Middletown transcript., 1916-09-30
CHIHUAHUA CITY
HELD BY VILLA
Bandit Leader Held the Town
For Hours.
WON OVER PART OF GARRISON
Left Unmolested With 1000 To 1900
Men and Carried Off Much
Ammunition-ceneraI Bell
Sends Report.


count yet received of the fighting in
Chihuahua City, when Villa celebrated
the Mexican independence Day by a
successful assault on the Carranza gar
rison, reached the War Department
from Brig. Gen. George Bell, command
ing the Ell Paso military district.
It asserts that Villa personally led
the attacking forces; that he took and
held numerous important buildings in
the city for several hours; that he was
joined by 1000 or more men of the
Carranza garrison; that he retired,
promising to return soon. and that he
took with him large quantity Of cap
tured arms, ammunition and artillery.
General Bell in his report expresses
the opinion that the raid was COM
pletely successful and that Villa &C
complished even more than he said he
wonId. Trevino's personal guard de-
serted him, it appears, and in the con
fusion many government soldiers
were killed by their own comrades.
Washington Officials SkeptIcal.
General Bells dispatch does not
show the source of his information and
many officials believe his account of
the incident is founded on rumors
reaching the border, as were various
stories which have been transmitted
by State Department agents. They
were inclined to believe for this reason
that the full truth of what transpired
is not yet known.
Reports so far received are similar
only in that they show fight did
occur on September 16 and that the
Villa followers took the penitentiary
and some other buildings. They coz
ffict as to the part Villa played, not
even agreeing that he was present
All reports received are being for
warded to New London for the infor-
nation of the Mexican-American com
mission. 1t is regarded as probable
that an official version will be for
warded there soon by General Car
rama.
May Delay Agreement.
No official would predict what effect
the incident may have on the negotia-
tions at New London, which embrace
General Carranza's request that
American troops be withdrawn from
Mexico. 1t was deemed certain, how
ever, that no agreement could be
reached by the Commissioners until
it was known precisely to what extent
the situation in Northern, Mexico had
been altered by the chihuahua City
developments and until it was made
clear what the Carranza Government
would do to cope with the new situa-
tion.
Many officers still believe that Villa
is either dead or his power so
broken that he could not
hope to re-establish himself. General
Pershing expressed the latter opinion
in report to the War Department
some weeks ago, and General Funs-
tons recommendation that the Ameri-
can troops be withdrawn is believed to
have been founded on that view. If
General Bells reports prove accurate,
however and Villa did appear in per
son at Chihuahua, it is expected that |
the fact will be established definitely |
by witnesses whose evidence could be |
accepted without question.
Not Likely To Involve Pershinq.
1t is thought unlikely that General |
Pershing's forces will be involved in |
any new fighting In Mexico, even if
the most favorable account for Villa |
Of the Chihuahua battle proves true.
The nearest American detachment is
more than 100 miles north of Chthua- |
hua, and the main body still farther
away. No matter what successes they
night achieve in surprise attacks upon
Carranza posts, the bandits are not ex-
Dected to risk an attack upon the
Americans and the latter could not GO
1ut in pursuit Of the raider without
new orders from Washington.