The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-04
Bandit Reported at SatevO, Fifty Miles From Chihua- hua City, Two Days Ago by Mexican Spies
SAYS BANDIT CHIEF HAS NEVER BATTLED
 AMERICAN TROOPS
Mexican Peons Were Told to Give Information Free ly to American Officers, Providing It Was False

Fl Paso, April 3.-Francisco Villa, unwounded and accom- panied by only eight men, was as Satevo, 30 miles south of Chihuahua City, two days ago, according to information re- ceived here today from Mexi- can sources which have proved reliable in the past.
 If this information is correct it bears out previous reports that the bandit chief is headed toward Parrel and is leading his American pursuers by at least 60 miles The nearest point to Satevo which the American troops are known to have reached is San An tonic, 60 miles to the northeast.
 The route said to have been taken by Villa is one which he is thoroughly fla miliar with, and indeed, is known among the peons as "Pancho's road" From divide through the Bachiniba pass into a broad valley which runs east to San Andres, Villas old headquarters, thence south to Santa Ysabel. the scene of Villas massacre of IS American mining men, and then southeast through Satevo to Parral
 TELL OF CHASE
 The man who brought the story of Villas arrival at Satevo here gave a circumstantial account of the bandits maneuyers and plan of campaign. While his story is impossible of verification, his own credibility is vouched for by repu- table business men here who have known him for several years.
 Villa" he said, "has never taken part in any fighting with either American or Carranza troops. He left the main body of his troops in the Guerrero district with orders to oppose as far as they could the American advance. At the same time the peons were instructed to give informa- tion freely to American officers, always provided that the information was false. The story of Villa being wounded was carefully concocted for the express pur- pose of misleading General Pershing and Colonel Dodd into the belief that the bandit was in hiding in the mountains and thereby inducing them to split their forces into small searching parties who would waste their time in the wild sierras while Villa was making his way safely southwark
 ON FALSE TRAIL
 This part of the story is given color by the admission of General Pershing to- day that his intelligence department has been given much misleading information and that it was becoming more difficult to secure reliable guides.
 Continuing his story the man said
 ..The American officers were fooled at first, but they have fair Knowledge of the real situation now and the .nce column is driving southeast with all the speed they can command. Their only chance of catching up with Villa is that they have good road and should. not be handicapped by the big problem of forage and water. The trail from San Antonio to Satevo leads through broad valley, where there is generally plenty of water at this time of the year and wi.ich is fairly fertile and well culti- vated Of course the peon farmers will try to conceal their grain. but American gold and silver will be a temptation many of them will be unable to resist
 "If they can catch up with Villa be- fore he gets into the Torreon district they ought to be able to kill or capture him, butsif he is able to join forces With Canuto Reyes they will have difficult task ahead of them
 Mexican officials here and in Juarez refused to discuss the probability of Villa being close, but they showed no inclina- tion to belittle the story. General Ga vira, the Juarez commander, said he had