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KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD,' KlNGS MOUNTAIN, N. 0.'
VILLA IS
DE FACTO GOVERNMENT; SETS
OUT TO PROVE DEATH OF
BANDIT LEADER.
are' inclined to accept
Reportc from Chihuahua Are Regard
ed aa Confirmatory By American
Officials it Ed Paao.
El Paso, Texan Francisco Villa Is
dead and his body, disinterred aome
days after hla burial, Is In possession
of the Carranza troops, accordins to
a series of telegraphic messages re
ceived In Juarez by the Moxlcan offi
cials. For more than a neck reports that
Villa had died from wounds have
been current here and in Juarez. Lat
est accounts were the most circum
stantial and apparently reliable yet
received. They were accepted with
reserve by American officials Includ
ing General Bell, but Mexican officials
expressed confidence In their reliabil
ity. The dispatcher of the Mexican
Northwestern Railroad at Juarez re
ported to General Oavlra, Carranza
commander at Juarez, that he had
heard a conversation on the telegraph
wire to. the effect that Villa's body was
In the hands of the Carranza troops.
General Garvlra notified Consul
Garcia here who rushed messages to
the telegraph operators at Madera
and Cushlhuirlahlc asking for con-,
flrmatlon. The Madera an1 uslhulr
ahlc answered confirming the report
and stating the body was being taken
to Chihuahua.
The telegraph operator at San An
tonio, BO miles west of Chihuahua,
telegraphed Consul Garcia that Villa's
body was ill possession of Colonel
Carlos Carranza, nephew of General
Carranza, who was taking It in a spe
cial train to Chihuahua.
IF VILLA IS DEAD
U. 8. WILL WITHDRAW.
Washington Makes Unqualified State
ment When Report of Bandit's
Death Is Heard.
Washington American troops will
be withdrawn from Mexico If Fran
cisco Villa Is dead. Administration
officiate made this unqualified state
ment, ; commenting on reports from
Mexican Sources that the bandit's body
had been discovered and was being
taken to Chihuahua City my special
train.
The State and War Departments
were without confirmatory advices on
the subject from American sources.
Reports reaching El Paso and other
border points were forwarded for In
formation, but neither American con
sul nor military authorities In Mex
ico were heard from.
Every message received was closely
scrutinized at the State Deaprtment
and sent to the White House. In
.some quarters there was a dlsposl
. tlon to credit them, despite the fact
that border reports generally have
been viewed with much suspicion
since the pursuit began.
AT VERDUN WAR MUST
END 8AYS THE EMPEROR,
Paris. A semiofficial note Just Is
sued reviews the recent operations
about Verdun and gives an order of
the day of General Petaln, command
ing at Verdun, In praise of the resist
ance of the French troops to the re
cent offensive of the Germans. The
note concludes:
. "The Emperor some days ago re
viewed one of the divisions engaged
, In the region ' between Douaumont
and Vaux and it was there that he
said:, "The war of 1870 was decided
at Paris. The present war must end
at Verdun.' "
General Petaln's order follows:
"The ninth day of April is a glori
ous day for our arms. The ferocious
assaults of the soldiers of the Crown
Prince have been everywhere broken.
Infantrymen. . artillerymen, sappers
and aviators of the Eleventh Army
were rivals In heroism. The honor
to all. '
"The Germans, without doubt, will
attack again. Let every one' work
and watch to obtain the same suc
cess aa yesterday. Have courage. We
will get them."
U. t, MOTOR TRUCK TRAIN '
ATTACKED BY BANDITS.
San Antonio. Texas. General Per
shing reported tq headquarters that
5 motor-truck train . carrying -aero-planes
was attacked by 40 bandits, 15
miles north of Sate vo. The Mexicans
were driven off and one of their num
ber !WM .killed.' ' .;,'..,
MORE MACHINE GUNS SENT
. .TO THE MEXICAN BOR.PER
'Ban- E'ranclsco-'-Maj. : General - J.
Franklla dell, commander of the west
ern department, ordered the despatch
of the machine gun corps, Including 30
men of the Twenty-first Infantry sta
tioned t Vancouver, Washington, to
Calexlco, California, on the Mexican
border. No change In Mexican situation
Aa caused the despatch of. the a
chine gun corps of the Twenty-first it
was said t army headquarters- ,,
BRIG. GEN. ROBERT K. EVANS
1
General Evane Is In command of the
Second brigade of the army on the
Mexican border.
