New Britain herald., 1916-04-04
REYES OFFERS TO
 URRENDER VILLA
 JORGE AT TORREON
Continued From First Page.

far to the south of Satevo and nearing
 Parral. One report said that the
 bandit had already reached that town
 but it was generally believed that this
 was at least premature.
 There is little question any longer %n the border that Villa is heading for Torreon, in the neighborhood of which city ne will find CanutO Reyes, one Of his most trusted lieutenants. Reyes has successfully defied the Carranza forces for several months. He has rav- aged north Durango and is believed to have several hundred men in his com mand, with smaller guerrilla bodies op- ,eyating in conjunction with him. If Villa can effect a junction with Reyes sufficiently in advance of his pursuers to attempt a concentration of the ban dits, it is said that he can muster 1000 men at least.
 Both Mexicans and Americans who know Villa personally have little doubt as to the tactics he is trying to pursue. They say that the fugitive bandit is not alarmed over any opposition he ~may meet from his countrymen but that he is devoting all his energies to planning the discomfiture of the Am erican forces. whom he fears almost as much as he hates. According to
 
 push as far south as possible with the purpose of stretching out the already thin line of communication of the Americans to the breaking point. With the comparatively few men under the command of Gen. Pershing, line ot communication 400 or 800 miles long becomes a serious problem. TOrreOn is 300 miles from Columbus as the crow flies and a far greater distance by the winding trails that are the only roads across northern Chihuahua.
 Use of Railroads Imperative.
 The free use of the Mexican rail- roads for the transportation of both Asen and supplies would, of course, upset Villas calculations and inn mensely simplify Gen. Pershings 1 problem: Army officers here make 1 no secret of their belief that some ar ] engagements with the de facto govern l ment for the use of railways will be- 1 come imperative if it proves true that | Villa has outdistanced his pursuers in 1 his flight south.
 While Mexican bullets have not talk ers the life of a single soldier in the 1 American expeditionary forces and 1 have wounded only four the Mexican l climate has been more inconsiderate In the neighborh ood of 150 sick Am 6r1Can troopers nave D6eu DIOuSllL back from the front suffering from various ills due to the climatic con- ditions of the Sierra Madres. Eighteen arrived yesterday. To date two boys fsve died Lieutenant Joseph w. Ali I son and Private Jesse P. Taylor, both i of the Thirteenth Cavalry.
 The base hospital at Fort Bliss in 1 normal times provides ample facilities for the treatment of eighty men. Since the expedition in Mexico began, it's re- sources have been over-strained. An entire barracks next door has been transferred into a hospital.
 Peons MisIead Pershing's Men.
 With Francisco Villa still in flight and his whereabouts apparently un- known to his pursuers, the campaign of the American forces, now securing northern Chihuahua for the bandit, entered today upon broader phase. Nsw troops have been ordered in 1 Mexico from the military base at Columbus, N M., to protect the iengthening line of comm unication. l
 Villa has been reported at many points within the broad zone that 1 ranges from the Rayon Country to the Benito Juarez district where the last Mexican reported was that he ! was south of Satevo and heading for ParraI, but this could not be con- Grmed. The difficulties of the pur- suit have multiplied because of the misleading information given by l Mexican peons to General Pershing's men
 Army men here believe that as 1 Villa moves southward, with his trail ] ell covered for the time at least, it 1 Eill be necessary to establish new army bases and strongly guard the line of communications. Large rein forcements of American troops will l , be needed, the military authorities l sav.