Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-03-12

states troops are oNpccteu 10 ehtor
Mexico at half dozen places before
Monday to avonge the attack on Col-
umbus. n, NJ. and the Santa Ysabol
massacre, the border was grlpped
with an awful fear today,
The greatest slaughter OF Ameri"
can colonlsts In Mexlco's history Is
reported 20 be tho object OF General
Francisco Villas rush toward n train
OF Mormons due this afternoon ut
Gusman. 30 miles southwest OF here.
Warned OF the proposed American
campaign OF extormination against
him, villa Is reported determined to
strike the "gringoes" another terrl-
fic blow before retiring to tho noun.
tains OF western chihuahua where
he hopes to escape vengeance,
A special train. bearing 500 Nor
mon refugees from Casas Grandes
and adjacent colonies. Ia on route
here They left their homes after
having been repeatedly warned OF
the danger OF remaining. In view OF
Villas throat.
Two thousand CarranSista troops
left chihuahua City on ten trains
Friday afternoon to protect the Nor
mons. They must first 80 to Juarez
on the line OF the National Railway
and then proceed southwark by way
OF the Mexico Northwestern line. on
which the colonists are travelling,
American and Mexican officials
concede there Is no chance OF the
Carransistas intercepting villa, who
was last reported ut In Ascension.
SO miles northwest OF Guxman, with
400 bandits. These 500 formed sort
OF q personal bodyguard. however.
The total number OF villistas In Chi
huahua Is known 10 be nearly 1000.
General Bertanl. In command OF
q Carranxista column several hun
dred strong, Is reported 10 miles
west OF Villas headquarters. but
there Is no chance OF him overtak-
Ing the rebel chief. villa Is known
to have fresh horses. He travels
light and fast.
Brigadier-General Pershnlg and
Colonel Herbert Slocum. In command
OF the United States troops on the
border. expect TO receive marching
orders today.
Troopers. priyates and non-eom-
missioned officers OF the Fourth cav
airy and the goth infantry today
crowded the telegraph offices. send
ing money orders and messages OF
farewell to relatives and friends,
They are generally pleased at the
prospect OF real action. after years
OF routine work on the border. All
the men are apparently In good trim
for the campaign.
The Carranzistas are apparently
preparing to aid the American force,
General Gales. veteran Carranzisto o
warrior. has distributed his men stra
tegically. ready for the fighting. Cal
les, as military governor OF Sonora.
telcgraphed Provisional President
Carranza informing him that the Am
orleans were about TO invade. Car
rama reply sent brief message
expressing regret that the United
States had found such action neces-
sary,
American ranches In Mexico south
Of 0sburn Junction, Arlz.. have been
ralded. livestock killed and property
damaged. supposed by Carranzlsta
soldiers. who had been drinking, ac-
cording to reports today. No Amerl-
cans were moested. The rlgldness
! of the American patrol around Col
Iumbus, N. NJ. Is indicated by the
fact that a Mexican who failed to
halt at command was shot and killed
by sentry yesterday.
Columbus was restless all night,
expecting another attack. 1t is be-
llcved that warning Of the American
punitive expiditlon reached villa and
that reports that he was returning
to attack Columbus again were base
less.
Army men deplored the publicity
which has been given their plan OF
campaign against villa. They be-
lieve this publicity prevented them
from aurnriainR him.