White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1916-04-21
VILLA IS REPORTED
BY CARRANzA MEN
BANDITS END CAUSED BY BLOOD
POISONING FROM WOUND
IN HIS LEG.
CREDENCE GIVEN THE STORY
Telegraph Operators in Two Cities
Assert Body Now Is En- Route to
misunderstanding Heard from
Villa Since Guerrero Battle.

misunderstanding Heard from
Villa Since Guerrero Battle.
Ell Paso, Texas, April 17.-Francisco
Villa is dead, and his body, disinter-
red some days after his burial, is in
possession Of the Carranza troops, ac-
cording to series of Geographic mes
sages received in Juarez Sunday by
the Mexican officials.
For more than a week reports that
Villa had died from wounds have been
current both here and in Juarez. To-
days dispatches were the most circum-
stantial and apparently reliable yet
received. They were accepted with re-
serve by American officials, including
General Bell, but the Mexican officials
expressed confidence in their RELIABLE
ity. The messages, in the order in
which they were received, were as
follows:
Dispatchers Confirm Report.
western railroad at Juarez reported to
General Gabriel Gavira, Carranza COM
mander at Juarez, that he had heard
a conversation over the telegraph wire
to the effect that Villas body was in
the hands of the Carranza troops. Gen.
Gavira notified Consul Andreas Gar
cha here, who rushed messages to the
telegraph operators at Madero and
Cusihuiriachic. Operators answered,
confirming the report and stating the
body was being taken to Chihuahua
Carrazista Has Body.
"The telegraph operator at San An
tonic, SO miles west of Chihuahua, tel
egraphed Consul Garcia that Villas
body was in possession of Colonel Car
rama, who was taking it in special
train to Chihuahua"
In reply to these messages kilograms
were sent to the Carranza generals in
the field and to officials in Mexico
City, Chihuahua and other points ask
ing confirmation, but no answers have
yet been received.
Apart from the kilograms sent here
there are some known facts which
have been pointed out by Mexican Of
ficials as lending strong support to the
truth of the report that the bandit
chiefs career has been closed by
death. These facts are:
Facts Support Report.
Villa has been suffering for more
than a year from a virulent form of
blood poisoning.
He was treated for this disease
while in Juarez by DR.. w. l.. Brown,
one of the best known physicians in
FL Paso
DR.. Brown states that the condi-
ton of the bandit was such that even
a minor wound would be fatal in 10
days unless treated promptly and with
the best medical skill and care. Even
under the most favorable conditions
such wound would be of the gravest
character.
1t is certain that if Villa was wound
ed he could not have commanded any
thing but the most primitive treat
ment,
Rioting at Chihuahua.
Another message from Chihuahua
City received here today, stating riot
ing had broken out there, was regard
ed as in measure confirmatory of
the bandits death. Villa Is known to
have had numerous sympathizers
among the lower classes in the city,
and it was considered probable that
their sympathy would take the form
of violence If they learned the body of
their hero was being brought to Chi
huahua to be exhibited as that of a
criminal.
Finally, and point upon which the
greatest emphasis is laid, is:
Nothing positive has been known Of
Villa since the battle at Guerrero, at
which time the reports of his being
wounded were accepted by General
Pershing and other American officers.
If he had continued south, as was as,
sumed, he must by this time have
reached either Torreon or Durango
City, in which event some news of his
movements would almost positively
have become known.
Wires Are Down.
Ell Paso, Texas, April 18.-Gen. Ga
vira, Carranza commander at Juarez,
announces Monday night that the Mex
lean telegraph wires between. Juarez
and Chihuahua City had been blown
down near Pearson about noon and he
was unable to learn any further de-
tails Of the reported discovery of the
body of Villa
just a Bluff.
Westinghouse theoretical air raid
on the national capital, in which
bombs were exploded above the White
House, the capitol building, the war
college and other government estab-
was carried out Saturday
night by DeLloyd Thompson, an avia-
tor, who said he made the flight to
demonstrate to high officials the city's
The attack was un-
heralded, and the succession of sharp
explosions and flashes of fire startled
hundreds of people on the streets and
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