Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-17
Body Said to Have Been
Found in Grave in
Uniform
DIED IN GREAT AGONY
Tortured by Wound, Was Ont of His
Head at Times, But He Cursed
Cringoes to the End

FL Paso, April 17--If Villa is dead
as reported, army officials here are
anxious that the body of the bandit
leader be identified by Americans, as
well as MeXicans.
A train left Jaurez for Chihuahua
before dawn today with a small group
of Americans, including a humber
who knew him intimately. They ex.
{, pccted to meet at Chihuahua the
body taken from the lonely grave in
the mountains west Of Satevo which
Carranza authorities say is that OF
Villa. The grave was pointed out by
former Villista colonel in return
for amnesty.
All indications are that this story
of the Villa end is reliable, although
ms yet net officially confirmed. Villa
was once treated by Ell Paso spe-
cialists, and these experts declare
that owing to his physical condition
gangrene would have followed in
case Villa was wounded, unless the
wound received skillful attention.
Ell Paso, April l7-Francisco Villa,
the bandit chief, is dead according to
seemingly trustworthy reports which
reached here yesterday. His body will
be broupht TO the border for identi-
fcation.
Villas body was taken out of a
lonely grave, or. "a ranch near Fran
cisco Vargas ranch in Chihuahua
and positively identified, according to
Mexican official advices and private
messages from San Antonio, Mexico.
The bandit died from gangrcne as Il
result of wound in his left knee.
If the death of Villa, generally
credited on the border, is true the
United States Army, it is taken for
granted, will be withdrawn immed-
lately from Mexico, the object of its
entry having been accomplished.
The story of the finding Of the
body came from; several, sources.
First, Carianza officials received mes
sage from San Antonio, Chihuahua,
confirmed the: finding of the body and
gave the details. This message said
that a former Villa colonel, captur-
ed by General Cavozos, a Carranza
commander, offered, if his life were
spared, to show where Villa was bur-
led. The offer was accepted and he
led command under COL Carlos
Carranza, nephew of the First Chief
of the: Constitutionalists, to the lonely
grave. of the: former Mexican Gear.
By accident Gen. Cavozos, who
fought with Villa at Guerrero and
whose forces drove the Villistas out
of the town, made prisoner of a
colonel formerly on the staff of Villa.
The prisoner admitted that he had
been with his chief in his last days
and said he was present at burial.
For the price of his life he offered
to convey the Carranzistas to the
grave, where they could eXhume the
body and satisfy themselves. Gen.
Cavozos detailed Col. Carrana for the
command and gave him explicit ord
erS to shoot the former Villista if he
attempted to get away or his story
proved false. They were sent out from
Susi, the informer asserting that Viii
las body could be found on the Fran
cisco Vargas ranch, 80 miles south.
Yesterday morning messengers
brought in the news, according to
the dispatches from San Antonio and
MADEIRA, that the body had been tax
Ell out of it's grave and had been posi-
lively identified, Villa had been buried
It was stated, as he had caused So
MANY others to be inferred, with his
fighting clothes on and without an,
sort of covering except his every
day wearing apparel. The messag
from San Antonio today said Villa
trousers on his right leg had bee
split because of the terrible swellin
resulting from the gangrene in tn
eunshot wound received at Guerrero
That the bandit chief suffered grea
agony before his death is reporte
from many sources.
This was confirmed when a part