New-York tribune., 1920-05-16
Advices to Eel Paso News
paper Say Fugitive Pres
ident Was Taken byReb-
els Under Gen. Souchez
Announces
Leader Escaped
Said to Have Broken
Foes Lines and Head
ed Into the Mountains

ELL fASO, lex, May 1b.-PreSldent
Carranza and eight hundred Of his SOL
diers have been reported captured by
revolutionary forces under General
Guadalupe Sanchez, operating near E3-
peranza, Puebla, according to advices
received late to-day from Laredo, Tex,
by "La Patria," a Spanish-language
newspaper published here.
The message came from the corre-
spondent of LA Patria" in the Texas
city, and said that reports Of Carran-
za's capture are being circulated at
Vera Cruz. No details were given.
WASHINGTON, May 15.-Venustiano
Carranza, Constitutional President of
Mexico. was pictured to-day by Alvaro
Obregon, who forced him to fee from
the capital a week ago, as fugitive
in the mountains, somewhere between
Mexico City and Vera Cruz.
Official reports on the fight near San
forces and a few loyal detachments of
press dispatches from Vera Cruz also
told of Carranza's escape through the
revolutionary lines, apparently setting
at rest all reports of the fugitive
rulers surrender.
There were indications that the rev.
olutionists attack had not been
pressed, due, it was believed, to Obre-
CONS orders. Obregon had sent mes
senger to Carranza to offer him safe
conduct to leave the country if he de-
sired to surrender, and strict injunc-
tion was placed on the revolutionary
officers not to injure the aged Presi-
dent If he were captured.
Obrcgon's report said CarranZa, ac-
companied by small escort, was MAX
ing for the surrounding mountains, but
that he was being pursued.
Counter Uprising Remote
While American officials regarded the
escape of Carranza as the possible
basis for counter uprising, the belief
that he would be able to avail himself
pressed 1t was suggested that his age
and health would make the life of q
fugitive peculiarly difficult, especially
if he remains in the south, where the
rainy season is just beginning.
A greater possible menace to Che
revolutionary government, it was said,
appeared to lie in the adjustment
among revolutionary Leaders Pablo
Gonzales, Obregon, Adolfo de la Huerta,
Antonio Villareal, Manuel Palaez and
others. A clear understanding on this
hardly could be expected before May
"a, the date announced for the con-
vening of the special session of Con-
gress, when a provisional President is
to be named, 1t was added.
While revolutionary representatives
repeated their assertions that Palaez,
who has collected tribute from oil
operators about Tampico for four
years in defiance of the Carranza gov
ernment, is in accord with the new
revolution and it's leaders, American
business men are observing his atti-
tude with sharp interest, the more so
since there is now due in the oil regions
nearly $2,000,00O in taxes. They have
not been paid producers awaiting more
definite indication, it was said, as to
who would receive payment.
Communication Partly Restored
Some progress toward a restoration
of communication lines in Mexico was
reported to-day. There is now work
ing out of Mexico to the border one
land wire through Ell Paso. The wires
through Piedras Negras have been eX-
tended southwark as far as Saltillo,
tangled along the ground for miles.
Wireless and cable have not proved
available to a great extent, even for
government business.
The failure of the Chapultepec wire
less at Mexico City to function with
any degree of accuracy was attributed
to inexperienced operators. The cable
to Mexico City has been out of COM
mission because of the fighting near
San Marcos, through which its land
wires pass, but the cable company has
sent forward repair gangs.
The few official reports received by
the government indicated a continu-