Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-13
BELIEVED VILLA
IN COMMAND
OF BIC ARMY !
News of Massacre of Americans
!, ! and Looting Of Property
Reaches Ell Paso.
EXCITEMENT ALL
ALONG BORDER
Unpreparedness Causes Further
Delay in Strengthening Gen.
Pershing's Line.

taS numbering several hundred ana
possibly thousand may have sack
ed Sierra Mojada, five miles across
the Coahuila line, and 80 miles east
of Guiminez, destroying many thous-.
ands of dollars worth of American
property and looting the town Of
everything of value.
This news, which may prove to We
of the highest information, as it is
believed possibly Villa himself was
among the raiders, was received here
today by the representative Of one of
the largest american mining con-
Germs in Mexico and is accepted by
him as absolutely authentic. The
bandits made their attack on the
town on April 5.
Villa May Be There.
The belief that Villa himself may
he directing the operations of the
bandits is supported by report re-
ceived today from Ojanaga, stating
that Col. Rojas, the commander
there, had information that Villa had
doubled in his tracks and was 200
miles southwest of that town. -
Another circumstance that gives
color to this locating of the bandit
chief is the fact that CanutO Reyes,
at the head of large number of men,
was reported from Torreon week
ago, to be travelling north in the di.
rection of Sierra Mojada. II it proves
true Villa has completely evaded the
American troops who have been driv.
ing south at an amazing speed and
IRE. reported s;i,'sa ~ si'i. Iarallsl,
border.
Little Credit Given.
Sierra Mojada is 140 miles east Of
The nearest point at which the Amer
ican troops are known to be. Little
credit IS given to the report that VIII
la intends TO turn north and attempt
q raid on Preside. III, .arr y,
- IT Isl believed far more probable
thatJt the Bandit, IF he is at Sierra Mo-
jada, has. chosen that desolate and al
most inaccessible spot for the concen-
tratiOn Of his forces and those OF
Reyes with the intention of sweeping
down in force on Torreon after the
troops are withdrawn from Mexico.
Numerous reports agree that Villa
is convinced the soldiers of the Unit
ed States will soon be recalled and
that then he will be able to rally
all the anti-Carranzistas factions in
Northern Mexico to his standard.
Americans Killed.
Several Americans have been killed
or wounded in bandit raids in the vi
cinity of Guaymas, Sonora, according
to a naval radio message received
here today. The message was for
warded to the navy department at
Washington, and resulted in an order
to the cruiser Denver, now at San
Bias, State of lepic, to steam for the
Sonora port and investigate.
General Ynez Salazar, who dlsap-
peared from Ell raso several days ago,
was positively identified today at
Morris It. o. ranch in Mexico, 80
miles south of here and 40 miles
south Of the border.
He had with him four companions
and is said to have threatened to Kill
one of the American ranch hands who
knew him personally The party left
doing no damage but took rifles and
ammunition owned by ranch hands.
Delay Hampers Pershing.
Further delay in providing Gen.
Pershing with more men for his oper-
ations against Villa, believed now to
have effected a juncture with his
forces from Durango, appeared GER
tain tonight in view of the dvaance-
ment today of tentative arrangements
for the shipments of supplies over the
Mexican Central RAILROAD.
Wether the somewhat vague under
standing entered into between Ameri-
can officers and Carranza authorities
for the movement Of supplies, con.
signed as ordinary freight, is a sue.
cess was considered in some quarters,
but by headquarters officials it was
deemed worthy of trial.
Reports reached Gen. Funston from
Ell Paso late today that train of sup
plies left JuareZ for Chihuahua this
afternoon under the new arrange
ment.
Without Information.
Gen. Funston continued without in
formation today as to the location OF
the advance cavalry detachment and
no reports supplied additional infor-
nation concerning the whereabouts
of Villa or the state of his health. In
the absence of definite information,
Gen. Funston was not inclined to be-
lieve the report that he was dead,
but neither did he give credence to it.
The report reached here while he
and his officers at Ell Paso were in
the midst of negotiations to inaugur-
ate the shipping of supplies over the
Mexican Central, and its receipt did
not alter those negotiations nor any
of the work connected with the rout-
inc of the campaign.