Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 10, 1916, Image 1

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    VOL.. I, VI. XO. 17,254.
rORTLA XD, OREGON. FRIDAY, HAKCII 10, 1916.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
Villi INVADES
AMERICAN SOU
Columbus, N. M., Attacked
' by 1500 Bandits.
MACHINE GUNS FAIL
AGAINST BANDITS
WOMAN CAPTIVE OF
VILLA TELLS STORY
GENERAL CALLES
ORDERS PURSUIT
BORDER AWAITING
AHOTHEMJECK
Poss.uility Is-Admitted
by Army Men.
GOVERNOR WANTS
PRESIDENT TO ACT
EXECUTION OF BANDITS AT
ONCE IS DEMANDED.
PURSUIT INTO
1XICU UPHELD
Washington Is Squarely
PRIVATES EXPIiAIV ESCAPE OF
VILLA FORCES.
MILITARY GOVERNOR TAKES
CHARGE OF CAMPAIGN.
BAND PURSUED INTO MEXICO
United States Troopers Have
Srisk Engagement 15 Miles
r - South of Border.
TOWN LOOTED AND BURNED
At Least 16 Americans Are
Killed in Surprise Raid
Made at Dawn.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex., March 9.
Major Frank Tompkins, commanding
the detachment of American troops
which pursued General Villa, and his
bandits into Mexico after the attack
early today on Columbus, N. M., and
his men have returned to the border
after engaging in three running fights
with the Mexicans, who finally made
a stand which stopped the advance of
the American soldiers.
This information was conveyed to
night to Major-General Frederick
Funston, commanding the Southern
Department, United States Army, in
an official report on the situation
from Colonel H. J. Slocum, in com
mand at Columbus.
COLUMBUS, N. M., March 9.
Francisco Villa, outlawed Mexican
bandit, raided United States territory
today. With 1500 men he attacked
Columbus, killed at least 16 Ameri
cans and fired many buildings before
he was driven back across the inter
national border.
At least 250 troopers of the .Thir
teenth United States cavalry followed
the Villa band into Mexico. Eeports
to Colonel H. J. Slocum late today
said that Villa had made a stand 15
miles south of the border, where spir
ited fighting ensued. In this engage
ment an unnamed private was killed
and Captain-Adjutant George Will
iams was wounded.
Americans Hold Their Ground.
The small detachment of troopers
under Majors Tompkins and Lindsley,
fighting dismounted, made a deter
mined stand against the renewed Villa
attack and at last reports were hold
ing their ground.
The raid to American territory
proved costly to the bandit chieftain
The bodies of 18 Mexican bandits, in
cluding Pablo Lopez, second in com
mand, had been gathered and buried
before noon and troopers reported an
undetermined number of dead still ly
ing in the brush.
American Civilians. Shot Down.
The first volley brought American
troopers into almost instant action
While a portion of the raiders en
gaged the cavalrymen, other?, detailed
by the bandit chieftain, began apply
ing the torch and shooting American
civilians who ventured from the build
ings. Lights in homes and public
buildings immediately became targets
for snipers posted at V ilia s direction
Other bandits, creeping close to
American homes, enticed several
civilians into the open with English
spoken invitations. Several fatalities
are attributed to this ruse.
Torch Applied to Buildings.
Stores were looted, oil was poured
upon frame structures and the match
applied by still other bandits. The
postoffice was raided and the furni
ture smashed, but the looters secured
only one small registered package.
Many civilians barricaded them
selves in their homes and fired at the
Mexicans as they darted through the
streets.
The fighting in the town ended al
most as suddenly as it began. Less
than two hours after the first shot
was heard Villa's buglers sounded the
retreat and the raiders began a dis
ordered flight, closely followed by
American troopers.
Three troops of cavalry were posted
on the boundary tonight. A battalicn
of infantry and a squadron of the
Eighth Cavalry from Fort Bliss left
El Paso late today to reinforce the
troops here. With these forces Colonel
Slocum said he could handle 'any
further attack that Villa, in despera
tion, might decide to make.
