Arizona republican., 1916-04-11
SAYS DE FACTO
TR00PSCAN NOW
HANDLE VILLA
General Gavira Announces
Forces Of De Facto Gov
ernment In Position to
Control Situation If Amer
leans Are Withdrawn


Ell PASO, Texas, April 1O-Gen-
eral Gabriel Gavira, Carranza com
mander at JuareZ, tonight announced
that the forces of the defacto gov
ernment were in a position to take
immediate control of the Villa sit
uatiOn if the American troops with
drew.
General Gavira's statement was
made in connection with the an
nouncemeft of Major General Scott,
chief of the American army staff,
that the purpose of the expeditionary
force would be considered accom-
plished when the Villista bands were
dispersed or las soon as the troops
of the de facto government is able
to relieve them of the work.
I'VE have more men than enough
now" said General Gavira If we
We're able to overcome Villa when he
had 10000 men and plenty of sup
plies, we ought to be able to dispose
of him now when his numbers have
dwindled down to a few hundreds.
But it is big territory to operate
IN and a single man has more chance
to escape and hide than large force
would have. However on account of
Villas wounded condition we think
he will be taken soon. If not it is
hardly likely that without proper
surgical care he will survive for
long
The arrival of General Ber;ani in
Juarez gave renewed force to the re-
ports that General Gavira has been
ordei ed to the field. Nothing was
learned of the whereabouts of Cen
eral Petronillo Hernandez, who was
sor to General Gavira and who was
expected to reach JuareZ today.
General Gavira said today that the
trials of the men implicated in the
| plot to seize Juarez in the interest Of
F'eliZ Diaz had been practically com
pleted.
Interest in the pursuit of Villa and
the diplomatic situation at Washing
ton was largely diverted today, as
| far as the border was concerned to
the reported raising of new revo-
| lutionary standard by Gen. SalaZar
General SalaZar, who has been liv-
ing here. was one of the best known
of the Huerta generals. He is be-
lieved to have crossed the border
near Ojinaga after issuing a state
ment denouncing Carranza for bring
| ing about the invasion" of Mexico
by Americans and declaring his in
tention to defend the sacred soil of
his native land.
| Salazar enjoys the reputation Of
being one of the ablcst of the Mex
lean generals. 1t was reported here
today by men who have been closely
associated with him that he intends
to declare for Feliz Diaz 1t is known
that up to a short time ago Salazar
was III the greatest poverty. He
complained bitterly that on account
of his persecution" by Americans he
was forced to live on the charity of
friends. A few days before his de-
parture, however. he received a large
sum of money and repaid several
debts he had incurred.
There are a number of Americans
here who were on intimate terms
with the vanished general, who was
willing to admit individual Americans
Ito his friendship while never dis
guising his hostility toward the
American government. These main
tain that SalaZar has a very large
following in northern Chihuahua and
that hundreds, if not thousands OF
the CarranZa soldiers, who fought
under him in previous campaigns
will gladly follow their old leader il
he summons them.
A story was current here tonight
that SalaZar was in hiding in Juare;
but as this was hardly possible with
out the connivance of the CarranZa
officials, it was not generally cred
tied.
Reports received here by American
mining concerns state that there ha!
been extensive looting of stores ant
warehouses in Parral and in town.
in that district. Some damage il
, said to have been done to American
property but its extent is not known
The looting is said to have been tn,
result of desperate conditions of tn