Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-28
ESCAPES
FROM PURSUERS;
ON WAY SOUTH
United States Cavalrymen Are
Riding Hard on Bandits .
Trail.
CARRANZA FORCES
ARE HALF HEARTED
Reports Reach Funston of Their
Inefficient Co. o-Operation With
Americans.

San Antonio, Tex, March 27.-Fran-
cisco Villas ESCAPE from the region
ABOUT Namiquipo was preceded by a
smart defeat administered by him to
part of the Mexican government
troops and was unopposed by other
detachments Of the government fore
es, according to the unofficial but
creditable reports reaching here to-
day. The Gordon Of Mexican troops
that the Mexican authorities an
nounce should have been drawn
across his path, gave way, according
to these reports, with a Willingness
that indicated their cooperation with
him rather than with the American
forces.
Are HaIf-Hearted.
Army men at department headquar-
ters were inclined to believe reports
of inefIiciency and. half-hearted CO.
operation, and today contemplated
with speculative eye the probable fu
ture Of the second phase OF operation
Just nallguarted by the commander
of the punitive expedition.
The positions Of troops We're not
revealed, but it was known that the
cavaIrymen We're ye: riding hard
along the trail left by Villa and his
little army. Officers of the quarter
masters department studied the best
| methods of getting provisions, espr-
cialIy supplies for the norseS anG
mules, to the field army while Gen.
eral Funston and his staff anXiOuSly
studied the map, referring frequently
to the scale of miles that showed the
advance cavalry columns rapidly near
ing points 800 miles away from the
border.
Villa May Effect Juncture.
That Villa will be able to effect a
juncture With a considerable force be
fore he is brought to a stand again is
regarded at headquarters here as
probable. Canuto Reyes, one of his
generals who has been operating in
the vicinity of Torreon. is known to
have an exceedingly mobile force that
is by no means negligible, and in the
state of Durango, il is said, the Arrie'
ia brothers are in position to move
northward to his support.
Unofficial observers have offered 4
theory regarded somewhat favOrably
by some American military men,
however, tnat Villa after joining these
and others will continue his move
ment to the south, gaining strength as
he goes, and other Zapata and other
enemies of the government attempt
to gain possession of Mexico City.
Although this theory is little cred,
tied at headquarters, it is realized
that he can go about as far as he
likes now without seeing an American
soldier for many weeks.
General Funston will continue his
headquarters here, although it is
probable tha. he will go to Ell Paso
and perhaps to Columbus in a few
days for brief stay.
Raid Ranch.
The ranch of Captain Kelly, former
mayor of Ell Paso, 80 miles east of Ell
Paso was raided tonight by Mexican
bandits who drove off number of
cattle and badly beat Mr.. Kelly.
Mr.. Kelly was notified by a long
distance telephone message from his
foreman. The foreman said the raid
ers were supposed to have come from
Guadelope, across the river from Fab
ems. The Mexican employees on the
ranch held them off in a battle in
which more than 100 shots were ex-
changed.