The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-07
Washington Embassy Receives
Telegram From Border.
Declares Capture of Bandit
General Is Imminent.
U. S. BOYS IN THIRD CLASH
CarranzistaS CO-ODerated With
American Troops.
Authentic Story OF Battles Re-
ceived From Consul Letcher.

Washington. April The Mexican
embassy here today announced re-
ceipt Of a telegram forwarded by Con-
sal Garcia at Ell Paso from Gutierrez
saying the Villa bandits had been met
and practically annihilated by the de
facto governments forces at Chihua-
hua-
The report added that Villa himself
was wounded and his capture was i'm
minent.
No further details We're given The
date Of the fight mentioned was not
reported. The report is confusing.
due to authentic advices today that
Villa is at ParraI, 125 miles south Of
chihuahua city but in Chihuahua
state
The source of Information i sener-
ally considered authentic. however.
that a battle took place but the COM
plete annihilation referred TO has not
Yet been corroborated by war depart
meut officials.
other dispatches Indicate that a
strong force of de facto soldiers was
in r position to cut off Villas retreat
southwark and that the rFeuti1 cavalry
j. pursuing the Villistas from the
north.
L. ;. Consul Tells OF BATTLES.
American Consul Letcher at Chi
huahua. in a dispatch received at the
war department today through Major
General Funston. told of some OF the
results Of the clashes between Amer
can troops and Villa forces at Aqua
Calientes on April 1. and the fight be-
tween the bandits and Carranza trOops
near Cieneguillas. three days later
Letcher reported a persistent rumor in
Chihuahua that Villa has been
ii he ar i
Calientes resulted in the killing Of
thirty or forty bandits by troopers q.
the Tenth cavalry under Colonel
Brown. Browns troops were reported
as living for two weeks on beef and
corn with supplies almost exhausted.
a mining company, Letcher said, hal
relieved the shortage by sending q spe-
cial train with supplies and forage
saws De Factos Are Helping.
At the fight Of Cieneguillas. the Car
rama forces under General Cavazus
captured two bandits of the fifty en-
gagged Letcher reported the Car
rama troops were cooperating with
General Pershing and that General
Gutierrez had informed the American
authorities of the Carranza troop dis
position about Chihuahua
\ resume Of 4 telegram dated April
s from the American consul general at
Monterey. made public by the state
department today. said:
IeieEraphlc and mail reports rom
TOrreon and Durango indicate a
marked Improvement since the arriv-
al Of General Jacintc Trevino a Tor
reon and the establishment of his
headquarters there Monterey is quiet
and all interior consulates report good
order and friendly feeling toward
Americans"
Kill 10 i'm SlSirmish.
Washington. April 7-Americans
and Villistas have fought their third
engagement since the punitive expe-
dition crossed the border.
The enga cement Occurred Tuesday
at Cleueguilla. Ten Villistas were
killed and two captured Carranzistas
co-opcrated with the Americans in
the engagement. news of which
reached the war department today.
The same message confirmed reports
of the fight at Aguas Calientes be-
tween Americans and NfIlisras las-