New Britain herald., 1916-03-30
VILLA SUCCESSFULLY ELUDES PURSUERS
Military Men Admit That Bandit
 Has Entirely Escaped
IN SANTA MARIA VALLEY?
Believed to Have Split Followers Into Several Bands to MisIead II. s. Forccs-Supplics Ready for Shipment Over Railroad.

Shipment Over Railroad.
 El Paso, Tex, March 3O-Military men made no secret today of their belief that Francisco Villa had slip ped through the cordon of American troops and Carranza forces pursuing him in Mexico.
 The latest information was that the bandit leader was moving through the Santa Maria valley. Once among his peon friends who probably would give American troops mislead ing information regarding his where abouts, Villa. might escape detention for @ long time, it was pointed out.
 Rowing bands of Villa men are reported everywhere in the region of Santa Maria valley, but apparently the American flying columns have not come in contact with them.
 Mexicans Uninformed.
 Mexican officials said today they had no news as to the whereabouts of Villa, but that the troops of the de facto government are aiding the American soldiers in the attempt to capture him.
 Ranchers from the Chihuahua dis trjct said that when it became known that there was a price upon Villas head dead or alive the bandit would be in constant danger of betrayal Whether the American troops have made it known that there is re- ward for Villa has not been learned here among the peon population.
 Brigf Gen. Ball, commandant at Fort Bliss, awaited official orders today to ship supplies to the army over the Mexican Northwestern rail- road. Gasoline, forage, canned goods and flour will go forward as soon as the orders are received.
 Shipment by Trucks. Meanwhile Major Elliott, depart ment quartermaster is moving SUD- plies in great quantities to Columbus N. M, where they are carried in motor truck trains over the Mexican desert to the army base below Casas Grandes. Ten carloads were shipped to Columbus today and ten new mo- tor trucks were also sent to the army base there. Twenty-seven more motor trucks will go forward late today.
 Army officers here believe that Col umbus will be continued as an auxil- iary base for the American army.
 
 can be placed on the Mexican North western railroad as a sole line of communication because of it's condi- ton to carry heavy train loads of supplies
 A report that Villa on Tuesday had raided Santa Tomas, south of Nam lquipa, became current here today but was not credited. Neither Gen. Ga vira, commander of the Jaurez gar rison, nor Mexican consul Garcia had received any advices from Mexico and officers of the Mexican North western railroad said they had no information regarding the reported raid
 Americans Aid Villa.
 Department of justice agents, fol- lowing a trial which is said to lead to American sources of supply for Villa, have uncovered evidence in New York and other cities which they believed when fully developed will justify the charge,
 The allegation often made that Villa has received aid from German sources also is being investigated, but no indication has been given as to whether any evidence has been found. The department is disinclined to
  men and supplies have gone to Villa while it is in the stage that will in volve only subordinates.
 It intends to pursue the trail, if possible, to the men higher up.
 While army officials here did not conceal their disappointment over the first chiefs refusal to permit full train loads to enter Mexico under American military guard, they were visibly relieved at the prospect of using the railroad in even a limited way, for the transportation problem was one of the most serious faced by General Funston.
 The stories of soldiers returning from the front taken in conjunction with the guarded admissions by the military authorities confirmed the be- lief that the motor truck system had proven inadequate and that some better way of provisioning General Pershing's forces must be found very quickly.
 Road Is DiIapidated.
 Anxiety is now mainly centered on what can be hoped for from the di- aapidated Northwestern railroad. For some time a schedule of only one : train in two days has been maintained between Juarez and Casas Grandes The distance is 168 miles and the trip is made in from twelve to twenty hours. A heavily loaded freight train is expected to take much longer than this.
 One important question upon which the army officials here are anxious to obtain light is exactly what interpre- tation will be placed by the Mexican officials on Carranza's instructions that supplies must be shipped in the
 lContinued on Eleventh Page.)