The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-03-30
Pursuit Develops Into Race For
Mountains - Pershing Not
Sanguine of Early Sue
cess of Expedition.
RUMoR OF MORE TROUBLE
Carranza Soldiers Let Bandits
Escape and Some Are Said
to Have Joined Them
Short of Rations.

Field Headquarters American
Expeditionary Force, Colonia,
Dublan, March 81. (by aeroplane
to Columbus, n. M. March 81
Gen. ]. j. Pershing announced last
night the establishment of a new
base in the pursuit of villa. The
second base is much nearer the
location where the bandit Is re-
ported in precipitate retreat than
the old base at field headquarters.
Field HEADQUARTERS American
Expeditionary Force, Colonia Dub
Ian. Chihuahua, Mex, March q.
(by aeroplane to Columbus, N. M
March 2S--Evidence that Pancho
Villa is preparing to resist the
American pursuing column, ana
that the Mexican people are not
as yet raIlying to him, has been
collected by officers and the scouts
of the American troops.
Ell Paso, Tex, March 27,-Pursuit OF
Francisco villa had developed today
into a race between cavalrymen of the
United States and the fleeing bandits
| mounted on the wonderful little Next
can ponies. According to dispatches
from the front. Villa has completely
broken through the Carranzaista lines
and Is fleeing southwark with the
American troopers straining every
nerve to catch up with him before he
| reaches the grim and forbtdding noun
| tain wastes in his ancient hauntS IN
| the Guerrero district
| Pershine Not Optimistic.
General Pershing today is anything
| but sanguine on the problem calling
| FOR the immediate capture OF the ban
ait leader. In all two clashes have
been reported between the Villaista
and Carranza soldiers.
The work of the army air scouts has
I set at naught outside rumors of the
surrounding OF Villa. Flying over the
waste rolling desert country below
Cases Grandes, in a semi circle to the
south and southwest of the valley
recognized as the stamping ground OF
Villa, the birdmen of the column have
reported the bandit and his forces TAX
ng to the hills. Shots have been fired
at the scouting planes as they scared
aloft to spy out the hiding places of the
enemy and the former northern chief
tain Of Mexican revolutions is still Sc
curely under cover.
Starvation Only Hope.
The opinion Of the natives in this
section of country. knowing the intri-
cate twists and turns of the PREACHER
Gus district entertain not jot of OPP
timism for a speedy termination OF the
pursuit of him.
The only hope of a speedy termina
ton to the chase is that the flight OF
the bandits will be checked by starva-
ton and the exhaustion of their ponies.
1t is known that Villa is almost desti-
tute of both supplies and ammunition,
and the dead and dying horses found
l nj Give plOnnent
testimony TO his desperate haste and
need. Once safely in the midst of the
Sierra TarahumareS, the task OF run
ming the bandit to his lair will have
become one of tremendous difficulty.
The country Is inhabited by the Tara
humare Indians, one of the most dis
tinctive tribes in Mexico.
Three Flying Columns.
Flying columns Of American cavalry
are seeking to entrap Pancho Villa and
his bandits by sealing up all the trails
and passes in the mountainous district
south of Ell Wales. Once the outlets are
barred, squadrons of cavalry and de-
tachments Of infantry, operating from
che base at Casas Grandes, will comb
the country and endeavor to flush their
quarry into the open.
This is the plan the military men are
following to effect the capture Of the
peon brigand.
ly among the foothills Of Sierra Tara
hamares, holly pursued by three col
umns of American cavalry. Col. George
A. Dodd is directing the cavalry move
ments.
This, coming from army officials at
the front, confirms reports brought
here by American travellers from the
Casas Grandes district last Saturday
that Villa had escaped through the
lines Of the Carranzaista troops. Mex
lean Consul Garcia does not credit the
reports that the CarranZa forces fur
nished no real opposition to Villa and
. permitted the bandit to escape.
Villa Band Scatters.
Villa scattered his command in his
!, flight southwark and at one time, it
was learned today, led only a small
, force of Is or 20 men. The army CEN
, | sor at Columbus has permitted the con-
firmation to pass that Villa increased
his command at FL Vale by forcing 25
; men and boys to accompany him. Mill
tary men here say that indicates that
Villa now believes that he has success
fully eluded his pursuers and is in po-
Sitlon to have q larger body OF men
| witho.t fear Of capture.
Brigadier General Pershing has let
1t become known that he expects that
, it will take months to capture Villa.
: Returning American refugees and
, | cattlemen who know the country are
; | of the opinion that Vina will never be
! taken. The nature of the country and
, | the fact that Villa is among his own
people. who idolize him, make the ban
dts capture unlikely, they declared
The Mexican country through which
Villa Is now fleeing is a country Pc
culiar to itself. A negro sergeant, an
old campaigner in the Twenty-fourth
infantry now in that region. speaking
to Casas Grandes rancher, puts II
" | thus:
II have been in nearly every land
but in this part of Mexico there are
| more rivers and less water: more cows
and less milk, and farther to look anc
y L less than I have