The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-03-23
VILLA BANDITS SLIP
THROUGH NET SPREAD
FOR THEIR CAPTURE
rces to carry out dispatches.
Eiah1 Miles Wire Conc.

IlGilt MICS w tfe SODe.
Major w. II. Sample. commandam
here announced that ii was discov
cred that the field telegraph lines had
been cut in 2S places, eight miles OF
Wire being carried away in one place.
He asserted that the wireless sta
tion here had had some difficulty in
operating a It night because it used the
same wave lengths as the large sta
tions at Arlington, Va, N,n Francis
co and Panama.
nandits Cut Wires.
El Paso Ten Mexican officers at
Juarez practically conceded that the
cutting OF the telegraph and tee-
phone wires between Juarez and
Casas Grandes was the result OF a
raid by Villa bandits on the Mexican
Northwestern railroad. The extent
of the raid and the amount OF dam
age done was NOT learned
No Wortl As ro Fight.
In the absence OF any news from
either General Pershing or General
Gavira there was nothing left but
conjecture as to the results of the
fighting between Villa and the Car
rama troops, said to have occurred
near the Namiquipa. There was a
strong belief that Villa was not per-
sonally involved in the fight.
1t seems certain that the bandit
chief could not have been at Nami-
quipa and AT various places at which
he was located in advices to General
Gavira during the last week
Funston Wants More HcIp
IN,.t1 rse,l
Frederick Funston asked the war de
partment for more troops to send
into Mexico, only after long consid-
GRAFTON of the advisability of contin-
uing the operations against Francis
co Villa with the. forces now com
manded by General Pershing. Gen
eral Pershing suggested that another
regiment be sent him and yesterday
General Funston asked the depart
ment for what he characterized as an
adequate force.
1t was announced at General Fun
ston's headquarters that the Fifth
cavalry of which one squadron is at
Fort Meyer, Va. another at Fort
LeaVenworth, kans. and the third at
Fort sheridan, lll., would be brought
to the border at once and sent for
ward, along Gen. Pershings line OF
communication TO Casas Grandes.
Communications Weakened.
The only reason given for strength
ening General Pershing's force
known by the public generally to he
more than 1900, was that his field
of operations had become so extend
ed that his main line of communica
ton and the subsidiary lines were
much weaker than they should be.
MERELY a precautionary move,
was the way General Funston ans.
wered all questions.
Some une2siness was displayed fol
a moment at his HEADQUARTERS when
it was reported that the telegraph
lwires between Casas Grandes and the
border had been cut. but an oflicia
report stating that the line cut was
a "buzzer" line General PershinS
had laid and that it had been broker
accidentally by some of the American
forces crossing it, allayed apprehen
sion.
1t is not believed here that Gen
Funston is worried to any extent b,
reports OF alleged growing antason
ism among the Carranza troops, al
though he is carefully studying al
reports. official and unofficial, OF
that phase of the situation.
May Send New Column.
El Paso. TeNas.-lt is reported
that the American military authori
ties are contemplating sending
new column into Mexico from Fa
bens, a village thirty miles east o
here. This again brought the rail
: road problem to the fore, as it
: reported no column will be sent
: Carranza refuses the use of the ran
roads