CarranZa government of Mexico can
be relied upon. The American force
! that is to go in pursuit of Villa will
consist of both cavalry and infantry.
A flying corps of 1000 cavalrymen
is expected to do most of the work
Of hunting down the chieftain and
, his follows. There will also be some
, light batteries of artillery, and quite
, number of machine guns. The fly
ing corps of cavalry, it Is said, Will
enter Mexico from point near Col
umbus, New Mexico. This corps will
advance at once and scour the coun-
try. 1t is intended, it is said, to have
the rest of the United States troops
enter Mexico at some point farther
, east. The flying corps is expected to
rout out the bandits from their fast
ness and drive them eastward, so
/ that they will fall right into the net
that the other troops will spread for
them Thus the two American forces
will come together like the jaws of
a steel trap, catching, it is hoped, the
bandit chief and his following be-
tween them.
Message to Congress.
The president is now preparing
message to congress telling the law
makers of his prompt action. and ex-
planning his reasons for taking just
the course he has done. 1t is said
that the president will make it clear
that his purpose is not to intervene in
the affairs of Mexico or to invade that
country, but to capture the bandit
chief and put an end to the banditry
which has already cost the lives It
some Americans.
1t is believed that Immediately aft
er the American troops enter Mexico.
there will be clash with the Villa
forces, unless these conclude not to
making any stand at all 1t is re-
ported that Villa is not far from the
border. with about thousand men,
and that there are 1000 more in the
fastness of the mountains of Chihua-
hua.
The report has reached Washington
that Custom House Inspector Riggs
had a narrow escape during the raid
that the bandits made on the town
of Columbus. AS it was. he managed
to save himself, though his house was
riddled with bullets.
Senate in Ferment.
| The United States senate has been
in something of a ferment, ever since
the news of the raid on the town of
Columbus was received. There is
quite strong sentiment for dec
laration of war. Yet, no definite &C
tion has been taken, as it was deemed
, better to wait and see what action
the president would take. A bitter
speech, denouncing the presidents
policy of nom intervention in Mexico
has been prepared by Senator Henry
F. Ashurst of Arizona. Senator's AL
bert B. Fall of New Mexico and p. J..
McComber of North Dakota, have
presented resolutions, declaring for
the immediate use of the troops to
stop banditry, but the senate, in spite
of the high state of feeling, has mere
ly referred these resolutions to the
! committee on foreign relations.
Further Raids Are Expected.
Columbus, New Mexico, March 10.
Further raids upon American citi-
zens on the American side of the
/ boundary by Villa bandits are re-
ported to have taken place since the
attack was made on the town of Co
| lumbus, New Mexico. Villa bandits
in the past twenty four hours have
been crossing the line in many places.
driving the country inhabitants out
I'of their homes and carrying off their
cattle and other property. This has
been done to great extent between
/, Columbus and Hachita. AS far as re-
ports have been received, no Ameri-
cans have been killed in these raids.
1t is said that as many as four thou
sand of these bandits are camped on
the Mexican side of the boundary
looking for any chance to sweep over
into America and carry off property
| Victoria, New Mexico, is reported
to be in state of terror, as the re-
port has been received of quite band
| of the robbers being seen on the
American side, only a mile from that
town,
Should Start at Once.
! limited Press Disnatch,1
FL Paso, Texas, March 10.-If the
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