The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-04-07
MOVEMENTS OF VILLA
CLOSELY FOLLOWED
BANDIT CHIEF HAS HEADED EAST
INTO CHIHUAHUA STATE,
is LATEST REPORT.
AMERICANS USE RAILROAD
Carranza Gives Consent 70 Use Rail
road on Condition That no Troops or
Munitions Be Transported; Food
Supplies for Army Only.
Latest News Of Mexican Situation.

affect News of Mexican situation,
brlsaoief UeneTai george be"' 0''
In command at Ell Paso, advised Major
General Funston Friday that Villa had
been definitely located. At a confer
enCe with General Gayira, constitu'
tiOnaIist commander at Juarez, across
the Rio GTande from El Paso, General
Bell learned that the bandit chiettain
had reached the San Geronimo ranch
west OF Chihuahua city aud near the
Mexican Northwestern railroad.
Another report says that after kill
ing every ono of the ~ men in the
garrison at Guerrero, Francisco Villa
moved nOrthWard Thursday and Is now
somewhere near the headwaters Of the
Santa Maria river. At the head OF a
considerable force, Villa was reported
to be on the San Geronimo ranch or
the Quemada ranch and troops OF both
the United States and Mexico we're be-
heyed closing in on him.
First Chief Carranza, head OF the
dc iacto government IN Mexico, has
consented to the use OF the Mexican
Northwestern railroad for the trans
pOrtatiCn OF supplies to the punitive
expedition now in pursuit OF Francisco
Villa somewhere in Chihuahua" The
permission as granted is conditioned
by the statement for commercial puT-
poses II is stated that all supplies
must be. Forwarded to persons with
whom the American commanders have
made contracts for supplies, and not
handled by the army. 1t also forbids
the transportation of troops or NUM-
lions.
The news OF this permission was re-
ceiYed on the border with mixed feel
lngs OF relief and CONSERVATION. 1t
had been planned to use American
railroad men and equipment in the
moving Of supplies and to send the
trains forward under strong military
guard. 1t was thoroughly realized that
the Mexican railroad was in poor ply.
Iical shape, as well as not having
enough equipment, but the conditions
attached by Carranza are such that
these plans had to be abandoned and
the trains will be moved forward as
commercial trains, subject to all the
delays made necessary by the poor
conditions Of the roads in Mexico.
Major General Funston gave out
report late Thursday from Colonel
George A. Dodd, commanding the ad-
vance troops of the American expedi.
tion in pursuit of Villa, in which it
was stated that the willy bandit was
playing a game with the Americans.
1t was stated in the report that Villa
four DAYS ago had headed eastward
into Chihuahua Colonel Dodd said
that it was difficult to follow the
Mexicans in this country, as the ma
tiVes would give no information as to
Villas whereabouts and the American
guides were unfamiliar with the Coun.
try now being trayersed. However, it
was stated at headquarters of the
Southern department that Apache In.
dams would soon be on the ground
and that the pursuit would be con.
tinued with renewed yigor.
Lieuter ant Joseph w. Allison of Dali
las, a member of the expedition, is the
first army officer to become a victim
Of the expedition after Villa. His
death was reported Wednesday as hav-
ing occurred in the hospital at Fort
Bliss from pneumonia contracted in
Mexico. The death of negro troop
er from injuries received in the acct |
dent at Cumbre tunnel is also report.
ed.
The Mexican question came up in
congress Tuesday and kilograms from .
tn border were read in the senate by
a republican member. Congress rush.
ed through an emergency approprla-
ton OF SS,6ll,OOO for recruiting and !
supplying the punitive expedition after
S SeCi e," ~, u war BAKER mad appeared
- ''''00 anu III Seu luis
ponor,, ,,o., u,.o,., NJ,
Major General Funston that $500 "