Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-04-04
FALSE INFOR NATION
MISLEADS PERSHING
American Commander Has Hard
Time 10 Secure Guides on
Villa Hunt.
FEARED BANDIT HAS ESCAPED

bA& ANTONIO, Tdxtt april a~
Tbe feaf expressed yesterday ~
army headquarters that Francisco
Vllla had escaped from Tho region
IN which General pershinH's rave
airy columns afe operating became
n conviction by the close ~ today.
No report from 1eHe0 stated that
be- had disappeared. bBt ali inf0fs
nation secured indicated That he
wag gone.
General pcrshing's report fes
cclyod after noon, contained the
news that a. least q part Of the dis
persed villa force that was driven
from Guerrero aMfeh 20, still WAS
moving In The district northeast ~
that place, bat no mention of viilaB
whereabouts " was made.
The report was dated yesterday Riz
columns N eagHlfY wafa Yat riding ~
tbo bils and plains N that section. while
scouts we're endeaYGriDa 10 pick 10 the
trail ~ tbe scattered bandits, ~ veil ~
that ~ their fugitive chief
one Hand Loeated.
ono f0fre ~ >, Has men, estimated ~
10, commanded bg Colonel Beitfan. Nas
i0cHted Bchr BneineYa, about twenty i've
mites northeast Gf Guerrero. md infgfs
nation was gathered that Indicated the
remainder ~ the ~ ~ 10 still were w
that region. No reference VIA mado IN
TINT report Of nm encounter that Uas
mentioned IN press dispatches from the
front
Information gathered from various
sources from General refahlnR Indicated
fbal the Intelligence 6ffieers u the pun
fivo force we're having 70 e0nt6nd with
difficulties cfeated ~ the receipt 0f mis-
Information tlbofaliy supplied n districts
through whi0h villa 0r his followers had
phaaod, Gcneni pefshlnp nis9 reported
that he had difficulty 10 securing reliable
guides.
lis atatelnentt that II bad been r.
ported 10 him that Colonel eano h9d ons
gagged q villa force 10 Hght on The
samo day that tbe Americans Wefe dflY+
Ing the bandits from Guerrero served 10
quiet somewhat ihs fcaf that had arisen
here that Can0 had reR6tted, report
that appeared well founded.
May Need More Troops
which way villa has gone IL nov
largely u question for General Pefsbing'H
scouts 10 answer. II was pointed out ~
General Funst0n'a headquarters that once
tho lrall waa picked out, the troops would
resume the chase further into the IN
terror, although II was realized that this
second phase ~ the punitive expeditions
work viii be- far more difficult than WAS
tho first. II IL not improbable y WAS
said. that more troops than those nlfehaY
IN Mexico win be required,
The topography Of tho country sopth
OF Guerrero IA such that sueeesAfhl pnr-
suit can be conducted only BY VIDE
dcploylng of forces and tho utilization
of a large part of tho infantry. u was
polptod out that ihe farther tho troops
penetrate into Mexico the grnter VII pa
tho necessity for strengthening the line"
0f communication.
From M border 10 the extreme south
orn positions. tho advanced posts already
have Travelled 100 miles. whom there n
taken into account the twisting OF the
trnlls they hnYe travelled
Road Not neinR Used,
Tho Northwestern railroad IL not yet
being used partly, Il Was reported here
due 10 IL failure ~ General daFifa ana
General geii to roach an agreement Tho
Timely placing IN service of more motor
trucks alleyiated temporarily The supply
auuattlon. however aud tianefal Fofeh-
mg reported today that motor trucks uow
afo dcllvofing supplies n a point south
w NnmlQulpa. almost 20 miles from ne
border
deuctal peshlns also reported that IA
had found srain of al inferior Grade tor
Nofsrs nnd mules, hat EfhsH II scarce
ana ihe need for has il pressing
no nffo~ ~anea afe beins used fut com
munaaton between Cuiunia nuhlan aud
the front and ihst mrans aaan sill he |
supplemented br Wssan wireless aei
that hHa heen sent faraafd 90 ane af thf
advanced haHHH