The casualties of the Thirteenth
LCoccluUa ua l'age 2, Column l.
Soldier, Throwing Ax, Kills Invader
" in. His Flight Hast Defenseless
Hospital at Columbus.
EL. PASO. Texas, March 9. Failure
of the machine guna to work at the
crucial time when most needed at the
beginning: of the fighting: between the
yilia. bandits and the Thirteenth Cav
alry at Columbus early this morning
s the reason given for the escape of
the Villa band across the border and
also for the relatively small loss of
ife among them, according to Private
Thomas Barton." of the Hospital Corps,
who, with Private E. M. Johnson,
brought five wounded soldiers and one
officer to EI Paso today.
According to the men, the attack
began near the edge of Columbus.
There were no guns or weapons of
any kind in the hospital. Johnson said
he killed one Villa bandit with an ax.
which, he threw as the fleeing Mexi
can passed the hospital shouting,
Viva Villa."
Private James Venner. Troop IC, who
was shot through the chest, says he
killed four Mexicans and was raising
his rifle to fire at another when a bul
et laid him low. He say? many of the
guns used by the Vlllistas were .Zs
rifles, and others were of ancient
model. The Villa men, he said, were
without machine guns.
KING CONFERS ORDER
Albert of Belgium Honors Portland-
cr for Work at Battle Front.
Dr. Earl V. Morrow, Portland boy
and son of Dr. J. W. Morrow, of this
city, who has been in charge of the
hospital corps in Europe for some time,
has been honored by King Albert of
Belgium, according to a wire which was
received from him yesterday. The
cablegram announced that he had been
decorated by the King with the Order
of Leopold. This is said to be the
highest honor which may be given by
the King.
Dr. E. V. Morrow has been in the
hospital work in Europe for the past
year. He was born in Portland and
received his education here.
MILL GIVES WAGE RISE
Booth-Kelly Plant Orders 10 Per
Cent Increase, Effective Soon.
SPRINGFIELD. Or., March 9. (Spe
cial.) A new wage scale averaging 10
per cent higher than the one now in
force, will be established by the Booth-
Kelly Lumber Company beginning
March 15, according to an announce
ment this morning by Superintendent
O. H. Garrett.
The new scale will advance sorie of
the workmen more than 10 per cent.
and some a little less, and will te in
tended to adjust wages to the virlous
sorts of work required.
About 150 men in the Springfield
plant are affected by the order.
BURNS REGISTER NAMED
Senate Confirms Nomination of
Victor G. Cozad.
ORKGOXIAX NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, March 9. The Senate today con
firmed the nomination of Victor G.
Cozad as register of the Burns Land
Office. The following also were con
firmed as postmasters in Oregon:
Chester Noland. Creeswell.
Washington, George H. Watrous,
Bellingham; Charles L. McKelvey. Cos-
mopolis; William Sample, Rosslyn; S. F.
Patton, Waitsburg; William L .Adams,
Zillah.
Idaho, John F. Brown, Kendricks.
Also Clyde B. Walker register and
Frank A. Boyle receiver, Juneau,
Alaska. Land Office.
"BOOZERS" TO BE LISTED
Aberdeen Chief Also Will Publish
Names of Supply Sources.
ABERDEEN. Wash., March 9. (Spe
cial.) The names of all persons arrest
ed for intoxication and the places
where they obtained their liquor here
after will be published by Chief of Po
lice Robert Schmidts, according to an
announcement made by him today.
"This will be done," he said, "to dis
courage drugstore proprietors from
selling alcohol to customers in cases
where the druggists are not absolutely
certain that the buyers want the alco
hol for chemical or mechanical uses.
REED EXTENDSDANCE TIME
Students Decide That Sessions May
Last Fntil 5:30 o'clock.
Reed College students will be al
lowed to prolong their dances half an
hour longer because of the atclon taken
by the student body at their regular
assembly meeting yesterday. Eleven
o'clock has been the traditional closing
hour for all Reed functions, with the
exception of those after examinations
at the end of the year.
