Imperial Valley press., 1919-08-21
Over Broken Country on
Roads Muggy from Recent
Storm u. S. Cavalry Hunts
Outlaw Band.
CRYPTIC MESSAGE
FROM AIRPLANE
Mexican Regiment Under
Command of Gen. Pru-
media is Reported to Be
Moving Up.
(By Associated Press)

MARIA, Texas, Aug. 21.-Ameri-
cans resumed the Mexican bandit
chase at daylight. One column pick
ed up hot trail Of two bandits be-
lieved to be companions to the two
captured yesterday by Captain Mat
lack. The mountains, canyons and val
leys Of the Ojinaga district are being
searched. Aviators returning from
the chase reported many narrow
escapes because of necessity of fly
ing low and lack of landing fields.
Since the troops crossed the Rio
Grande early Monday morning they
have been riding constantly during
daylight hours in pursuit of the band
it's.
The only contact with the bandits
reported resulted in the killing Of one
Of three Mexicans who fired on an
American airplane yesterday. Ac
cording to the aviators' report, the
fight lasted twenty minutes. The avi-
ators were unharmed.
A cryptic message, "still following
trail,' brought here by airplane to-
day, was the only definite word from
the expedition. No officers command
ing troops have yet returned from
the field to the bases on the. rives.
Maj.-Gen. Dickman, commander of
the Southern Department, is expect
cd to reach heer tomorrow on an in
spection of posts and camps along
the border between San Antonio and
Maria. While his visit at this time
is not believed here to be inspired
by the local Mexican conditions, the
commander undoubtedly will go over
the situation developing from the
capture and ransom of the Ameri-
can aviators with Col. Langhorne,
district commander. 1t is not known
whether Gen. Dickman will go to the
border while here.
Reports from Preside, Texas, told
cf movements of Mexican Federal
cavalry under Gen. Antonio Pruneda
today. Gen. Pruneda left Ojinaga last
night, marching toward Cuchillo Pa
radio, forty miles up the conchos
River.
The reports from Preside, delayed
because of storms that put field tele-
phones out of commission, told of
meeting in the field yesterday be-
tween Gen. Pruneda, his officers, and
American commanders of the puni-
tive expedition. Following the con-
ference, American troops continued
in pursuit of the bandits. A meet
ing is scheduled again for today.
Tie Mexican commander of the
Ojinaga district expressed a desire
to cooperate with the American
troops in catching the bandits.
A message was received today by
Col. Lanshorne from the Mexican
Consul at Preside, giving information
obtained by Carranza scouts in
the Ojinaga district as to the pos
sible whereabouts of the bandits who
held the American flyers.
The country over which the troops
were operating is infested with small
bands of Villa followers, who have
been roaming in the mountain val
leys and canyons since part of Villas
band left him after the American
forces crossed to Juarez on June Is.
Hipolito Villa, brother of Francisco
Villa, is believed to be hiding in the
mountains near where the American
columns are working. Hipolito is said
to have a small body guard and to
be seriously ILL., Many bandits in the
Ojinaga district are attached nomi.
nally to Villas command, and also
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