VILLA BAND TAKES TOWN
REPUTED DEAD COMES TO LIFE
AND SACKS TOWN OF SIERRA
MOJADA.
Believe Villa Himself Lead the Raid
and la 200 Miles From the Amer(
f can Troops.
El Paso, Texas A band of Villa
followers numbering several hundred
and possibly a thousand, have sacked
Sierra Mojada, five miles across the
Coahulla line and 80 miles east of
Jimlnez, destroying many thousands
of dollars' worth of American property
and looting the town of everything of
value. ,
This news, which may prove to be
of the highest importance as it Ib be
lieved possible Villa himself was
among the raiders, was received here
by the representative of one of the
largest mining concerns in Mexico and
is accepted by him as authentic.
- The bandits made their attack on
the town on April f. They came
from Escalon, a Junction point on'the
Mexican National Railroad, 60 miles
southeast of Jimlnez and about an
equal distance southwest of Sierra
Mojada, which has Its connection by
the Mexican Nortbern Railroad. On
their way to Sierra Mojada they sack
ed the small town of Corrllo.
The belief that Villa himself may
be directing the operations of the
bandits la supported by a report re
ceived from OJinaga stating that Col
onel Rojas, the commander, had infor
mation that Villa had doubled In his
tracks and was 200 miles southwest of
that town.
Sierra Mojada Is 140 miles east of
the nearest point at which American
troops are known to be.
It is on the eastern side of a vast
desert, known as the Bolson Mapiml
and south of another dreary, water
less waste called Bolson de Los Lip-
anes. Its only connection with the
west Is by the Mexican Northwestern
Railroad along which the bandits ad
vanced, burning bridges, ' destroying
telegraph lines and tearing up tracks.
FUNSTON NEEDS NO ORDERS
TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.
He Can Move Any Troopi In Southern
Division Into Mexico, Says General
Scott.
Washington. Further Increase of
the United States forces In Mexico Is
again prominent In official consideration.
In this connection it was officially
stated that, General Pershing's future
movements In the hunt for - Villa
would Include adequate preparations
for any eventuality. ' Strengthening
of the line of communication, for
which troops are needed principally,
has proceeded With that end In clew.
. General Scott, chief of staff, while
denying that any orders to send more
troops into Mexico had yet been is
sued, declared General Funston did
not need such authority from Wash
ington and had carte blanche to move
any force In the southern division.
RESOURCES NATIONAL
, BANKS $13,838,000,000.
, Washington. Financial prosperity
and strength Is greater In the United
States than ever before and Is rising
rapidly to new levels, according to the
Interpretation placed by Comptroller
of the Currency Williams on figures
made public showing conditions March
f In the country's national banks, -
The returns show: ..-
Total resources of National banks
$13,838,000,000, an increvw of 12,271,
000,000. V ".- ' . -.-.'
Total deposits $10,790,000,000, with
in a year, and an Increase of $411,
000,000 since December $1 last. .
Surplus and undivided profits of $1-.
931,278,000, an increase of $18,800,000.
T FOR VILLA
10 BE
' MAJ. MELVIN W. R0WELL
PENDING . OUTCOME OF DIPLO-
MATIC RELATIONS WITH CAR-.
' RANZA GOVERNMENT. '
NO NEW ORDERS ARE ISSUED
Carranza Military Forces Must Prove
Their Ability to Stop Brigandage
on the Border States,
'Washington. The United States is
prepared to treat with General Car
ranza as proposed In his note for the
withdrawal of American troops from
Mexico. Pending the outcome of the
diplomatic negotiations, however, the
status of the expedition will remain
unchanged and the pursuit of Villa
continue.
This was the situation officially
stated after President Wilson and his
Cabinet had considered the new
phases of the Mexican problem rais
ed by General Carranza's communica
tion. Secretary Lansing said he was
prepared to take up the matter with
the de facto government, but would
not Indicate when a reply might be
sent. Secretary Baker said no new
orders had been sent to General Funs
ton and that none were under con
templation. Both Secretaries said there had
been no change in the policy of the
Administration which prompted the
pursuit of Villa.
Secretary Lansing would not say
whether he was prepared to negotiate
with the de facto government for the
possible fixing of a date for with
drawal of American troops. He indi
cated that the time element of any
agreement would be based on what
developed In the pursuit of the band
IU. As the Administration's attitude
Is understood here, a satisfactory de
monstration by the Carranza military
forces of their ability to stop all brig
andage In the border states would see
the object of the American expedition
accomplished.
