North Carolina Newspapers

THE ASHSYILLE TIMES "TsSOCIATED press service. WEATHER REPORT .mER OF AUDIT BUREAU OP -fiM-a- CIRCULATION PARTLY CLOUDY. MEXXI.'N0.34. ASHEVILLE, N. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 24, 1916. , PRICE 2 CENTS 0,1 AWUM n Defeat of exicanG andM I OPERATIONS IN MEXICO general Fnnston Accepts Re port of Reverse to Francis co Villa, Near Namiqufta as Probably True. ANOTHER REPORT SAYS VILLA IS SURROUNDED Mexican Consul Adds to De nials of Reports That Her , rera Has Revolted Against the Carranza Forces. San Antonio, Tex... March 24 lieparts from Mexico that Francisco Villa has been de feated by American and Mexi can government troops at E' Oso, near Namiquipa, were ac cepted by General Funston as proltably true, though he has received no confirmation of the retorts from General Pershing. ; Improvement in the working of the wireless made it nppear likely that General Pershing would break hia five days' si lence regarding the operations of the American ', troops south of Cnsas Grandes by rendenng an account of the reported El Oso engagement. Washington, March 24. American Consul Letcher at Chihuahua today reported that there was no truth in the report of the .revolt of General Luis llerrera and the Carranza garrison .at Chihuahua." Al though General Funston and General Bell on the frontier re ceived reports confirming the story of the revolt which they believed to be true, the dis patch from Consul Letcher, who is on the ground, is taken by olicials here as" confirming the statements of Carranza of ficials that no such revolt has occurred. . Consul Letcber'b dispatch reported that General llerrera, who is in command of de facto troops, vVas loyal to Carranza. The report is regarded as re moving one of the most men acing features of the Mexican situation. Reports Villa Surrounded. El Paso, March 24. No word had mm a tn mili tn rv headciuar- ' ters hero today to confirm the report that American and Car ranza forces had Villa and his ' men surrounded and that a bat tle was imminent . . El Paso, Tex., March 24. Early today the Carranza con sul here displayed a telegram which he said he had received from General Bcrtani at Casus Grandes, announcing . that Francisco Villa was surround ed at a rnriMi fivn miles south of Namaquipa fy the joint k American and uarranza iorces, and that a decisive battle was imminent General' Bell, commanding the United States troops here, His only comment was that he Icovcrnmcnt would wait until he heard di-! rectly from General Pershing, who is in command of the forces pursuing Villa in Mex ico, before making any state ment on the situation. There was frank skepticism among other United States army officers, though it was ad mitted that the advance de tachment of American troops might easily have reached Namiquipa by this time if it had maintained anything like the speed it made on the first hundred miles of the march south. The American crew of a train which arrived at Juarez early today from Casas Gran des reported that all was quiet when they left Casas Gandes. They said that th-re were many American soldiers in the town from the American camp nearby and that the natives seemed pleased at their .pres ence, as they spent more real monev than the natives had seen for many months. The trainmen could throw no light on the "cutting of the wires along the Mexican North western railroad. They said their trip was uneventful and that they saw no signs of Villa followers or other bandits. Nothing was known at Casas Grandes, when they left, as to any fighting at Namiquipa or elsewhere. Two Mormon colonists who arrived on the train confirmed the statements of the members of the train crew. They said that the Casas Grandes natives were very respectful to the American soldiers, but were most impressed by a negro regiment, which left for the south yesterday. The Mor mons said many , natives of Casas Grandes believed Villa could neer escape the negro troops. That the state authorities of Arizona, which borders on Sonora, are alarr over the situation across '' w,r frontier is indicated by tnu action m preparing the stato guard f cruitinj; of the companies to full strength, has ' "n author ized and arrange ntu nave beon iiinile to orga' e civilians in case of trouble. The crisis is expected to be reached when General Calles publishes the decree which he says he has prepared, cancelling all conces sions granted by llucrta and Villa and ordering all of the clerical party from the stato. Last night passed in com plete quiet in Juarez and El Paso. El Tnso. March 24. Fran cisco Villa has established & baso to the west of Namiquipa, to reorganize his command and to recruit new men for his army it was reported