Many of the students objected to this
early closing because dances must be
gin at 8 o'clock in order to be over
by 11.
Plague in Tacoma Rats Studied.
TACOMA. Wash.. March 9. Dr. J. B.
Lloyd, of the Government health serv
ice, who is supervising the campaign
of rat catching here on an extensive
scale, says tests are now being made
from rats caught during the past week
as to evidence of bubonic plague, but
It will be some time before the result
of. the. teata on guinea pigs La known.
Raid on Border Care
fully Planned.
BANDIT FURIOUS IN ANGER
Threat Made to Kill , Women
and Children in Columbus.
SURPRISE AIDED BY SPIES
American Defense Known to Be
Weak Before Attack in Over
whelming Force Made Atro
cities of Band Described.'
COLUMBUS, X. M., March 9. Mrs.
Maud Hawk Wright, an American
woman, who said she was held captive
by Villa for nine days and was liber
ated in the midst of today's fighting,
declared late today that Villa an
nounced on March 1 his intention to at
tack Columbus and proceeded north un
der forced marches to carry out his
purpose.
His men, with scant supplies of water
and meat, suffered severely, she said,
and many dropped from their horses
on the march to Boca Grande. Villa,
she declared, ruled them by fear, and
his officers, with the flats of their
swords, beat the soldiers into anima
tion. American Cattlemen Slain.
Tuesday, Mrs. Wright related. Villa
bandits attacked employes cf the Falo
mas Cattle Company, engaged in round
ing up cattle, killing four Americans.
Mrs. Wright said her husband. Ed
ward John Wright, formerly of Hous
ton, Tex., and Frank Hayden, a youth
employed at the La Booker sawmill.
were taken from the Wright ranch
March 1 and presumably killed. When
she was taken prisoner and forced to
ride away with a detachment of Villa"s
men under Colonel Nicholas Servantea,
she said a bandit ordered her to give
her baby to a Mexican family.
Mrs. Wright was cared for today at
the home of Mrs. Slocum, wife of Colo
nel H. S. Slocum, commanding the
Thirteenth cavalry. There she told the
story of her capture and experience
from the time she was taken from the
ranch at Colonial Hernandez, west of
Pearson, where the de facto Mexicap
government was reported to have main
tained a heavy garrison for the protec
tion of Americans.
Villa In Civilian Clothing.
Up to yesterday, she said. Villa wore
civilian's clothing and a queer little
round straw hat and rode a small mule.
but just before the fight this morning
he appeared clad in the trim military
uniform he used to wear at Juarez, and
rode one of three handsome sorrel
chargers which had not been ridden
during the long march. Mrs. Wright
said Villa led nearly 1500 men on the
sleeping American town, at which were
quartered less than 300 American
troopers.
She said that some of the men de
tailed to guard her during the march
(Concluded on Page 5. Column 1.)
. EAT SALMON TODAY! t
j I
pared J) f; .''-
Garrisons Directed to Mobilize at
Once and Try to Cut Of r Retreat
of Band to Mountains.
DOUGLAS, Ariz., March 9. General
P. Elias Calles. military governor of
Sonora, who arrived at Agua Prieta.
the Mexican town opposite here, late
today said he had come personally to
supervise the campaign against Fran
cisco Villa and his forces should they
enter Sonora.
"I will remain until Villa has been
killed, captured or driven into some
other part of Mexico."' General Calles
said tonight- "I have plenty of troops
to protect the Sonora border and the
mining camps within the state."
General Calles said, he had ordered
the garrisons at Huachinera. Bavispe
and Bacerac, Gonora, to mobilize imme
diately and make every endeavor to
cut off Villa's retreat into the moun
tain regions. He said 600 cavalrymen
were available for this purpose.
'I am anxious to do all in my power
to avenge this murder." he added.
General Calles . canceled a reception
with the townspeople of Agua Prieta
arranged in his honor, saying he was
too grieved - over the Columbus affair
to give thought- to social engagements.
