New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-13
Sierra Mojada Looted
and American Prop
erty Destroyed.
OUTLAW LEADER
REPORTED THERE
American Troops, Across
Durango Line, May Be
on Cold Trail.
rrrorn . star Correspondent. o. n. 1r1sun.

fFrom a star Correspondent o, The Tribune
FL Paso, Tex, April 12.-Several hun
dred Villistss, led possibly by Francisco
Villa himself. on April 3 attacked the
large town of Sierra Mojsda, Coahuila,
situated 14O miles south Of Preside,
Tex, and eighty miles east Of Jiminez,
Mex. The bandits looted the town and
destroyed many thousand dollars worth
of American property. This news was
received by the representative here OF
one of the largest mining concerns in
Mexico. and is regarded as authentic.
Foreigners had fed from the dis
trict on receiving news that the Willis
las were approaching. and no reports
Of foreigners being killed have been re
ceived.
The bandits camo from Escalon, a
junction point on the Mexican National
Railroad, sixty miles southeast OF
Jiminez, and about an equal distance
southwest of Sierra Mojadn, which has
it's connection by the Mexican North
ern Railroad. On their way 10 Sierra
Mojada they sacked the small town
of Corrillo.
The belief that Villa was at the
head Of the raiders apparently is sup
ported by the fact that Colonel Riojas.
the commander az Ojinaga, reported
to day that he had learned Villa had
eluded his American pursuers, had
doubled on his tracks, and was 200
miles southwest of Ojinaga. which is
situated directly across the border from
Preside.
Reyes Headed Northward.
Giving further color 70 the theory
that Villa. free OF any wound or in
jury, was far east OF the American
line in Mexico, Is the fact that Canuto
Reyes. with a large body Of men, WAS
reported a week ago from Torreon 10
be moving northwsrd In the direction
Of Sierra Mojada, It then being the be
lief that Reyes was on the way TO join
forces with his chief.
II il is true Villa is at Sierra Mojads.
the American troops are driving south
ward at amazing speed on cold trail.
They were reliably reported to-day to
have passed the Durango border.
Little credence is given here 20 re-
ports from Ojinaga that Villa plans 10
a
sidio. II is believed far more probable
that the bandit. If he is at Sierra Mo-
iada. has chosen that desolate and al
most inaccessible spot for concentra-
ton Of his forces and those of Canuto
Reyes, with the intention Of sweeping
down in force on Torreon after the
American trops are withdrawn. Re
ports from Mexican sources agree that
Villa is convinced the soldiers OF the
United States soon will be recalled. and
that he then will be able to rally all
the anti-Carranza factions in Northern
Mexico 10 his standard.
Sierra Mojada, 140 miles east OF the
nearest point at which American
troops are known to be. is on the east
ern side OF n vast desert, known as
the Bolson Mapimi. and south of an
other dreary. waterless waste called
Bolson de los Lipanes. It's only con-
nection with the west Is by the Mexl-
can Northern Railroad, along which
the bandits advanced, burning bridges,
destroying telegraph lines and tearing
up the tracks as far as they were able.
Reported in Durango.
That Villa has succeeded in reach
in the Torreon district and probably
has entered the state OF Durango at
Torreon, which is on the border be-
tween the states OF Coahuila and Du-
range, is asserted in dispatches re-
ceived by General Gayira tonight from
chihuahua. Mexican sdvices continue
TO assert that Villa is suffering greatly
from his wounds. but American army
men point out that, for a wounded
man, he Is making most amazing
progress.
Pursuit Of Villa is 10 be carried on
by American troops into the mountains
Of Durango, unless it is shown definite
ly he IS at Sierra Mojada. The chase
is not TO be abandoned so long as
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