yesterday At hi new base it was said he would lay plans to operate with the forces of General Luis ller rera, who is . understood to liAvi renounced. tho do facto General Herrera is said to be moving northwest to effect a junction, with the Villa troops and this in connection with reports that the Carranza garrison at Torreon has re volted occasioned grave con cern among American army officials in El Paso. Tbfi Villa forces, reinforced by the Chihuahua command of Herrera, said to number 2000, micrht be in position to harass General Pershing's army and seriously interfere with com munications between the ad vanced-base of the American army at Casas Grandes and the base at Columbus. "Whatever happens in Juarez it is not expected here that an attack will be made on M Paso from the other side of the river, but the greatest appre- bptision is that an outbreak on one side of the border would be followed by one on the other There are about 35,000 Mexi cans in this city out of a total population of 71,000. Military and civil authorities nave maae vigorous efforts to forestall any, trouble by the arrest of every Mexican suspected ot inciting his countrymen against Amer icans. . That such a system, appar ently organized, has been car ried out here for some time is well known. l?nnlt Knwvrt Defiled. San Antonio, Texas, " March 24.- With a message from General Bell, at Ul L.li.l IUI1U Ul niinpiHiin nnhiu nuNu bnuvv REPUBLICANS READY FOR PARTY COUNCIL Richmond Pearson Denies Re port Thai He Will With draw From the Race. 61 ftWH PERCE REPORTS The lull in the Infantry fighting in tna VArriun reeion continued todav. The artillery, however, is keeping up its active worg. xno Tencn guns nave been energetically ; cannonading inn n.man nnaltlonn nnrtliWftSt of Ver- dun, the Intention apparently being to break up an anticipated attempt -oy the German to advance in a further effort to move south. East of the Meuse the German bom bardment apparently has diminished In intensity, only intermittent fire be ing reported in the vicinity of Douau- mont ana uamioup ana in woevre regions. fiarrtAlv - Iaah IntArAnt Is bains aroused by the determined attacks of the Russians on the German northern front in the eastern theater. Berlin admits no permanent successes for the Russians, but Petrograd still con tinues to claim advantages at van ous paints northwest of Dvlnsk and to the south. . . Ttarlln rilanatchAM rlnplnre that the German losses have been surprisingly small under -the terrific combara ment by the Russians, while the at tackers have been mowed down in masses. Confidence is expressed in Berlin In the outcome of the fighting. The sinking of two more neutral vessels by submarines is reported. lOne was a Norwegian Bteamer: the other a Danish bark. Republicans of the tenth district who cannot attend the congressional convention in this city tomorrow will wait anxiously to hear whether har- mnnv rAlirnAO nt whether the Ques tion of who shall go to Chicago ends in a row more complete than the dis agreement which .characterized tha state meeting at Raleigh, A rumor on the streets this morning that Richmond Pearson, candidate as one of the delegates to the national convention, would withdraw in the in-1 terests of party harmony, met prompt denial irom tne man wno is creaitea with giving the democratic party in this district more trouble than any other republican. Mr. Pearson told a Times reporter that he had no Inter view to give out further than to say that the report of his stepping down was untrue. In spite of the v general opinion among republicans that no factional issue should be injected into the de liberations, many continue to say that the Kooseveit wing snouiu receive re cognition. That Charles J. Harris will be one of the two delegates seems to Nearly Every Letter Written About Christy-Warren Case I Warmly Commends Gov ernor's Clemency. EXPRESSIONS ARE FROM EVERY PART OF STATE FROM GHN Cable News Indicates That Germany May Soon Re quest U. S. to Take Ao- -tion Toward Peace. GERARD REQUESTED TO REMAIN IN BERLIN Only Two Letters Censorous; One Doubtful Congratula tions From Leading Men of North Carolina. , German Chancellor Said to Have Stated to Ambassador Terms Germany Would ; Consider. Special to The Times. Raleigh, March 24. Sixty-three letters came to Governor Craig's desk yesterday and sixty-one bore hearty of 0WNBY CASE STILL IN SUPERIOR COURT Tha ram of d. O. OWnhv and wlfo against the board of county commis sioners, which is being tried In Rupe- k..Jnt VAt YUMVI MAttlAri1. The'plaintiffa pre suing the defendant's for damages alleged to have Deen caused when a Dublic road was run through their property, RKMttttKKftftftftftftftftftftftft ft ft SHACKLETOJT RETURNS. ft