Following his conference with Con
sul ' Lelevier. General Calles said he
had ordered 1000 infantry to . Agua
Prieta. They will be used to garrison
the mining camps in Eastern Sonora,
he said. ' The soldiers were expected
to arrive here tomorrow night from
Nogales, Sonora.
CHANCE PLAY HELD GAMBLE
Mr. La Roche Beats Coin Machine
First Flip and Rules Accordingly.
When a man can win froi.i a "sklll-and-science"
game at the first attempt
the game is gambling. Such was the
ruling yesterday of City Attorney
LaRoche.
A. man took to Mr. LaRoche's office
a machine, which is operated by plac
ing a nickel in a slot and flip
ping it for one of a Beries of
holes. If the nickel hits the right
hole the man wins all the way
from 10 cents to 30 cents, depending
upon the hole selected. Mr. LaRoche
put a nickel in, pointed out the hole
he wanted to play, and flippe-" the coin.
He won. "No skill or science about
that," he announced. "It's a matter of
luck. It's. a gambling device."
VILLA MEN EXECUTE 30
Carrama Soldiers Taken From
Train and Shot.
LAREDO. Tex., March 9. Thirty or
more Carranza soldiers, including sev
eral officers, were executed by bandits
three days ago near Torreon, according
to authentic information received here
tonight. The bandits were reported to
be adherents of General Villa and were
commanded by Colonel Chacon.
The men executed a Lieutenant
Colonel, two Majors, several minor offi
cers and 24 privates were taken from
a train en route from Torreon to Mon
terey, it was said, and were shot by the
side of the cars. Other passengers were
not molested. It is believed the bandits
fled to the hills.
Uniform Lading Bill Passed.
WASHINGTON, March 9. Senator
Pomerene's bill for a uniform bill of
lading passed the Senate today.
AMERICAN FORCE AUGMENTED
Regulars, Militia, Cowboys and
Civilians All Alert.
SLOCUM FULLY CONFIDENT
Volunteer Defenders Arrive on
Scene, Armed Partly With Ri
fles Taken From Dead and
Fleeing Mexicans.
COLUMBUS. N. M., March 9. Amer
ican cavalry border patrols. New Mex
ico militiamen, cowboys and civilians
were alert tonight against another sur
prise attack by Francisco Villa's Mex
ican bandits. Heavy guards patrolled
Columbus and vicinity.
Approximately 250 troopers under
Majors Frank Tompkins and H. L.
Lindsley, who pursued the Villa bandits
to a point 15 miles south of the border,
were halted when Villa threw out a
heavy rearguard, which checked the
American forces. Meanwhile the main
body of bandits were thought to have
retreated into the Mexican hills, pre
sumably making for the Boca Grande
River, the nearest water.
Possibility la Admitted.
The possibility of further attack was
frankly admitted by military authori
ties, who commented on what was
termed a Villa ruse in arranging to
send here yesterday what is believed
to have been a fake telegram. -This
dispatch ostensibly was sent by the
American manager of the Palomas Cat
tle Company. It said that Villa had
reached the Nogales ranch in Chihua
hua, more than SO miles southwest of
Columbus, and that Villa personally
was at the ranch house.
This message came about 4 in the
afternoon. About that same hour, with
hfs men refreshed and feasted on stolen
cattle. Villa began his march to Boca
Grande to attack Columbus. That the
town was not taken and sacked and its
inhabitants slaughtered was attributed
to the fact that his men served him
only through fear, and would not stand
under the well-directed Are of the
American troopers.
American Forces Augmented.
Commenting on the situation. Colonel
Slocum declared that if Villa in a sur
prise attack with 1500 men could not
overwhelm 250 American troopers sta
tioned here, he has less chance with
every American soldier and civilian on
the border alert. He also referred to
the augmenting of his force by a bat
talion of infantry and a squadron of
cavalry expected to arrive from El
Paso at midnight.
Thirty-six New Mexico militiamen
arrived from Deming In the course of
the day. They were augmented by
American cowboys and civilians armed
in a large measure with rifles taken
from dead and neeinsr bandits.
