VILLA A POWER IN CHIHUAHUA.
Watchfully Waiting in Hills to Pounce Upon City.
Observers Say Rebel Leader Plans to Loot Capitol.
Stand of Gens. Amaros and Escobar is Puzzling.
BY NORMAN WALKER.
[EXCLUSIVE DISPATCH.]
JUAREZ (Mex.) May 3. - Don Pancho Villa again has the balance of power in the State of Chihuahua, and the sly old fox ot the Mexican mountains is expected to make the most of the advantage given him by the revolt throughout his State.
Approximately 1000 Carranza Federal troops are in revolt and control Chihuahua city, according to the latest information brought to the border. An equal number of troops, presumably loyal to Carranza, is garrisoning Juarez and the surrounding settlements.
Villa with 250 followers is watchfully waiting in the Sierras east of Chihuahua city until the rebels start north to force Juarez to capitulate when Pancho plans to swoop down on the State capital and help himself to the loot lying around. Villa can recruit his force to 1000 within twenty-four hours, while Chihuahua city and the State are strong for Villa.
The Federal troops at Juarez are not keen to give battle to Villa in the field and the rebels are more for than against Villa, since both Villa and Obregon followers have a common grievance against Carranza.
Whenever Villa thinks the time is right he will probably strike hard for control of the State and the revenues thereof. Nothing more was heard yesterday from the rebel column reported to be moving north on Juarez from Chihuahua city by troop train. Wire communication is suspended south of Villa Ahumada, which is eighty-three miles south of the border, and the towtns to the south of that point are supposed to be in the control of the rebels.
WHO DOES AMAROS FAVOR?
Another report was received here last night that the Seventy-Seventh Battalion of Infantry was marching toward Juarez from Ojinaga, Chih. This caused considerable interest since the Seventy-seventh was Gen. Joaquin Amaros's regiment and went over to the rebellion, bag, baggage and the ear-rings which he wears in his ears on all State occasions. If the Seventy-seventh is coming to reinforce Juarez this town may be able to hold out against the rebels should they march north.
If the Seventy-seventh is in revolt the town will be at the mercy of the two columns should they converge on thle border port. Upon the receipt of a message here yesterday that the Ojinaga troops may come, Americans were urged by United States customs officials not to cross to this side. The saloons ware closed at 2:30 yesterday afternoon, an hour earlier than usual, causing a temporary drought among the few Americans who ventured over after that time.
Additional outposts were stationed on the road leading to Juarez from the direction of Ojinaga and Fort Hidalgo, where the single solid shot cannon is located, was manned with a squad of artillery.
CINCO DE MAYO AWAITED.
However, this is the usual procedure and there may be no rebel troops nearer than Chihuahua city. This unusual vigilance for a Mexican army almost caused a clash after midnight Saturday night. Upon the departure of Col. Augustin Mora for Mexico City, the outposts from his Fifty-seventh Infantry wore ordered relieved by a detachment of Gen. Escobar's troops.
Mora's men refused to be relieved, insisting that they were loyal to the government. Escobar's men insisted they were equally loyal, besides orders were orders. Escobar's troops were finally ordered back to their barracks and the Mora men permitted to remain loyally at their posts guarding the cactus bushes of the Juarez plain. Yesterday Mora's men were sent to Villa Ahumada to guard that gateway to Juarez. Such is the reward for Mexican loyalty.
With Mora's departure the situation here now depends upon Gen. Escobar's attitude toward the revolution. He insisted by telephone and in person Saturday night that he was loyal and would remain so. If he does the rebels will have to come and take Juarez.
If he is only waiting to see which way the political pussy is going to jump he will probably know this week as Cinco de Mayo, a national hollday, which comes Wednesday is the day set for a general revolt throughout the republic, according to soothsayers here and in El Paso safety zone.
Friends of Escobar are inclined to give the benefit of a doubt. If he remains loyal the rebels will have a hand-picked fight on their hands. Fighting is the best thing Escobar does, as one Francisco Villa will attest since June 15. 1919.