Bisbee Daily Review

SANTA FE, N. M., Feb. 11. - Fifteen alleged Villistas raiders left here in a special railroad coach this afternoon for Deming, N. M., where they will be held in the Luna county jail until tried on charges of murder growing out of Villa's raid on Columbus, N. M., in March, 1916.

They were in charge of Sheriff P. L. Slover of Luna county, and several deputies. The sixteenth member of the gang was taken to Deming several days ago, where he is being held in jail.

The men were arrested in Mexico by General John J. Pershing's expedition and returned to Luna county for trial. They were convicted of murder and sentenced to long prison terms. Last November the men were unconditionally pardoned by Governor O. A. Larrazolo, but before they were released from the penitentiary an injunction was applied for from the district court to prevent the men being set free, it being alleged that the governor had acted without authority in that he did not consult the prison commissioners before issuing the pardon.

While the case was pending in court, the men were indicted on other charges of murder in connection with the Columbus raid, Luna county authorities claiming that the Villistas had been tried on a charge of having committed but one murder, whereas several persons had been killed. The men were arrested in the penitentiary.

An injunction was granted by the district court forbidding the release of the men. The supreme court, however, to which tribunal an appeal was taken, ruled that the governor did not exceed his authority, but also held that the arrest of the men on the new indictments returned in Luna county was legal.

There are from three to five indictments against nearly all of the men," said District Attorney Forrest Fielder in a long distance telephone conversation tonight. He added that separate trials will probably be held for each prisoner.

A bill was introduced in the state senate today to appropriate $15,000 of state funds to defray part of the expenses of the trials.