South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-24
Courier From Front Declares
CavaIrymen Have Engaged
Bandits Troops East
of Namiquipa.
CARRANzlSTAS ARE
GIVING COOPERATION
Gen. PerShing ad Gen. Bertani
of i'irst Chiefs Forces
Confer on Plan of
Campaign.
International News Service:

International News Service
Ell PASO. Texas. March IA
worn and dusty courier brought into
Juarez early today a report that
American troops had engaged Fran
cisco Villas main force five miles
east of Namiquipa- The scene OF
the battle. he said, was FL Oso ranch
which is skirted by a narrow road
that runs southwark from Las
Cruces TO Choyas. The courier con-
firmed the announcement made by
Gen. Gaviera at midnight that Villa
had been surrounded by American
and Carranza troops and that gen
eral attack would be made on the
bandit leaders position at dawn.
Villa. the courier said, had select
ed a fine position in which TO give
battle, being on a small plateau be-
tween the Rio de Santa Maria and
the Rio Del Carmen. 1t was TO this
position that Villa fell back after
he had met defeat In a skirmish with
Carranzista troops at Santa Ger
trudis ranch. southeast Of Namiquipa.
The courier also confirmed reports
that Gen. Pershing and Gen Ber-
tani. commander Of the Carranza
field forces, were cooperating fully
and that the arrangements for the
attack on Villa had been made at a
conference between the two leaders
at Nanliquipa yesterday afternoon.
Conference Informal.
This conference. he said. was
wholly informal. The two dust-cov-
cred commanders shook hands as
they met and discussed the pro-
posed movements in the shade Of an
adobe hut When they parted. ac-
cording to the courier, Pershing re-
turned to his field headquarters.
The announcement that Villa had
been forced TO stand at bay at FL
Oso was received by the military
authorities at Fort Bliss, Gen. Bells
headquarters, as an indication that
the bandit leaders plan TO escape
had at least been thwarted for the
time being. The road that runs
south to Choyas forms a. junction
at that town with two other roads.
one running southeast. the other
southwest. If he were able to reach
Choyas Villa could divide his force
there and confuse his pursuers as TO
which trail he had taken, with the
probability that they would have to
divide their forces also. Villas de-
light is to weaken his enemies in
this fashion and then make a sud-
den attack.
Though Villa in person was re-
ported at Ell Oso ranch 1t was diff
cult to believe that the fox Of the
Sierra Madre mountains" had al
lowed himself 70 be trapped so carry
in the campaign. other rumors had
Villa at other points. Jose Garcia
Flores reached FL Paso with the
story that Villa himself had stopped
a train at Montezuma half way be
tween chihuahua and Juarez. and
had searched the train for Ameri-
cans.
Says He Saw Villa.
81 know Villa well and [ saw
him." said Flores. He told every
one that Luis Herrera had joined
him TO fight the common enemy and
that Gen. Gano also would fight
under his command.
Efforts will be made today by
Andreas Garcia, Mexican consul, to
effect the release from the FL Paso
Jail OF Malcher Herrera, brother Of
the general reported leading the
mutiny against Carranza in Chihua-
hua.
Despite series of deniaIs from off,
cial Mexican sources. reports persist
ed that Gen. Herrera had quit Chi
huahua with 1000 troops to take
the field against the common en-
envy" and in Mexico the common
enemy" is the United States.