Ogden Daily Standard | 1916-05-15 | Page 5 | Troops Running down a Rumor

TROOPS RUNNING DOWN A RUMOR Francisco Villa Said to Be Hiding Hid-ing in Mountains, With 1,100 Followers, South of Columbus. Field Headquarters, near Nami-qupai, Nami-qupai, Chihuahua, May 12, by wireless to Columbus, Nr. M"., May 13. Detachments Detach-ments of American troops today are Investigating a rumor that Francisco Villa, the fugitive bandit leader, at tho head of a command of 1,100 men, is in hiding in the mountains between As-consion, As-consion, Chihuahua, 70 miles south of Columbus, N. m:., and Culberson's ranch, about 65 miles west of Columbus Colum-bus on the American side of the frontier. fron-tier. Columbus, X. m., May J 3. Press reports re-ports today brought to Major W. R. Sample, base commander, and Col. H. G. Sickel, commanding the border patrol, the first intimation that troops of General John J. Pershing's expeditionary expedi-tionary force are investigating a rumor ru-mor that Villa is in hiding in the Sierra Sier-ra Madrcs of northwestern Chibua-hua. Chibua-hua. A detachment of cavalry stationed at Culbertson's ranch reported no knowledge of the presence of any large body of Mexicans in that vicinity. vicin-ity. Cavalry stationed near Ascension, Ascen-sion, it is assumed here, is on a scouting tour to investigate the rumor, although official reports here said nothing of such a movement. With the receipt of the report here, it was pointed out that it had been persist ently rumored since the Columbus raid two months ago, that Vi)fa did not go south with the main body of his command.