Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-17
4 TO 1 SHOT VILLA is DEAD,
SAYS CARRANZA CONSUL

Ell PASO, April 17.--Consul Andreas
| Garcia Carranza's representative In Bi
Paso, today affirmed the reports ahat a
| body believed to be that OF Francisco
| villa was being taken to Chihuahua He
Issued the following statement:
Although It has not been officially con-
| hrmed you can he assured that the body
! of villa has been found so miles south
of San Antonio. Mex. The place where
Il was inferred was discovered by VII
| llsta column, whom General Cabazos cap
tured. The corpse Is expected to arrive
at Chihuahua today"
villa may be dead. as reported. but
army officials here we're anxious that the
body of the bandit leader be identified
by Americans as we'll as Mexicans.
A train left Juarez for Chihuahua be-
fore dawn today with a small group Of
Americans, including number who knew
villa Intimately They expected to meet
at Chihuahua the body taken from the
grave in the mountains west of SateNo
which Carranza authorities say was that
of villa The grave was pointed out by
former Villlsta colonel In return Tor
amnesty. 49,.
It is generally supposed here that IL
villa Is dead the American soldiers will
soon be withdrawn from Mexico.
General Pershlng knows villa. He was
near the spot where the supposed body
of villa was exhumed If he was not
asked to identify the remains 1t is hoped
here that he may be able to report some
thing definite about the circumstances Of
Villas end.
The story from unconlrmed Mexican
sources is that Villa died two weeks ago
following the amputation of his leg, due
to a wound suffered in the fight with the
Guerrero Carranza garrison on March %.
He was said to have been secretly buried
by few of his men.
SUSPECT A RUSE.
Some of the Americans, who left for
Chihuahua, marched with Villa for months
during his campaigns against Huerta and
know his physical peculiarlties Unless
the corpse Ia badly mutilated or decom-
posed they will not be deceived American
officials have feared, since villa was first
reported dead or dying, that Mexlcans
might produce body said to be Villas,
make a hurried Identification and then
bury 1t as a means of terminating the
United States expeditions presence on
Mexican soil.
Carlos Carranza, a nephew of the de
facto Governments chief, headed the Car
rama detachment which located the sup
pt sed body of Villa. They are understood
to be taking the remains on a special
train due in Chihuahua today. AS num-
Identification Is expected Immediately after
Carlos Carranza arrives with the body.
GARCIA OPTIMISTIC.
All Indications. are that this story of
Villas end is reliable, although as yet
not officially confirmed. Villa was treated
by FL Paso specialists. and these experts
declare that, owing to his physical condi-
ton. gangrene would have followed in case
villa was wounded, unless the wound re-
ceived slSllful attention. There was no
competent surgeon with Villas band, or
in the territory around Guerrero. The
village doctor reported to have operated
on Villa was believed to have been crude.
IT'S a 4 TO l shot that the body is
Villas" said Carranza Consul Garcia. II
cannot say that l positively know he is
dead, but l have asked to have the body
sent to Juarez so Americans can satisfy
themselves"