The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-08-21
First Days Result Of Cavalry
Chase of Mexican
Marauders.
MEXICAN TROOPS ASSIST
American Airmen Guiding
Scouts Through Mountains.
Rain Impedes Progress.
(BY j. n. CAFEEEO
(BY J. II. CAFFEE.)


for ransom were still advancin
through the Sierra Madre mountain
at latest reports this afternoon.
1t is now known positively tha
Carranzsta troops have Joined tn
man hunt, although they are not co
operating with the Americans.
column Of Carfanzista troops wa
sent down the Conchos valley b
Gen. Prunada, commandant Of tn
garrison at Ojinaga, to search tn
hills for the bandits under Jesus Rem
tario.
As none of the Mexican officer
would consent to accompany tn
Americans, Maj. j.-Gen. Dickman, com
mander of the southern department
United States army arranged for tn
two forces to keep in communication
by airplane.
Refuse to Comment on Reports.
Officials here refuse to commen
upon late reports from Mexico City
that the Carranzista government i:
antagonistic to the invasion of Mex
lean soil by the Americans. At the
same time fear was expressed that
Francisco Villa, king of the Mexi-
can brigands, might take advantage
OF the present opportunity to become
active again.
Whether there have been any ac-
tual battles between the Americans
and the Mexican bandits has not been
revealed, but there has been at least
one skfrmish.
One bandit has been killed so far,
possibly a second killed and two more
have been captured alive and are be-
ing held at the front" by the United
States cavalry. The first guerrilla
-, killed fell a victim to machine gun
bullets on an airplane. The two cap
tives have not been identified in dis
patches, but both are said to be out
laws attached to the band that held
the two army aviators.
Fresh supplies are being sent
across the border, indicating that the
' search is in full swing and that there
is yet no thought of turning back.
The conveyance of these supplies, as
well as the advance of the soldiers,
has been made difficult by swollen
streams and muddy trails resulting
from heavy rains.
The airmen are being hampered by
bad weather and the roughness of
the mountain country through which
the troops are passing but they are
managing to keep up unbroken COM
munication between the advanced
posts and the border.
Gen. Dickman is expected at Maria,
where he will receive first hand re-
ports from the air couriers as to
what has already been done and the
campaign plans of the immediate fu-
ture.
Although the decision to 20 into
Mexico and punish the marauding
bandits was taken suddenly, the troops
were not thrown over the 1nterna-
tional line until after the Mexican
officers had been informed of the in
tentions of the military authorities.
it developed today. The Mexican
consul at Preside, Tex. was in
formed and it was after conversa-
tions between this official and Gen.
Prunada that it was decided to send
out Carranzista troops to join in the
hunt.
Diokman Reticent.
Officials at Gen. Dickman's Office
were reticent over the report that the
Americans had been authorized to go
J about clearing up the border rough
shod." Aides to Gen. Dickman say
that his presence at the border Is
chiefly for inspection of troops and |
not primarily on account of the Mex |
ican kidnapping band
Gen. Pruneda's Carranista cav |
airy forces which joined in the hunt |
Wednesday were said to be forty |
miles from Ojinaga today. These men |
will not hunt in the same territory |
as the Americans in order to avoid |
a conflict. The MeXicans are evil |
IDENTIFY to the south of the main |
American force in the region of Ou-
clio Paredo.
Pushed to conchos River.
The territory in which the cam
L.
of the Conchos river, long known as
a favorite rendezvous of Mexican
outlaws. The river rises in the
mountains of Chihuahua and for
many miles both banks are unin-
habitated. Along the first few miles
of the stream are the towns of Rosa
rio, Santa Rosalia and Bonquilla, all
of which were visited time and again
when Pershng's expedition went
afterFrancisco Villa.
The airplanes accompanying the
troops are equipped fore and aft
with machine guns and all have
powerful glasses for detecting per-
sons among the mountains and val
leys. In addition the planes are
equipped with wireless for commune
cation with their bases. Throughout I
Wednesday lightning interfered with I
radio communication. II
Maria, Tex. Aug. 21.-(A. P0- II
One bandit was believed to have been {
killed and two others made prisoners {
since the American troops crossed I
the Rio Grande into Mexico Tues s
day morning. A report received here [
last night told of an American cav t
airy sergeant who rode to the border
Of NJ hat \
Leonard Matlack of the Eight cav r
altry. had captured two bandits, be- l
lieved to have been implicated in the /
capture of the aviators, Peterson and a
Davis. Up
Neither man was Renter1a, the ban S
dit leader. he said. One Mexican was
killed Tuesday when American avja- +
tors returned their fire when they s
saw three bandits near the border
one of whom was seen to fall with a
his horse. =. t
The American troops slept last "
night on the trails of the bandits t.
after losing them Tuesday in torren- t
tial rains, picking up the trails again n
yesterday. h
Pruneda Joins Chase. "
Gen. Pruneda, with approximately Il
$50 Carranza cavalry troops, camped n
for the night near Cuchillo Parade, E
forty miles up the Conchos river a
rom the base at Ojinaga. They left o.
Ojinaga last night to take the field =
n pursuit of the bandits. American
pack trains and other units crossed
and recrossed the path of the Car
-anza troops without friction, ac-
,ording TO reports from the field.
Mexican Consul Bencoea announced
Pruneda troops were attempting the !
iame object as the American troops
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