Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-03-31
BANDIT is DRIVEN TO FOOTHILLS
BY RAPIDLY MOVING
U. S. TROOPS.
EARLY CAPTURE IN DOUBT
1t Is Feared Outlaw and His Followers
Will Have Little Difficulty in
Keeping Ahead of Pur-
suing Americans.

Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mex,
(By wireless to Columbus, N. M,
March 2S.-Villa is flying southwest
toward the foothills of the Sierras.
According to army reports received
here on Monday, the rapidity of his
flight is precipitating the American
pursuit. All arms of the service are
being used in an attempt to force the
bandit into corner.
The Mexican residents of this sec
ton, which has been ravaged time
and time again by Villa bandits, are
freely giving information concerning
his fight, supplies, armament and
strength, to the American military au-
thorities. While much of this infor-
nation has been too indefinite to be of
value it is presumed that the knOwl-
edge that the Americans are kept in
formed as to his movements, has in
fiuenced the bandit chieftain to the
greatest haste in his retreat.
Although the United States troops
are following closely in his wake. so
far, it is stated, no fighting has taken
place.
Mexicans Aid Villa.
San Antonio, Tex, March 28.-Fran-
cisco Villas escape from the region
about Namiquipa was preceded by a
smart defeat administered by him to
a part of the Mexican government
troops and was unopposed by other
detachments of the de facto govern
ment forces, according to the unofi-
cial but credible reports reaching here
on Monday.
The Gordon of Mexican troops that
the Mexican authorities announced
had been drawn across his path, gave
way, according to these reports, with
a willingness that indicated their CO.
operation with him rather than with
the American forces.
Army men at department headquar-
tiers were inclined to believe reports
of inefficiency and half-hearted coop
Grafton and on Monday contemplated
with speculative eye the probable flu
ture of the second phase of operations
Just inaugurated by the commander
of the punitive expedition.
Chief Has Advantage.
It was realized here that the early
capture of Villa would be little better
than an accident With their knowl
edge of the country and with the as
sistance they can obtain along their
route, Villa and his followers, it is
in I-n
ing ahead Of the pursuing Americans.
That Villa will be able to effect a
juncture with a considerable force be-
fore he is brought to stand again is
regarded at headquarters here as
probable Canute Reyes, one of his
generals, who has been operating in
the vicinity of Torreon, is known to
have an exceedingly mobile force that
is by no means negligible and in the
state of Durango it is said the Arrieta
brothers are in position to move
northward to his support.
Unofficial observers have offered a
theory regarded as somewhat fanciful
by American military men, however,
that Villa, after joining these and 9TH
ers, will continue his movement to
the south with the hope of gathering
strength as he goes, and, with Zapata
and other enemies of the Carranza
government, attempt once more to
gain possession of Mexico City.
Want Rail Facilities.
Ell Paso, Tex, March 28.-With the
conviction that the chase of Francisco
Villa was going to prove long and
tedious one, attention here was turned
once more Monday night on the rail
road situation. Dispatches from Wash
ington and San Antonio. showing that
the United States military authorities
were becoming increasingly impatient
for the completion of arrangements
with Gen. Carranza for the use of the
Mexican railroads, confirmed the be-
lief held here for the last week that
the railroad problem was the present
crux of the situation.
Army officers here privately admit
that the question of getting adequate
supplies to the forces at the front is
growing serious. They say that the
present system of motor transporta-
ton across the Chihuahua desert has
proved entirely inadequate and as
Gen. Pershing's columns push further
into the desolation of western Chihua
hua the problem of getting supplies is
growing acute
The advance corps of the expedi-
tionary force is now well over $50
miles from the frontier and every day
Value of Lost Manuscript.
A Massachusetts court rules that
manuscripts lost in transit are worth
SO a pound That is generous. 1t
makes a large majority of them worth
more than they would be if they ever