Late in the day there was an exo-
(Concluded on Page :t. Column l.
Policy of Watchful Waiting Is De
clared Indefensible and to
Have Cost Dearly.
STATE CAPITOL, Salem. Or, March
9. (Special.) Denouncing the massa
cre of American citizens by Mexican
bandits today at Columbus, N. M., as a
crime which the United States Govern
ment should not allow to go unpun
ished. Governor Withycombe tonight
declared the policy of non-interference
by the Wilson Administration was in
defensible. He said summary action
to punish the slayers should be taken.
"In my estimation the murder today
of American citizens on United States
soil, following the continued assassi
nation of Americans in Mexico, dem
onstrates the absolute necessity of vig
orous and unyielding action to brin
the offenders to justice," said the Gov
ernor. "Every Mexican murderer concerned
with today's massacre should be exe
cuted, no matter what the cost nor
where he may be apprehended. The
policy of non-interference with Mex
ican affairs, so far as protection of
American citizens is concerned, has
become tragic and indefensible, and for
it we already have paid far too dearly."
TURKS MAY AID IN WEST
Germany Said to Have Promised
Compensation at End of War.
ODESSA, via London. March 9. It is
reported here that Germany has given
formal assurances to Turkey that she
will not make peace without compensa
tion to Turkey, and that Turkey has
consented to send Turkish troops to
assist the Germans on the western
front.
Several engineering regiments have
been withdrawn from Asia Minor to
Constantinople.
$80,000 EASES CONSCIENCE
Unknown Giver of $30,000, Larg
est Contribution Yet, Tells Total.
WASHINGTON, March 9. A J30.000
contribution to the Treasury's con
science fund, the largest ever received.
came by today's mail in a registered
package mailed yesterday in New York.
Under separate cover came a letter un
signed, dated Philadelphia, but mailed
in New York, which announced the
sending of the $30,000 and explained
that the sender had restored to th
Government $80,000 Jn all.
BLAZING VESSEL BEACHED
Passengers and Mail Are Removed
From Nel lore.
LONDON. March 9. A Lloyd s dis-
patcn from Malta says that the Penin
sular & Oriental steamship Nellore, with
lire aooara. was oeached. that the fire
has been extinguished and that pas
sengers ana mans nave been removed.
The Nellore was built in 1913 at
orcenock and is of 6853 gross tons. She
was last reported in shipping records
as naving sailed from Fenang. Febru
ary 12.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
Th Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 59
ucgrees; minimum, 49 degrees.
TODAX'S-T-Fatr; westerly winds.
Mexico.
American woman, captive of Villa, describes
preparations lor attacic Page 1.
Latest raid by Mexicans Is mora daring than
previous invasions. rage s.
Governor wants bandits executed. Page 1.
Oregon troops are ready for Mexico. Page 9,
Sixteen read, 13 wounded. Is toll at Colum
bus, N. M. Page S.
Border on alert for another attack. Page 1.
Washington stands by Colonel Slocum in
pursuing bandits across border. Page l.
General Califs takes charge of campaign
against Villa. Page 1.
Villa bandits" escape is laid to failure of
machine guns. Page 3.
Border force entrenches for night attack?.
Page 2.
Irrigation Conference.
Conference on credit issues opens at Salem.
Page 6-
Plea for state aid made by W. Lair Thorop-
ion. Page 6.
Governor addresses rural credits conference.
Page 6.
War.
Berlin announces gains at Verdun and
French make counter claims. Page 4.
Germany declares war on Portugal. Page 4.
American wins apology for charges he gave
military Information to allies enemies.
Page 4.
National.
S. A. r. Puter defends his acts before com
mittee. Page 5.
Domestic.
Colonel Roosevelt refuses to seek norolna
. Uon. Page 5.
Sports.
Seals seem to be below last year's stand
ard. Page 14.
White Sox count on Jack Ness for first
base. Page 14.
Jefferson High School wins soccer cham
pionship. Page 14.
Pacific Northwest.