ft ft Sydney, New - South Wales, ft It March 24. Lieutenant Sir Er- ft ft nest Shackleton has returned ft ft from his antarctic expedition, ft Nm of the achievements of the ft DTnAriltlnn la withheld for the ft w "w - congrauuauuna upuu hp settled toda.v: fmblect. of course, to m..nr.n.r n-i.sn i. .nra. that Trl-x those last hour changes that are feat- ijj'all Warren and S. P. Christy should ures of political strife as well as orinnt v.a nut to death. military conflicts. '1 This amazingly disproportionate Congressman Britt has been in tha1sentiment aa reflected in the letters city several days. In case of disag-ree- ; r,ionori finvernor Craie greatly ment in the early stages of the gather- ! ioT ne j,ad not the slightest chance .ing ne is expecieu to counsel nuTmuuy and if need be, perhaps, comprSjuise, for the welfare of the party. The race between Mr. rearsqn ana Thomas J. Harkins is today the para mount issue. There is a general feel ing that McKinley Pritchard, one of the younger members or tne party, should be named as presidential elec tor. to find how people in s uch diverg ent communities would feel about it. The letters have come from all sec tions, extreme west and extreme east. and only two are censorious. One from W. M. Cummings of Wilmington egrees with Rev. J. C. Styers of Wln- ston-Salem, the only man wno nas hof-n nffpnslve to Governor Craig. The Goldsboro anil tor. - .'... v "other comes from uoiasooro am .Trnft Of h,party leaders .staUd lhls, raerelj.xpresseii -the' tear that vto mn.nlns ( Vl ri .mrtlilA anmo lrOAIV t"1 H n (1 ' . 1 1 1 i 1 ly rivalry was expected tomorrow ho believed that the deliberations will end El Paso, before him connrming mm m ..-. ft report of that General Lius Herrera '. had revolted With z.uuu men 01 Cr-rranza garrison in Chihuahua and a collection of evidence from unofficial sources denying- the alleged revolt, General Funston was still puzzled last night as to the exact status 01 utu in Mexico. General Bell aid not give additional facts concerning Herrera's reported action, nor did he say how tha report was confirmed. To offset General Bell's statement, messages from El Paso quoted General Gavlra, commander at ' Juarez, and AmirM. nnrniiL. Mexican consul ai en n.A in tofnii Th a Parraiusa consul (MU, I ' at L.redo also submitted a denial and. Samuel Beldon, consul nere xor -r-.nn.n mtiA nnhllt. m. measaKe he said he had received from General Herrera In Chihuahua dated yesterday. In Harrera. denied. that he had revolted, adding that on the con trary he was "ready to light Villa aa energetically as possible." jA.a!ro. r unt to General Per. shlnff during the day Instructing him to niDort oftener and advising him of Tintirvnr Jlerrerai reporxea kutow. anV eventuality. Yjt Columbus. N. M., March 24. IJeu- . . a 1 1 1 H Ka tTnllul RtntA aero corns, missing since last Munda was found yesterday three nllna anllth of AKtIK OD by a 1 W6H tleth Infantry motor truck train, ac cording to reports to military neaa inn tf APti i Gorrell was uninjured cut waa out of gasoline and had lost bis way. Lieutenant Gorrell missed his way and was forced to alight because of a leaking fuel tank. , h mad hia way to a wagon trail and there left a not telling of Ms .k..kii When rescued ha had been without food for twemy-iour hnnri w.hlnaton. March 14. Tension ih. u.imn situation has relax d here tn 1h absence of official con ..,. tin n tha rennrt that two thou- aand Ctrrunza troops at . ninuanua ,,n,ir f.uia Herrera had joined Villa. oiiiv nnnfflnlal advices from the border, however, caused the state department to telegraph American consuls for immediate reports to the aituatlon. Blow wire communica tion may delay the repllea. ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft 1 " B .ft ft DENOUNCES SUPPORTERS ft ft Washington, March -n. A ft reaolutlon branding Americans W. ft who furnish funds and auppon w ft to the Villa foroes in Msxloo, aa ft a w.illttf rt antual traaaon." Was ft ft Introduced in the aenate today by ft Si R.n.ln. 1 AWll ft ft ' ? ftftftftftftftftftftftftftftftt!!l fin of Newport. Tenn. Avgustd Is Planning To Repair Ravages Of Fire Work of Rebuilding Burned District Will Start as Soon as Insurance Claims Are Adjusted Business Men Optimis tic Contributions Made For Relief of People Left Desti tute by the Fire. lontA will hA Anrnnra&red These letters have come also from .. . jui ' uuccu ma. in. uwiucu'uuiiB mi sorts ana cunuitiuna ui mc., x in a manner satisfactory to everybody ; ministers were uniformly with him present. However, all who have .yesterday and fine sentiments were prophesied appear to realize that po-iwrittAn hv Jndtre H. li. Connor, for- litlcal prognosUcations are, like ; mer member of the Supreme court nd weather forecasts, come under tha now tj,e District federal judge of this head of a science of probabilities, anil circmt juage w. S.