Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-13
Bandit Chieftain Himself Be-
Iieved Leading Force Which
May Number One Thousand
or More,
AMERICAN CHASE TO
SOUTHWARK FRUlTLESS
May Have Selected Desert as
Location for Concentration
of All Former and Scatter
ed Followers.

lEl Paso. Texas. April IA large
band of Nilistas. Numbering several
hundreds and possibly a thousand,
have sacked Sierra Mojada, five miles
across the Coahuila line and eighty
miles east of JimineZ, destroying
many thousands of dollars of Ameri-
can property and looting the town
Of everything of value.
This news. which may prove to be
of the highest Importance as it is be-
lieved possible villa himself was
among the raiders, was received here
today by the representative of one
OF the largest American mining con-
Germs in Mexico, and is accepted by
him as absolutely authentic The
bandits made their attack ON the
town on April 5th. They came from
Escalon. Il junction point on the Mex
lean National railroad. sixty miles
southeast of Jiminez, and. about an
equal distance southwest of Sierra
Mojada, with which II is connected ly
the Mexican Northern railroad. ON
their way to Sierra Mojada they
sacked the small town of Corrilo.
The belief that Villa himself may
be directing the operations of the
bandits is supported by Il report re-
ceived today from Oj.naga stating
that Colonel Riojas, the commander
there, had information that Villa had
doubled in his tracks and was 200
miles southwest of that town.
Oiinaga is directly across the bor-
der from Presidio, Texas, and about
150 miles north of Sierra Moiada.
Another circumstance that gives
color to this location of the bandit
chief is the fact that Canuto REYES,
ut the head of a large number Of
men. was reported from Torreon a
week ago to he travelling north in
the direction of Sierra Moiada. 1t
was the belief at the time in Torreon
that Villas notorious ally was on
his way to join the brigand-in-chief
Americans Hoodwinked.
If it proves true, villa has com
Dletely hoodwinked the American
troops who have been driving south
at an amazing speed and are today
reported, from the most reliable
sources. to be well south of Parral
and very close to the Durango bor'
der.
sierra NJ O1dud is lfV HllltS taot "a
the nearest point at which American
troops are known to be. 1t is on
the eastern side of a vast desert,
known as the Bolson de Mapimi and
south of another dreary, waterless
waste called Bolson de Los Llpanes.
Its only connection with the west IS
by the Mexican Northern railroad
along which the Nillistas advanced,
burning bridges, destroying telegraph
lines and tearing up the tracks as
far as they were able.
No Raid on Presidio Feared.
Little credence is given reports
here from Ojinaga that villa plans
to turn north and attempt a raid on
Presidiol 1t is believed far more
probable that the bandit. If he is at
Sierra Mojada, has chosen that desc
late and almost inaccessible spot for
the concentrating of his forces ana
those of Canuto Reyes with the m
tention of sweeping down in force on
Torreon after the American troops
are withdrawn from Mexico. Numer-
Gus reports from Mexican sources
agree that villa is convinced the
soldiers of the United States Will soon
be recalled and that he Will be then
able to rally all the nti-Carraneista
factions in northern Mexico to ms
standard.