Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-12
REPORTS AMONG NATIVES
THAT VILLA IS DEAD
Amcican AviatOrs Return From
Flight 330 Miles South
OF Border.
70 MAKE SEARCH FOR GRAVE.
Military Authorities at Columbus.
While Recognizing That Rumors
May BE Another tuSc. Show No
Tendency to BeIittle Reports.

COLUMRUS X. NJ. April lI.-Lieu-
or the aero corps. returning here to-
day from a flight to san Antonio. Chi
huahua. 30 miles south OF the border
said mat reports were current among
INC natives in tho vicinity of santa
Ana that Villa was dead OF blood poi
soninH. caused by his wounds
Santa Ana is seventy miles southwest
Of Chihuahua City. other reports in
d'cated that Villa was in flight closely
followed by American troops south of
ParEai and near the Durango bordor.
Military authorities recoe nize that
reports Of the chicftain's dcn.h NAV
be another ruse to throw the Americans
of what has been termed n hot trail"
but no tendency is manifested TO be-
There seems no doubt that Villa
Was wounded" said Lieutenant bar
cue. conversations with natives ana
with persons having convinced me that
he was shot through both legs. one OF
them being broken by u bullet, while
another shot lodged in his stomach \
mam i'm that condition, with medical
attention, could scarcely live long"
TO SEND AN AVIATOR
TO SEARCH FOR GRAVE
The aero corps planned 10 send an
other aviator to-day to scout over the
region IN which the natives have re-
ported Villa was buried in an attempt
10 find the grave
Information brought by parSue and
Gorrcll indicate that American Cavalry
have entirely surrounded the detach-
ment which is reported to have been
carrying Villa on litter The ad-
vanced cavalry detachmcnts, they said,
are about 400 miles south of tho border
below farral, and near the Durango
border. while several columns are
operating south OF Satcvo. where Cen
crai PerShinE to-day was establishing
his new headquarters.
The flight was one OF the most
spectacular of the campaign In Mexico
I.ieutenants Dargue and Gorrel us
ing the same plane. made their way
from San Antonio. $50 miles south OF
the border. with but one stop a. Casas
Grandes. Their flying time was four
hours and ten minutes
MARKS RESUMPTION
or AERO DISPATCH LINE
The arrival OF the llierS marked the
resumption Of the army aero dispatch
line. interrupted for about ten days
by the demand for the air scouts at
the front.
Lieutenant Darsue. who. with Cap
tain FouloiS, Of the aero corps, made a
flight to chihuahua City severai days
ago, carrying dispatches. said that in
making the landing in the town his
plane was struck when fired upon by
the Carranza garrison. The shooting
was done. he said. before the soldiers
realized his identity, and as soon as
the military authorities learned OF the
arrival OF the American aviaturs they
sent 4 special guard To watch their ma
chimes. Before the arrival OF the
guards. however. he said. both he and
Captain Foulois were annoyed by
crowds of small boys who threw rocks
at the machines. and called them grin
goes"
The aviator explained that this spirit
was not manifested by any but the
lowest classes, and that afterward they
were shown every courtesy. the Car
ranza chief OF staff inviting them To
his home and purchasing candles and
tobacco for them TO carry back to the
American troops. The local daily pa
per. copy OF which was brought here
to day, also spoke favorably OF tho
expedition and urged the people OF the
city to show every hospitality to the
American air scouts.
Word was received at military head
quarters here to-day that Lieutenant
Colonel Rivers. who had been dan
gerously III at Casas Grandcs. with
pneumonia, is on the road TO recov-
cry.