Friday, March 10, 1916, front page: Pancho Villa raid on New Mexico

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FOLLOWING RAID UPON COLUMBUS N.M. AMERICAN SOLDIERS PURSUE VILLA'S BAND INTO MEXICO, SLAUGHTERING 100

16 AMERICANS MURDERED BY INVADING BAND

Outlaws Surprise a Sleeping Town and Shoot Down Residents During Two-Hour Guerilla Attack.

COLUMBUS, N. M., Mar. 9. ─ Francisco Villa, with 1500 men, raided United States territory today. He attacked Columbus and killed at least sixteen Americans. His men fired many buildings before they were driven back across the border. At least 250 United States cavalrymen followed the Villa band into Mexico.

Reports from Colonel Slocum late today stated that Villa made a stand fifteen miles south of the border, where spirited fighting ensued. An unnamed private was killed and a captain were wounded. A small detachment of troopers under Majors Tompkins and Lindsley, fighting dismounted, made a determined stand against renewed Villa attacks. At last report they were holding their ground.

The raid into American territory proved costly for Villa. Eighteen Mexican bandits, including Pablo Lopez, second in command, were gathered and their bodies burned before noon. Troopers reported that an undetermined number of dead were still lying in the brush.

WOMAN CAPTIVE TELLS OF MARCH UPON VILLAGE

Outlaw Began Forced Marches March 1, driving Men with Swords ─ Tells of Murder of Husband and Youth.

COLUMBUS, N. M., Mar. 9. ─ Mrs. Maud Wright, an American, who said she was held captive by Villa nine days, was released in the midst of the fighting. She said that on March 1, Villa announced his intention to attack Columbus and proceeded north under forced marches. The men had only scanty supplies of water and meat and suffered severely. Villa ruled his men by fear, she said, and his officers beat their men into line with their swords.

The woman said her husband, Edward, formerly of Houston, and Frank Hayden, a youth employed at the La Bocas sawmill, were taken from the Wright ranch March 1 and presumably killed. When forced to ride with them, she said the bandit leader ordered her to give her baby to a Mexican family. Mrs. Wright is being cared for at the home of General Slocum.

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Four Victims Burned.

American losses on the Mexican side was one corporal killed, when Villa threw out a heavy guard to engage his pursuers. Of the eight American civilians slain here, Charles DeWitt Miller, of Albuquerque, and Dr. H. J. Hart, of El Paso, were burned to death in the Commercial hotel. The body of Walton Walker, of Playas, N. M., who was shot, with W. T. Ritchie, proprietor of the hotel, was also incinerated.

Mrs. M. James was shot and killed in the doorway of another hotel, falling across the body of C. C. Miller, who was driven from his drugstore across the street. Her little sister escaped, but her husband was wounded.

Mrs. Ryan, wife of the captain of Troop E, had a narrow escape when their house was riddled by bullets. It was in the line, with the window facing the ditch, from which Villa opened his attack. Bullets perforated her clothing on a chair.

Officer's Wife Escapes.

Fred Griffen, a private of troop K, on guard at headquarters, opened fire on the Mexicans as they were attacking the quarters of Lieut. Lucas, commanding the machine gun troops of the Thirteenth cavalry. He fell mortally wounded under a volley, but he killed two Mexicans, then crawled to the side of the Ryan home. Mrs. Ryan ran under fire to an adobe garage. She was stopped by a Mexican, who demanded to know where she was going. She said she was going to get a motor car. She sat unmolested during the fight, in an automobile.