Senator Stone, chairman of the For
eign Relations Cpmmlttee, Is thought
to have voiced the Administration
view to the senate, speaking after a
conference with Secretary Lansing.
"The problem confronting this gov
ernment," the Senator said, "is how
long it would be wise to keep an ex
peditionary "force In Mexico. If we
adhere to our policy towards Mexico,
we cannot keep the army there. To
my mind the only alternative to with
drawing the troops sooner or later is
intervention."
SENATE VOTES 43 TO 22
FOR BIG NITRATE PLANT.
8mlth Amendment Carries $15,000,000
For Government's Proposed Venture
Washington. The senate adopted
the army bill amndment of Senator
Smith, South Carolina, appropriating
$15,000,000 for a government nitrate
plant. The vote was 43 to 22. '
This action disposed of the second
big fight In the Senate over the senate
substitute for the house army reorgan
ization bill.
Senator Smith's amendment pro
vides for the sale of Panama Canal
bonds for raising the required $15,000.
000 and the president Is authorized to
designate not more than five water
power sites for power plants. When
products of these plants, which will be
operated exclusively by the govern
ment .are not needed for manufacture
of munitions of war the surplus could
be disposed of by the secretary of war
for fertilizer.
RU8SIAN8 CLAIM DEFEAT .
OF GERMAN8 IN EA8T
Except for the artillery wings of
the contending armies there has been
no fighting at any point on the long
front in France and Belgium.
Several days now have elapsed since
the Germans launched a heavy attack
on the positions in dispute before
Verdun, but their artillery has con
tinued vigorously to shell the LeMort
Homme sector northwest of Verdun
and the second lipe positions of the
French to the east of the Meuse. . -In
the Argonne the French continue
to operate with their guns against Ger
man points of vantage and in the re
gion of Pont-a-Mousson they have
shelled convoys of Germans.
' On the Russian front the Germans
essayed attacks between Lakes Sven
ten and Ilzen, but were repulsed with
heavy casualties. V In Galicla, south
east of Boutchacbe, the Germans also
took the offensive, but here again were
repulsed. The Russians claim the cap
ture In the Strlpa region of a German
position and the, putting down of counter-attacks
launched with the-intention
of recapturing it . .
BOLL WEEVIL TO INFE8T
ENTIRE COTTON 8ECTION.
Washington The boll weevil will
InfeBt the entire cotton section of the
South before Its progress is checked,
according to the report of a special
committee of the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States Just made
public. ." -.
Attempts to destroy the weevil by
spraying and poisoning have met
with scant success because the weevfl
bores into the plant The annual rate
of advance Is said to vary from 40 to
70 miles, according to conditions.
; iias i
r '" - 'I'
.TV
Major Rowell of the Eleventh cav
alry now on duty with the troops In
Mexico.
PASS FREE SUGAR REPEAL
8ENATE FAVORS HOUSE REPEAL
RESOLUTION BY A VOTEOF
40 TO 32.
Four Democrats, Broussard, Ransdell
Newlands and Lane, Join Republi
cans In Opposition.
Washington. The Senate passed its
substitute for the house free sugar re
peal resolution, extending the present
duty of one cent a pound on sugar
until May, 1920. The vote was 40 to
32.
Four Democrats, Senators Broussard,
Ransdell, Newlands and Lane Joined
the Republicans in voting against the
substitute. They favor the fiat repeal
passed by the house. A sharp contro
versy in Conference between the two
houses Is predicted. Anticipating that
the house would Insist upon its reso
lution, Senators Simmons, Stone and
Lodge were named as the senate con
ferees.
Unless a conference agreement Is
reached, and approved before May 1
sugar will go on the free -list until
such time as the repeal of extension
of the duty can be made effective.
Most of the tariff discussion was
devoted to an amendment by Senator
Works of California to Increase the
tariff on lemons and other citrus fruits
to one cent a pound. This was defeat
ed by a vote of 44 to 29, Senator Phe-lait-of
California being the only Demo
crat to support it.
Senator Vardaman said he would
vote for the senate substitute sugar
resolution but would not give his con
sent the house measure.
MORE TROOPS NEEDED
IN MEXICAN EXPEDITION.
Or New Base With Shorter Line of
Communication Must Be Given.
San Antonio, Tex. Staff officers at
Fort Sam Houston were of the opinion
that by the end of this week addi
tional troops will have to be sent Into
Mexico to reinforce the punitive ex
pedition, or a new base and line of
communication, much shorter than
that now maintained between Colum
bus, N. M., and the front, must be
established.
