Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-19
], S. TROOPS ARE
FOLLOWING TRAIL
OF BANDIT Chief
Broken Leg and Stomach Ache
Only Casualties So
Far.
BANDS COLLECTING TO
RESIST INVADING FORCE
No Intention on Part Of Admins
tration to Occupy Any Mexican
Town.

Ell Paso, Texas, March 18.-The
first phase of the American expedi.
tion into Mexico-the rush along vii.
las dim trail to the endangered Nor.
mon colonies-was an accomplished
fact last night, completed, according
to reports reaching thee Columbus
base, without the firing of hostile
shot by the Americans.
The second phase was already be-
ginning, it was indicated here. as
the Americans turned somewhere
from Casas Grandes to resume their
night marches under the brilliant
Mexican moonlight toward the rough
mountain slopes, where 1t Is known
Francisco Villa has preceded them
with almost 100 miles start.
Warning that this second act in
the chasa might not pass without
fighting against bandits was implied
in, new and more stringent censor
psfip imposed at Coiambus. Further
leakage of news Of military moves.
the censor said, frankly, to the AM
erican Press, would be likely to cause
soldiers lives.
Excitement at Columbus. s'4'
There was excitement at Columbus
today, when from across the hot.
dusty Mexican border two soldiers on
stretchers were brought into. camp.
Eoth we're artillery men, Excite.
ment passed when it was learned
that one had been thrown from his
horse, injuring his leg, while the 9th.
er was suffering from we'll known
form of stomach ache.
When Washington announced that
the American columns did not intend
to occupy cities, menace to Mexi.
can national pride was removed. The
Carranza garrison which had been
passed by the marching Americans
and which therefore are in the Am.
ericans' rear or on their flank, con.
tinued tranquil, so reports to Ell PasO
indicated.
Dawn showed the long lines of cav
airy horses just outside Colonia Dub.
Ian, their troopers dismounted and
in camp at rest.
Villa Is Located.
Villa was located today with some
degree of detiniteness, if weight of
evidence counts in pinning down his
rapid shifts, nearly due south of the
American columns present known p0.
sitiOn and close to the Sierra Tara.
humare mountains-so close to thelns
in fact, that if his regulations as a
fox holds good during the American
chase, he should be able to make Z
puZzling disappearance in their rang
es with a very few hard hours rid.
ing. by all accounts he is more than
100 miles ahead of the Americans.
Has Ammunition.
The story that Villa is gathering
men and preparing to resist was re-
vived in constitutionalist circles to.
day and he is said to have ten mil
lion rounds of cartridges and shells
secreted in the mountains where he
was expected to make stand. Doubt
that Villa would do any such thing
was expressed, however, by AndreaS
Garcia, the American consul here.
who claimed that Villa intends to
make the American expeditionary
force a joke. Mr.. Garcia declared
he had positive information that
Villa was disbanding his men, and
intended to hide in the mountains
with three or four of his trusted fol-
lowers and defy the Americans to
find him. An army might wander In
that region for years and never find
a man like Villa, who knows every
foot of the ground"
The rewards which have been Of.
fered for Villa, alive or dead, in Mr..
Garcia's opinion, are the best hopes
of ending his career.
North Central Mexico, in the negh.
borhood Of the former Villa strong.
hold of Torreon and about Durango.
furnished reports of q battle be.
tween small bands of outlaws ana
constitutionalist troops. One Of these
bandit organizations in the tight near
Torreon was credited with being .
Villa organization. Nothing was avail.
able tonight ON the outcome Of this
fight. Americans, who said they dArs
ed not permit the use Of their Aa1ess
arrived here today from Torreoa With
odtaila Of tho hardshina 0f Eheir nxs