- O'B. Robinson uncertainties. rhpors the eovernor: Congressman 13 IBob Page writes him heartily; A. 3. Mrs. VIreili Lambert of 16 Turner : M-tfinnnn - HBlii?htHrl: and Postmas- itreet received a telegram this morn- 'ter A. H. Boyden of Salisbury thanks ing from Rochester, N. T., telling of cinA tnr a. merciful and orave govern- the serious Illness of her brother, Jo-or n. J. Rouse of Kirston joins the seph Griflfin. The message stated that ),H"nnv throns-. and 1 rof . N. Y. Gullcy no in uuv wticvwu iu it.w. hi.. q waKe roreHt uepti uiidih Is a son of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Grlf-. ia, noneratulates the state. Without Augusta, Ga., March 24. Having nerfected plana for relieving the needs of the several hundred destitute people, as the result of the terrible nr Wednesday night, Augusta to day began to discuss plans for re building the burned .areas. An optim istic spirit prevailed among the busl .n nnif the work will start as soon as the Insurance claims are ad- liiatad- There Is much speculation as to amounts of Insurance carried on Ihe various buildings bisrnd. ine newsnaDers the Herald ana an exception, these letters heartily and unreservedly applaud Governor Grain and they believe that he has satlslfied their neighbors. Mad at the Prcnciicr. J. J. Barrow, clerk of Franklin court, writes Governor Craig that he had perused with great indignation the telegram from Rev. J. .C. Styers and unless Brother Styers is a mythi cal person Mr. Barrow was. pretty sore on him. Brother Styers Isn't ficti tious. Fact is, it seems that the Bap tlslt gentleman took the occraslon to KAnnma known anfl "writ" a hot tele gram at the governor. Neighbors or the minister have written tne cnici executive about him so that there Is no doubt of the genuineness of the telegram. Then a fine letter came from James si Th.rn. of PtatAsville. whn say" Governor Craig has Immortalized isimwir "Von took the right stand," isa mill, "and it is enough to make von immortal." Then Mr. Tharpe, I-- Ik. .nvnnr mtiriht think him to receive contributions, and every .fniHive. nut down in the southwest repuDii to rebuild as soon as possible. Orders for new equipment will be piacea im mediately by the two papers. The members of the special relief committee of fifteen continuea toaay effort will be made to raise a fund of $60,000 for the needy. The Southern AOjustmeni ourean of Atlanta will open an office here Monday to adjust the Insurance claims. A policy of $200,000 waa carried nn the seventeen storv partly completed two building of the Empire IJfe eom- the pany. The chronicle ounaing was in thAna words: "I am a n " Mr Tharna would not have any body believe that Governor Craig I entitled to a niche In Infamy's hall of fumo. ' rage's Illch rrabte. Congressman Robert N. Page, mny Chronicle are making arrangements I snred for $180,000. U. S. Army Increase Bill Passed By Big Majority Washington, March 14. Ths Hay army Increase bill providing for a regular army peace strength of 140, 000 fighting men Instead of tha pres ent one hundred thousandpassed the house late yesterday by a vote or iuj i if rnaa to the senate for Imme diate consideration virtually as dratt ed by tha house conroltus. Ths negative votes were cam , or Representative Brllten, republican, of Illinois, and London, socialist, of New York. Mr. Britten opposed ths bill he cause ha favored a jrtlll further in crease In ths army and London be ha favored no Increase. - , Tha hill la ths first of President Wilson's graat naUonal preparedness maaAiiraa in naas eiiner dour, al though various related meassres have nnl aftAA TtAnraaantaiiva Kahn. rank Ing republican member of the military committee again had met oereai inis lima 111 to ill In hli effort to in crease tha authorised strength of the regulars to 220.000. hnva written nut the abundance of critical nxperlence. but ne writes heartily all the same. He tells the gov ernor that the exercise of the pardon ing power Isn't anything to make Mr. Page over-enthusiastic, "Dui jubi a line to congratulate you upon your action in the Christy-Warren case. Your action Is wise, in my judgment, ,i,A..rAM fAmmendable. Pay no attention to your critics. The future will vindicate you.'" Mr. Page thinks there are other thing, too. He writes his letter In his own hand and stops his work to choer a fellow servsnt of the people A. C. Hunnlcutt, prominent attor ney of Albemarle, Is gratified at the rnnru of the governor and tells him I nn tn wnrrv about his critics. The Washington. March 24. Talk peace in Europe again is filtering in over