Grays Harbor homes flooded. Page 7.
Mrs. Booth's defense scores point. Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Grain bag supply in sight not adequate for
Pacific Coast crop. Page 18.
Chicago wheat rallies from effect of bearish
Government report. Page 39.
Stock trade broad on rising scale of prices.
Page 39.
Port of Portland faces Astoria differential
problem. Page 18.
Portland and Vicinity.
Actor Joe Howard loses chance to reply In
suit. Page IS.
Daughters of Revolution confer here today.
Page 0.
Whitfield admits serving two prison sen
tences. Page 8-
Salmon is king today. Page 18.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 39.
Mrs. Bowers paroled on conditions that she
doesn't see child and follows moral life.
Page lo.
Schools will buy wood from city. Page 8.
Sewer Inspectors row at hearing:. Pa ice 1 S.
Two tachrrs iart drawlnr annuities In
retirement fund. Page lo.
Captain Thomas oweu licre to organize
ttuuaut expedition lo Patagonia, i'ise b.
Behind Colonel Slocum.
MTRAIL' BEING FOLLOWED
Lansing Notifies de Facto
Government of Action of
American Troops.
RECALL IS NOT ORDERED
General Satisfaction Is Felt
in. Official Circles Over
Avenging Expedition.
WASHINGTON, March 9. Wash
ington stands squarely behind Colonel
Slocum in sending his cavalrymen into
Mexico in pursuit of Francisco Villa
and his band of outlaws who raided
Columbus, N. M., today, murdering
American soldiers and citizens and
firing the town.
Secretary Lansing tonight informed
the de facto government of Mexico
through Eliseo Arredondo, its Am
bassador designate here, that he
trusted no objection would be made to
the action of the American troops,
they having followed what is known
in military circles as a "hot trail."
No orders have been issued for the
return of the soldiers, and it is not
probable any will be issued for the
present.
General Satisfaction Felt.
Shocked indignation occasioned by
news of Villa's outrage was quickly
succeeded by undisguised satisfaction
in official and Congressional circles
over the knowledge that after three
years of patient forbearance United
States troops actually were on Mex
ican soil to avenge the death of their
comrades and bring to justice the out
laws whose depredations have ter
rorized Americans on both sides of the
border.
Reports that the American troopers
were in action tonight probably 15
miles south of the border against a
much larger force of bandits were
heard with anxious interest in official
circles.
Free Rein to Be Given.
Five troops of cavalry crossed the
border early in the day. At a lata
hour tonight it was not known offi
cially just where they were or jusb
what account they had given of them
selves. While no formal word of the policy
of the Administration was given out,
it was reliably stated that free rein
would be given the Army to catch the
bandits if possible.
It was not considered in Adminis
tration circles that Colonel Slocum's
act in any sense constituted an inva
sion of Mexico, a policy which the
Administration has opposed in the
past and will continue to oppose.
Permission Not Asked.
The State Department at first had
planned to ask permission of the Car
ranza government to send troops
across the border in pursuit of the
outlaw bandit. Then came official
word that the cavalry already had
crossed. Later Mr. Arredondo called
on Secretary Lansing, expressed re
gret for the Villa raid, and was in
formed of the attitude of the United
States. Mr. Arredondo said he would
communicate with General Carranza
immediately.
In expressing hope that the Car
ranza government would not object to
the crossing of the troops, the State
Department was said to realize fully
that there might be objections and it
was fully prepared to meet them
should they arise.
Objection May Not Be Made.
Persons who talked to Mr. Arre
dondo, however, gathered the impres
sion that he, at least, seemed to be
lieve the Carranza government might
not object, it being understood that
the American troops were simply
hunting down bandits whose depreda
tions have long been a source of
trouble, not only to the United States,
but to the de facto government.
Formally, there is no authority for
the presence of the American troops
in Mexico. In fact the patrols alon
the border have from the beginning
of the disorders there been under or
ders not to cross under any considers -
I tion. If the provocation had not been
Cuu(.luad oa a, column i,i