The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-17
PERSHING
GOES TO
SEE BODY
OF VILLA
Positive He VIII Know Truth
in Few Hours.
Seek Doctor Who Last Treated
Bandit Leader.
HAVE TO SHOW Me- Funston
Must Prove Bandit Is Dead Be-
fore Quit Chase.
Disregard RumOrs Unless Body
Taken to Border.
WASHINGTON DIRECTS PROBE
Consul Letcher Expected to
Clear Up New Mystery.
ParraI Incident Proves To Be
Wnrsn Than EXnectpd.
Must Prove Bandit Is Dead Be-
fore Quit Chase.
Disregard RumOrs Unless Body
Taken to Border.
WASHINGTON DIRECTS PROBE
Consul Letcher Expected to
Clear Up New Mystery.
Parral Incident Proves To Be
Worse Than Expected.

I'll Paso. April 17.-Thc supposed
body of PanthO Villa has bccn DC
Iaycd in arrival ut Cusihuraclic. Car
rarza Consul Garcia announced TINS
afternoon, Indicating that ii may he
days before il is definitely established
whether the bandit leader is dead or
alive. The remains reported eN-
humCd near SltcVo probably will not
reach chihuahua until tomorrow, Car
cia stated.
san Antonio, April 17.-General
Pershins left Cusihuiraichic with a
cavalry detachment to view the body
being brought to Chihuahua claimed
to be that of Villa. it was announced
at headquarters today. Pershing will
be able 20 give positive advices in
few hours as 70 whether the body is
that of the fugitive bandit leader. un-
less the corpse is in such a condition
as TO pre- vent identification.
General Funston today wired army
officers at Douglas. Ariz.. TO look up
a Dr. Witkman. who treated Villa for
months last fall and have him view
the body. To make the Identification
more certain. Funston also sent out
queries seeking other men who have
known Villa more or less intimately
during his recent career. This course
on the part Of the major general. de-
spite he fact that no official confirm
alton has come to him of Villas body
having been found. indicated Funston
was placing considerable faith in the
reports from Mexico He declared he
had no information on which to base
surmise that the body is Villas. But
Funston laid emphasis on the fact that
the point where the body was eX-
humed Is near the region where Col
ouel Howe reported Villas latest OPP
erations-the La Borja region. Howe
knew beyond question that Villa was
in that section, it was stated at head
quarters. but the time was not made
clear.
Held Doctor Captive.
DR.. Witkman treated Villa for
blood disease and was held captive for
two months in order to insure Villa
medical attendance. He escaped from
Villas army when the forces reached
point near Douglas and army Off
cials lost track of him.
No further information regarding
the fighting and rioting at Parral had
reached headquarters today. The
only reports received stated that pOr
tions of the Tenth, Eleventh and Thir-
teenth cavalry were now stationed at
Santa Cruz. prepared to defend the
position or take up the pursuit again.
No official Facts Received.
El Paso, April 17.-Carranza Consul
Garcia stated today that neither he
nor General Gavira in JuareZ had any
official confirmation of the recovery
or Identification of Villas body. In
any event, Garcia stated, the identifi-
cation would be difficult on account of
the length of time the reported Villa
was buried and owing to the character
of the disease from which he is re-
ported to have died.
san Antonio. April 17.-In response
to suggestion that Mexican officials.
eager to he rid of the American
troops. might bc bringing in "A mutt
lated body that would be falsely iden-
titled as Villas. General Funston said
the body would he easily identified as
Villa if 1t were really his.
u could not he fooled about it,
said General Funston. Il would know
IL might be. by the teeth and the hair
and no other body could be passed off
on me as that of the bandit"
san Antonio. April 17-Unless the
body reported to be that of Francisco
Villa is brought to Ell Paso, the matter
of Identification probably viii not
come to the attention of the military
officials, it was announced at Cen
eral Funston's headquarters today.
General Funston is without official
knowledge on the question of Villa s
death II must be esta blished beyond
any doubt the bandit leader is dead
before military authorities will relax
the campaign they have been pushing
against him, for the last month.
Second Scrap at ParraI?
Hea adquarters is awaiting news from
Col. w. G. Brown, of the Tenth cav
airy. General Funston was advised
yesterday that Colonel Brown had
asked Consul Letcher at Chihuahua to
have an aeroplane sent to Santa Cruz
near Parral. to carry back a dispatch
on an occurrence last Thursday night.
II is believed by officers that Brown
may have a report on a second en-
9agement ir the vicinity of Parral.
Washington Anxious.
Washington April 17.-War off
cials announced that none of the over