General Funston said that so far
General Pershing has not asked for
reinforcements.
FORTY MILLIONS CARRIED
IN RIVERS AND HARBORS BILL
Washington. The' rivers and har
bors appropriation bill, carrying $40,
000,000 was passed by the house by a
vote of 210 to 133. .
The bill now goes to the senate. -
Just before the final vote an effort
led by Republican Leader ' Mann to
reduce the total to $20,000,000 failed
200 to 149. " ' . . . -:
The entire appropriation, except for
a $700,000 item to deepen the ap
proaches to the Brooklyn Navy Yard,
Is for continuing work on lmprovment
projects already authorized and under
way. ' The single . new project was
urged by President Wilson and Secre
tary Daniels as part of the prepared
ness program.
Russians Check German Attack. .
Petrograd. In the Russian theater
an attempt by the Germans to take
the offensive In the region of the Ik
skull bridgehead was stopped by the
Russians. . The big-guns of both sides
have been busy at various points else
where along the front The ' official
communication reports Russian gains
against the Turks in the ' region ' of
Erzerum. ' Unofficial, advices are to
the effect that the Turks have re
grouped their forces and now are re
sisting stubbornly the three Russian
main, liaes of advance, v -
::-T; -:'":y .'w '"'Ci'
ATTACK TROOPS -ACTUAL
CONFLICT
SEVERAL ARE KILLED AND
WOUNDED IN FIRST ACTUAL
CONFLICT.
MACHINE GUNS USED '
ON MEXICAN BANDITS
Carranza Wires Admission That Situa
tion Threatens to Get Beyond Hie
Control. Troops In Antl-Amerloan
Territory.
Washington. American troops in
Mexico have had their first battle with
the natives at the moment General
Carraza Is urging their withdrawal.
While General Carranza's note ask
ing for withdrawal of our troops was
on Its way to Washington, troopers
of the Seventh Cavalry under Major
Tompkins were fired upon In Parral,
a Villa Stronghold In eastern Chihua
hua; were pursued to the suburbs
while the Carranza garrltion took .a
doubtful part In the affray, and our
troops were attacked again during the
night.
Complete Information regarding the
losses to the American troops or to
the Mexicans had not reached Washing
ton. Secretary Baker informed Presi
dent Wilson that a brief dispatch to
the war department said that accord
ing to unofficial reports, one American
cavalryman was killed and that the
troopers used a machine gun against
the Mexicans
Mr Baker 'announced later that he
had ordered General Funston to take
any steps necessary to prevent further
touble. Asked whether this might
mean the enforced use of Mexican
railroads for the movement of soldiers
and supplies, he said General Funston
was on the ground and would act as
any emergency required
General Carranza directed his em
bassy here to point out that the clash
proved his contention that the pres
ence of American troops In Mexico Is
leading to a situation which threatens
to be beyond his control and telegraph
ed that "many deaths had occurred
on both sides." , .'.
Foreign Minister Aguilar, In a dis
patch sent before that from General
Carranza, said one American trooper
was killed and seevral civilians were
wounded.
Consul Garcia, Carranza agent at
EI Paso, wired the embassy that "sev
eral persons were " killed on both
sides."
EL PA80 ANXIOU8LY A8K8
WHAT WILL WIL80N D07
Other Riots Reported Due to Starva
tion Among Mexicans Across
Border.
El Paso, Texas. EI Paso Is In a
state of Intense anticipation. "What
will Washington do?" was the ques
tion on every lip. every other topic
faded into Insignificance.
The news of the clash - at Parral
between American soldiers and Mexi
cans was followed by reportB of se
rious rioting at other points lu Chi
huahua but in none were American
soldiers said to be involved. The
riots were said to be due principally
to scarcity of food. In many cities
of northern Mexico the masses of the
people are said to be on the brink
of starvation.
The worst rioting was reported far
to the south in Aguas Callentes, Cap
ital of the state of that name. Spas
modic food riots during the last two
days were described In a message re
ceived from a mining concern with
large interests In Aguas1 Callentes.
As far as this section of the border
is concerned the news of Carranza's
request tor the wlthdrawel of the
troops has not caused an open dis
turbance. Juares maintlned Its cus
tomary placid attitude and the Mexi
cans on both sides of the river seem
ed far less excited than the Americans.
.' ' British Bark Torpedoed.