the cables. Thus far it is in definite in character. Four days' ago , Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweb, of the German empire, summoned United States Ambassador Uerara to tne iui eign office in Berlin and expressed tha hope that the ambassador would no. . carry out his plans lor a vacation the near future. The ambassador hail been thinking seriously of leaving Ber lin for several weeks, possiDly lor iu months. The chancellor then inform ed the ambassador, according to infor- mation that is deemed most depend able, that the time is near at naim when the principle on wnicn worm por.ee can be established will be con sidered. The German chancellor went so far . n. t otntA in an informal way tha terms on which the German ,emun would be willing to make-peace at mm time. These terms are: 1. The restoration of Belgium. o in.mniiir tn he naid Germany in return for the abandonment of that part of France occupied by the Ger man army. ' ' , 3. The restoration to uenimnj u i the colonies sh epossessed in Africa ut the outbreak of the war. Undoubtedly Ambassador Gerard gained 'impression from conversation w4tv, thA fierman chancellor that tha German empire believes that the time; is ripe for preliminary peace talk, in . any event. The fact.inai araunwr Gerard was summonea to tne "'6 , office Is regarded as nighly significant ; in itself. There was no lmmeaiau business concerning the two nations that 'could have prompted the chan cellor, so it Is said, to summon the ambassador from the United States at this t'me. It seems from all tne lniormnuu.. obtainable that the only purpose of the summons was to ask the United States representative in Berlin to re main at his post, pending the outcoma of the present peace maneuvers. It is assumed, and undoubtedly with, reason, that the course of the Ger man rthnnrAllnr in requesting thei United States ambassador to remain in Berlin means that if in the imme- . dlate future Germany decides to mako a formal peace proposal to tne amen, the United States government will be the instrument througn wnicn um proposal will be made. It would seem that no other interpretation tuum rig'.itly be placed on the action of the chancellor. It la not unaerstoou the United States government will take) any oflictal notice of the Informal con ference of the German cnanceuor wuu Ambassador Gerard. In other wordn. this government, on the strength ot the information it now nas. win say to the entente powers that Ger many la willing to talk peace. After almost a year of friction be tween the United Suites and the lm r.,rii rinrman government over thn submarine issue growing originally out of tho sinking of the Lusitanis, the Intimation from the German chiuu cellor that this government is to ! made the medium throukh which, peace negotiations will be proposed has coma as something of a furprise. BANK OFFICERS VISIT ASHEVILLE ' A group of officials prominent In the management of the Wachovia Bank and Trust company are visitors In the city, from the home office at Wln- ston-Salem. guests at the Battery Park hoteL In the party are r. n. i ries. ftftftftftftftftftftftftftfttl MProvad. X. was tlnally adopted ' next Monday. nurina- tha debate Chairman Hay letters thus far receivea iurn... rI( of tha Mmmlttaa. that drew tha till little rtu.cn for -uch worry because referred to It aa "the president s own they have not furnished critics. ... .... W 1 af nskaa Tevlhtt ' a Mil. It was explained at mi wnue ... - inotei. in i" iaii.j ' . -. house, however, that while tha presl- Judge H. O. Connor says: I love prMaenl; w. H. Willis, manager of .i.nt annrnvan tha around ulan of the a man who sees clearly and act- tha bond department; A. H. Eller, measure, ha was not committed to Its broadly. After all it 1st not so tmicn ry. j, oray, treasurer. The details. Tha conferencs on the senate what the rtate was to do to the p,pU, of ,h. cornpany is listed at a and house plans, to coma aner tne wretrnea womnn wn.i - - millon and a quarter or aonars ana mate arts, is expected by admlnls- would do to tha state. V2!Xn. itha bank is regarded aa tha strongest ration officials to produce a bill Craig liked tha sentiment. Judge " "'(n North Carolina. which' will have tha president s full nor slao writes his leter ot some Mr KUer WM formerly chairman of support. I length in his own hand. ...'the state democratic executive com- Tha measure went o tl.a senate la-t T. M. Ilynum. cotton d-a.er. recai A ha( hr4n prominently mrn- nlaht and the way has been cleared the fact that he sat .. a K"'" J " m a candidate lor atto.se, tn. AAA.iriAr.iinn af it in brain there easts In the convention at Charlotte nu aa ..,--- r, Tk.i general. v.uqtinuu vi. m a w . ... , , . - . w H