Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-12
VILLA WOUND CAME
WITHDRAWING TO
ATTACK PERSH|NG
Surrendered Bandit Lived
Five Weeks in Cave in
Sight of U. S. Troops.

By the Associated Press.
SAN PEDRO. Coahuila, Mexico, Au-
gust 11.-Francisco Villa, surrendered
bandit of northern Mexico. was in
talkatixe mood today.
Choosing the veranda of the ranch
house, of Madero ell Cuatro, near here,
at the conclusion of dinner where
he and his more prominent bandit
aids were the conspicuous guests,
the ex-chieftain occupied more than
an hour, in which he elaborated on
the policies he now; deems expedlent
for himself and associates to pur-
sue, and held his hearers intent with
tales of his maneuvers which kept
him safe from capture at the hands
of the Pershing. punitive expedition
into Mexico in 1916.
He took occasion also, during the
day to further reafhrm his concern
of Mexico by refusing interviews with
American newspaper correspondents
and poses for American motion pic
ture photographers. declaring that ne
knew much money would De MADE
from the interviews and, films and
such pursuits might be the first to
take advantage of his latest, noto-
riety, the profits realized, thereby re-
naming in my country"
Wounded by Carrnnzfsfas.
Villa once more confirmed reports that
he was wounded when pursued by the
expedition headed by Gen. Pershing. he
declared, however. that his wound came
during fight with Carranzistas within
five days after the Pershing expedition
entered Mexico, and that his leg was
also broken in three places. His, wound
and suffering, he said; came to him in
the midst of his efforts to, organize
great band of followers to attack the
Americans He declared he had picked
twelve hundred faithful followers to &C
complish the task of recruiting. dlvid-
ing them into groups Of two, three, four
and five men, all Of which were dis
propaganda intended to arrange a great
uprising Of citizens against the punitive
expedition.
He was. confident. he insisted. that he
could have equipped at least eight thou
sand of these recruits with rifles. the
others to carry knives two feet long.
81 never left the state of Chihuahua
while Pershing was in the country,
boosted the chieftain.
after. being wounded, two of my
cousins carried me to a cave in the
mountains. The cave was located in the
center of a perpendicular cliff which
rose fifty meters from brook on the
level plain 0elOW.
| =: Lived in Cave Five Weeks.
Villa said he lived in this cave for
five weeks. recovering from his IN
juries. and often saw American sol
diers on a. hilltop 200 yards across the
brook. He took particular pains to
emphasize his successes against GER
tain Of his enemies in Mexico. His
favorite recollection in this connec-
ton was how he escaped death at
the hands of a Huerta firing squad by
five minutes through the arrival OF
a telegram from Madero ordering
Huerta to send him to Mexico City.
Final disarming and pay-off of Villa
and his men will probably take place
at the small town of Tlahualilo. a
railroad stop near the Chihuahua line,
instead of Torreon Gomez Palacln,
where it had been previously announc-
ed the ceremonies were to take place.
Villa to- Aid Reconsideration.
= MEXICO CITY. August 10.-Fran-
cisco Villa, the bandit leader and his
followers will show the Mexican ma
destroy" according to a manifesto
signed by Villa and his officers, the
text of which was received by FL
Universal today from it's correspond
emit at Tlahualilo, state OF durango:
The manifesto praises the good
faith, honor and patriotism OF the
regime of Provisional President de la
Huerta. The correspondent stated
the document probably would be pub
lished today at Tlahualilo, where
number of Villista-s are to be mus
tered out.
Ell PASO, Tex, August 11-With
Villa out of the way and sporadic
banditry apparently suppressed, Mex
lean business men are anxious to re.
sumo their old business and social
relations with the United States. In
furtherance of this. the chambers OF
commerce of Ell Paso and OF Juarez.
Mexico, will hold a conference tomor-.
row to discuss the best means OF
bringing it about. Leading business
men of the two cities will attend.