London.-The. British bark Inver
lyon has been sunk by a submarine,
according to a report report received
by Lloyds. Twelve members of the
crew were rescued. -. "
Hopewell Celebrates Anniversary
. HopewelL Va. Hopewell the city
which has grown from a Tillage to a
city of 35,000 people within a year,
and which has twice during that time
bt-en wiped out by fires, celebrated Us
first anniversary. . .. .
, Favor Big Navy.
Washington. Agitation for a great
er navy at the expense of army in
creases marked the last day of general
debate in the Senate on the army re
organization HI1L Chairman Stone of
made a plea for a navy big enough to
fight offensively on the high seas to
defend . American rights anywhere in
the world, and Senator Borah on the
Republican side urged1 that the ' Fed
eral volunteer .and National' Guard
provisions of the 'Chamberlain ' bill
both be sacrificed In order to dd to
the extension ot the naval forces. v
THE EUROPEAN WAR A
YEAR AGO THIS WL
and
; ., ' . April 17, 11S. .,.
French made progress In
Vosgee, In Champagne,
Notre Dame de Lorette. ' '
Germans defeated French at
Fllrey.
Russians repulsed attaoka In di
rection of the StryJ.
Czar of Russia left for the front
Turkish torpedo boat attacked
British transport In the Aogeasj,
100 being lost, and Turkish boat
was destroyed by two warships.
Greek steamer Ellltpontls torpe
doed In North sea.
French airship bombarded Strass
burg and German aeroplanes at
tacked Amiens.
April 18, 1915, ,
Germans repulsed English attack
near Ypree and took position in
the Vosgee.
French had successes at several
points In France and Alsace.
Russians made gains en the
heights of Telepotch.
: British submarine E-15 ran
ashore in the Dardanelles, and
was destroyed by British picket
boats.
Bread riots occurred In Vienna
and Bohemia.
April 19, 1915.
British took. Hill 60 and pushed
their line south of Ypres forward
three miles.
French made gains along Fesht
river and took summit of Burgkorp
fold. Germans repulsed French at
Combres.
British and French forces Isnded
on Lemnos.
Von der Goltz made commander
of Turks.
Rusalsn squadron shelled Turk
ish coast and sank many vessels,
French airmen raided Rhine
towns and Germans bombed Bel
fort. Garros, famous French aviator,
captured by Germane.
April 20, 1915.
Heavy artillery fighting In Cham
pagne and the Argonne.
Germans stormed and retook
Embermenil.
Russians repulsed heavy German
attacks east of Telepotch.
' Sevare fighting for possession of
the heights near Oravoxll.
Two Turkish torpedo boats blown
up by Russian mines at Bosporus
entrance. ,
German aeroplane squadron bom
barded Blalystok, Russian Poland.
Great air battle over the Rhine
won by allied airmen.
April 21, 1915.
German attacks on Hill (0 and
Hartmanneweilerkopf repulsed.
- French . lost ground at Fllrey
and In Forest of Le Pretre.
Russian advance In Carpathians
stopped.
Twenty thousand French and
British landed near E.nos, en Gulf
of 8aros.
Germans In the Kamaruns and
Central Africa forced back.
British aviators bombarded Ger
man aviation harbor at Ghent.
Bulgarian Irregulars Invaded
Serbia. '
American government Informed
Germany It would not prohibit
shipment of arms.
' April 22, 1915.,
Great battle near Ypres, Ger
mans forcing way across the canal
and capturing several villages.
, French made gains farther
south. ; . '
Russians defeated Auatrlans In
Bukowlna but lost heavily at
Uxsok pass.
Allied fleet bombarded Darda
nelles forts. .
Genersl Joffre retired 29 gen
erals. ' April 23, 1916.
French made progress at For
ttat and near St, Mlhlel.
Russian cavalry Invaded East
Prussia near Memol.
; Severe fighting In Uzsok pass
region.
Blockade of Kamerun, German
West Africa, declared by Great
Britain."',,; V','v ,,:';
Russian, aeroplanes bombarded
Mlawa and Plotsk. ,
t I
TAKEN FROM EXCHANGES
A farm In England la devoted exclu-t,
slvely to raising butterflies, of -which
nnnnl nt OA AAA inM Mh VMr. .
The total -value of fish caught nlhy
Canadian water In 1914 was IS
207.748.
e
The bottling trade of the British
isles requires 70,000 tons of cork sn
Dually. .'- :
' China - hat- established a double
standard ot weights and measures that
Includes the metrlo system and a na
UTt one. '.'i,':