Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-19
American Expedition Reaches
CasaS GrandeS Without 0p-
position From Mexicans of
Any Faction,
BIG REWARD LIKELY TO
BE MOST EFFECTIVE
Consul at El Paso Believes
Bandit Chieftain Can Sue
cessfuIIy Hide in Mountains
for Years From Armies.

tnr soas,ss loUssAI srscisl Lsssso ~ies,
El Paso, Tex, March 1s.--hTe first
phase or the American expedition In
to Mexico, the rush along Villas dim
trail to the endangered Mormon col
onies. was an accomplished fact to-
night--completed according to re-
ports reaching Columbus, without the
firing Of hostile shot by Americans.
The second phase already was be-
ginning, II was indicated here. as the
Americans turned somewhere from
Casas Grandes to resume their night
marches under the brilliant Mexican
moonlight toward the rough noun
tain slopes where II Is known Pam
cho villa already has preceded them
with more than 100 miles start. Warn
ing that this second act In the chase
might not pass without fighting
against bandits was implied in a now
and more stringent censorship iIri-
posed at Columbus Further leakage
of the news Of military movements
the censor said frankly TO the Amcri-
can press, would be likely TO cost sol
diers' lives.
No Cause for Excitement
There was brief excitement today
at Columbus from across the hot dus-
ty Mexican border two soldiers OH
stretchers being brought into the
camp. Both were cavalrymen. Ex-
citemcnt passed when IL was learned
that one had been thrown from his
horse inJuring his hg while the other.
who at first wsls snid TO have been
shot In the abdomen, was found to
be suffeYing from weis hnoHe fNH A..
of stomaohache
The day was remarkable for tho re-
ports of q surfeit OF almost complete
quiet from all sections of the border.
When Washington announced that
the American column did not intend
to occupy cities, a menace to Mexican
national pride was removed. The
Carranza garrsohs, which have been
passed by the marching Americans
and which therefore are now in the
Americans rear or on their flanks,
continued tranquil. so far as reports
to 1i Paso indicated.
Delicate for Time.
General Gabriel Gavira. at Iuafez,
the territory through
which for three days the Americans
have been penetrating. himself an
nounced that for n time the situation
az reported to him had been very
delicate and even serious" With esi-
dent relief he said Il crisis had been
passed This crisis it is believed,
reached It's height last night, when
couriers dashing into Casas Grandes.
with careless enthusiasm
that the American troops would EN-
ter that city by midnight. General
Gavlra wired immediate orders to his
troops not to permit this. Dawn
showed the long lines Of cavalry
horses Just outside Colonia Dublan,
their troopers disIuounted and III
camp at rest.
villa Well Ahead.
Villa was located today with somo
iegree Of definitcness, II weight or
evidence counts in plnning down his
'apid shifts. From several sources
received messages
Ill of which placed him In approx
natoly the same portion of western
chihuahua These dispatches had
lim nearly due south of the Amert-
an columns present known positions
md close to the Sierra Tarahumare
so close to them In fact
hat IL his reputation us fox holds
rood during the American chase, he
hould be able to make a puzzlinB
disappearance in these ranges with
very few hours riding. BY Oil ac-
cunts he is more than 100 miles
head of the Americans, about the
anne distnnce he has boen out OF
heir reach for a week but with one
possibly important difference, that
While heretofore the Americans have
,een riding on somewhat cold trait
hey are now nearing ground which
jilla very recently passed over ana
where they may have practical op-
lortunty 10 test out the temper OF
he rural Mexicans, from whom they
night receive valuable Information.
No Intention Of Fighting.
The story that Villa is gathering
len ana preparing to resist was re-
lived In constitutionalist news sources
Dday, and he was even said to have
N million rounds of cartridges and
hells many OF home manufacture, Sc
reted In the mountains where he was
ypected to make stand, Doubt that
illa would do any such thing was ex-
ressed, however, by Andreas Garcia,
nc Mexican consul here. who claimed
lat villa intends 10 make the Amori-
an eSpedtlonary force Joke. Mr.
arclA declared ne was convinced tiial
le bandit had no Intention of fighting
mericans.
"One of my men" he said. who re-
irned from the Galcana district to-
az, brought me positive information
rat villa was disbanding his men
nd Intended to hide in the noun
Iins with three or four of his trusted
blowers and defy the Americans to
nd him. An army might wander III
lat region for years and never find
man like villa, who knows every
rot of the ground
Would Make Expedition Ridiculous.
II am convinced that Villa intends
, play hide and seek with the Amer
an soldiers with the intention OF
laking their expedition ridiculous