Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-17

Ell PASo, TEN. April Ie.-.Francisco
Villa is dead, and his body disin,erch
some days after his burial, is in pos-
session of the Carranza troops, accord
ing TO a series or telcgraphic mcs-
sages received in Juarez to-day by
the Mexican officials.
For more than week reports thar
Villa had died from wounds have been
current here and in Juarcz. To-days
accounts were the most circumstnntial
and apparently reliable yet received
They were accepted with reserve iy
American officials. including Gencrnl
Bell but Mexican officials expressed
confidence in their reliability. The
messages. in the order in which they
wcro received. were as follows:
Tho dispatcher OF tho Mexican North
western Railway at .Tuarez reported
10 General Gavlra. Carranza COM
mander at 1uarcz. that he had heard a
conversation on the telegraph wire 20
the effect that Villas body was in tho
hands of Cagranza troops
General Carranza notified Consul
Andrcas Garcia here. who rushed mes
saEes 10 the telegraph operators at
MADEIRA and Cusihuiraichic asking Tor
confirmation.
The MADEIRA and Cusihuiraichic ope-
rators answered, confrmins the report.
and stating the body was being taken
TO Chihuahua.
The telegraph operator at san iu-
tonic. nifty miles northwest OF Chihua-
hua. telcEraphed Consul Garcia that
Villas body was in possession OF Colo
mel Carlos Carranza, nephew OF Cen
eral CnrrarZa, who was taking i, on u
special train 10 chihuahua.
LACK OF CONFIRMATION
FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES
In reply TO these message. kilograms
wcr" sent 10 the Carranza generals in
the field and 10 officials in Mexico city,
Chihuahua and other points, asking
confirmation. hut no answers have YET
been received.
Apart from the kilograms received
h"r" there are some known facts
which have been pointed out by Mex
lean officials as lending strong support
10 the truth OF the report that the
bandit chiefs career has been closed
by death. These facts arc
That Villa has been suffering FOR
moro Than a year from rlruient form
"f blood poisoning. lie VA. treated
for this disease while in Juarez by Or.
w L.. Brown. one OF the best-kuown
physicians in FL Paso.
Dr. Brown states that the condition
Of the bandit was such that even {,
minor wound would he fatal in ten
days. unless treated promptly aud with
the best medical skill ami care Even
under tho most favorable conditions
such a wound would be OF the sravest
character.
II is certain that if villa was
wounded he would have not com
mandcd any hut the most primitive
treatment.
Another messas. from chihuahua re-
cctN"d here to-day stating that riot
inG had broken out there, was regarded
as IN measure contirmatory OF thu
bandits death. villa il known 20 have
had numerous sympathizcrs among tho
lower classes in the city, and il was
considered probable that their syinpa-
thy would take the form OF violence
ii they learned the body OF their hero
was being brought to Chihuahua to ba
exhibited as that of a criminal
NOTHING KNOWN or VILLA
SINCE GUERRERO RATTLE
Finally. and point upon which the
greatest emphasis is laid. is.
Nothing has been known of Villa
since the battle of Guerrero. at which
time reports OF his being wounded
were being accepted by General Per-
shing and other American officers II
he continued south, as was being a.
sumcd. he must by this time haNo
reached Torreon or Durango city IN
which event som. news OF his move
mems would almost positively hayh
become known