The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-12
Carranza Garrison at PasaIe
Fires on Rebel COhOrt.
Reyes Force Approaching I'm
der Terms of Surrender.
VILLA WHEREABOUTS MYSTERY
Supplies Shipments Indicate
Troops at Parral.
Anti-GringO Circulars Seat
tered in chihuahua City.

Torreon. April 12-Dctails of a
five-hour battle between the Carranza
garrison at Pasaje, Durango. and an
attacking force composed OF Con-
trcras and Ceniceros bandits were
brought here today. The outlaws fled
i'm disorder into the hills of the Nazas
district after losing seventy killed, 1t
Is reported The de facto troops had
four dead.
The battle took place on Sunday.
First reports were that the attacking
force was commanded by General
Canuto REYES As negotiations have
been under way for the surrender of
General Reyes, under an amnesty
grant, bitter disappointment was ex-
pressed by Carranza officials Ihe
surrender of Reyes was expected serl-
ously to cripple the Villa cause in the
neighborhood of Torreon and Durango.
Reyes About to Surrender?
The fight was reported to have been
precipitated by the garrison, which
was said to have fired on the troops
of General Reyes as they approached
under an agreement for peace nego-
tiations The latest details, however,
seem to show that Reyes is not i'm
pIicated and there are still hopes that
he will cease w.-rfare against Car
rama. A doctor sent from here TO
treat some of the men wounded in the
battle brought back the details of the
engagement. He said the COntreras
and Ceniceros attackers were subject
ed to withering fire from the garrison.
They fled in disorder. He arrived in
time to count the bodies of seventy
outlaws scattering over the battle
ground. Among the dead were colo
mel and a captain.
1t is possible this battle was the one
reported at Ell Paso, in which the
United states troops were thought to
have engaged.
Train Brings News of Clash.
Ell Paso. April IA battle was re-
ported to have been fought near
Jiminez and Parral, but on account of
the Carranzista censorship the forces
engaged were not made known.
A Mexican Central train ran into the
fighting. later returning to Jininez
when the censored reports were sent
to the border. 1t is not known here
whether American forces engaged in
the fighting. Information from min
ing men near Tarral placed an Ameri-
can detachment in that vicinity and
ViIlista bandits were recently reported
Whereabouts. Carranzista authorities
in Juarez were silent regarding the
battle.
Where Villa himself is today is a
mystery. The rumor of his death was
believed to have been inspired by Mex
lean sources to bring about the with
drawal of the American troops.
Declares villa Dead.
Marquese De Lao. formerly a prom
inent Villa adherent and now a Car
rama follower, stated on his arrival
from Chihuahua City that a Mexican
came there with positive Information
of Villas death from wounds suffered
in the Guerrero engagement with the
Carranzistas March 80.
However. all mining company re-
ports tended to show that Villa was
with a small column of bandits last
reported near Tepechuanes, Durango.
That the main American squadrons
are in southwestern Chihuahua is
shown by negotiations between the
quartermaster's department and El
Paso dealers for large shipments of
hay and oats to be shipped over the
Mexican Central railway by way of
Chihuahua City.
De Factos Suppress Proclamation.
This was another indication that
American forces are in the neighbor-
hood of Parral and Jiminez, where a
fight is reported to have occurred.
Fort Bliss headquarters received an
unconfirmed report that an anti
American proclamation was circulated
in Chihuahua City last Friday night
Presumably the Carranzista authori-
ties suppressed it as all other reports
government with American forces.
Funston Views With Hope.
San Antonio. April 12-The Ameri-
can expedition today is nearer the
consummation of its object than at
any time since the chase after Villa
started. This was the belief of Major
General Frederick Funston, expressed
today in the fact of discredited ru-
mors of Villas death, believed by
army officers to have been inspired.
There He Goes! Here He Is.
Washington. April ia cable
gram from General Obregon to the
Mexican embassy today said Villa. ac-
cording to his reports, had gene into
the mountains wounded with less than
$50 men.
To Change line Into Mexico.
San Antonio, April 12.-General
Funston announced today that a
change would be made soon that
would affect the long lire of commun-
ications between Columbus, N. NJ, and
General Pershing's advanced forces
He decliEed to state what that change
would be. but. barring the free use
of the railroad it was assumed by
most army officers that 1t had been
decided either to reinforce the line
materially or shift it TO a shorter
route.