The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-03-21

| Lieut.. Samuel Bowen of the aviation
corps was injured yesterday when his
| machine fell somewhere in Mexico
while he was scouting for the
| Pershing expedition.
| San Antonio, Texas, March 20
| Francisco Villa may be forced into the
| fight with American TROOPS within the
next thirty-six hours il reports TO Gen
eral Funston's headquarters here both
from General Pershing and from MeXi-
| can sources are correct.
General Pershing reported today
that Villa had been reported defeated
by Mexican Government troops near
Cruces and that he was marching
northward in retreat. His report,
however, was followed by the unofficial
statement that Villa still was fighting
at Namiquipa, south Of Cruces
III the Carranza force wins in the
fighting that was said TO be continu
ing late today. Villa will have to move
nCrthward along a road over which
detachment OF American troops is
riding southwark, or leave the road
and head for the Santa Maria Noun
tains, that parallel the road to the
east, or TO the Oriental Range on the
west side. Retreat, according to the
report, is impracticable because OF the
presence in the rear of Mexican troops
who forced him to turn northward
from Cruces.
Ell Paso, Tex. March 20The forces
Of Colonel Cano' We're engaged in bat
tie at 43O O'clock this afternoon with
bandits led by Villa in Namioulpa, ac
cording to a dispatch received this af
ternoon by General Gavira. Carranza
commander at Juarez The result OF
the lighting was not decided at the
time OF the dispatch. Nainiduipa is the
district of Guerrero, state of Chihua-
hua
Colonel Cano is in command of 900
cavalry which came in contact two
days ago at Ell Vale with Villa forces
which on that occasion fed without
giving battle.
Despite reports that General Cano
had engaged those of Villa at Nami-
quipa. persons well informed here eX
pressed the opinion the Carranza
forces had failed to keep up their end
of the net by which it was proposed to
capture the bandit chieftan. There
were confirmatory reports today OF the
news received for the last week that
the Mexican troops not only failed to
cooperate with the American troops,
but in certain instances at least actual.
ly were withdrawing from the field of
operation.
1t has been learned on unquestion-
able authority that the troops of the
de facto government which had been
stationed at Casas Grandes have been
withdrawn and are now in and about
JuareZ. From the same source it was
learned that at least one detachment
of Carranza troops had refused to fight
Villa and had withdrawn on the
bandits approach, leaving free to pass
into his favorite mountain fastness.
This detachment withdrew on receipt
Of message that he was warning not
on MeXcans, but on the enemies Of
MeXicans
The extraordinary rapidity with
which the American cavalry had
pushed into Mexico gave rise to high
hope yesterday that the notorious
bandit was cornered. This seemed in
evitable if the Carranza soldiers did
their part and if the account of the
strength of their field forces was cor
rect.
Villa. cut off from the north by the
forward sweep of the American |
columns, from the west by the Sierra |
Madere barring the approaches to the |
state of Sonora, was supposed to be |
equally barred from the east and |
south by powerful Carranza forces
II now seems certain that Villa has |
been moving freely in at least large |
part of the country supposed to be
held by the troops of the first chief