Bisbee daily review., 1916-03-25
Sheriff of Ell Paso County Wires Gov. Ferguson Ask ing that Militia Be Mobiliz- ed and Sent to Border. ACTION FOLLOWS THAT
 TAKEN IN ARIZONA Army Officers Inclined to Min imize the Possibilities. Ci- william Officials Declare Dan- ger Exists in Plenty.
(By Review Leased Wire.l

FL PASO, March 24.-New proof of the seriousness with which the local authorities regard the border situa- tion- was supported tonight in an an
 uouncement by Sheriff PeytOn James
 Edwards that he had teIegraphed Gov arnor Jas. F.. Ferguson that he believ- ed the state militia should be sent to the frontier.
 Sheriff Edwards said that he did
 not wish to be considered an alarmist but that developments in Mexico con yinced him that additional protection was needed for Americans along the border. He refused to give the word ! ing of his telegram or say how many additional troops he thought neces- ! sary.
 The action of Sheriff Edwards, fol | lowing that of Arizona authorities in directing that the border companies | of militia of that state should be re- cruited to full war strength. gave re- newed force to the tension here which earlier in the day had shown signs of relaxing. There is sharp ] difference in the point of view be-
 tween federal and local officials here The former insist that. while the si- ,uation is filled with dangerous pos
 abilities. there is no reason to fear any immediate crisis. The local au- thorities. on the other hand. are equally positive that there is grave
 danger of an outbreak which will set | the entire border in a blaze
 The federal officials are showing | increasing irritation over the alarming ! reports about conditions which are be- l ing circulated here night and day and which are being sent out to the rest | of the country in news dispatches | They are fearful of the effect that | these reports will have on the MeXi- l cans. who have shown many signs in ! he last few days of increasing rest | eSSness.
 | Consul Thomas Edwards. al Juarez. | and several other American residents
 m the Mexican town. sent telegram | to the State Department vigorously protesting against the circulation Of hese reports and asking that some | steps be taken tO stop them. lt IS understood that similar messages have been sent to Washington from other | 'ederal officials with direct recon mendation that censorship be es- | tablished here.
 No news of the reported fighting be- | ween the Carranzistas and Villa fol 'Owers near Namiquipa or of the re lort from Mexican sources that the | bandit chief and his followers were surrounded five miles south of Nami- | luipa by American and Mexican !
 ! According to the Carranza consul
 here. Andres Garcia, the Mexican wires have been cut between Casas | lirandes and Madeira. The same req | son was given by Consul Garcia for
 the derth of news following the first ! battle reported near Namiquipa some ' days ago.
 1 The cOntradictory reports received i from Mexican sources and the absence of any definite information from Gen. Pershing have raised new doubts here as to the state Of affairs in the dis ] trict where Villa is supposed to De | The fact that American neld com
 mander made no reference in his re ] port today of any fighting. in spite Of ' he fact that he announced that Amer | ican troops were at Fl Nalle. only ! forty miles from Namiquipa. was re-
 garded as significant
 ! The status of Gen. Herrera remain ad as doubtful today as it has been since the first report that reached here of his revolt from the Carranza | standard In spite of reports from l American cOnsuls and emphatic state ments from CarranZa generals and Of | ficials the belief that Herrera had 1 either turned against the de facto ] government or was on the point of doing SO was as firmly held as if no I denial had been issued.
 Americans arriving here from The | interior today gave fresh color to the belief by circumstancial stories ot ! Herrera's defaction and asserted that ' he was today between Chihuahua and i Parral. marching towards TOrreon with at least 1000 troops.
 ! Seven privates. suffering from vari-
 ous ailments. reached here today from
 the front and were taken to the Fort Bliss hospital. The most seriously | i'll was Private Robertson. of the 7 Sixth Infantry. who was stricken win
 paralysis from the waist down while on the line of march. All seven told stories of the privations suffered hy
 the American troops in their dash
 across the Chihuahua desert. They
 complained especially of the raging
 thirst from which ths soldiers suffered
 constantly and also of the distress
 caused by the chilly nights which foi- i (COntiHued on Page Sl