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ROB VILLA GRAVE |
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VILLA'S BODY IS ACCUSER IN GRIM CASE Pancho Villa's Skull Table of Contents
El Paso Herald Post News Clip EL PASO HERALD POST ROB VILLA GRAVE VILLA'S BODY IS ACCUSER IN GRIM CASE American Soldier of Fortune Jailed Following Grave Robbery. BANDIT'S HEAD HAS VANISHED Believe Decapitation Was Made For Sale to Some Institution. PARRAL, MEXICO. Feb. 8 (AP) The headless body of Francisco "Pancho" Villa, notorious bandit-rebel chieftain, whose cement sepulchre was torn open by ghouls Friday night, may be the silent accuser of Emil Holmdahl, American soldier of fortune, and a Mexican, Alberto Corral, said to be of Los Angeles. Holmdahl, reputed to have been a guide for Pershing's fruitless expedition after Villa, and Corral are in jail here while authorities are trying to learn what was done with Villa's head, which the grave robbers cut off and took. Decapitation Puzzles No satisfactory explanation has been ascribed for the gruesome decapitation, although a note left with the body said the head was to be sent to Columbus, N.M., scene of the bandit raid in 1916 that resulted in the American punitive expedition. Many here, however, believe the arch killer's head was filched from the tomb for surreptitious sale to some institution for scientific study. Little is known as yet of the circumstances resulting in the arrest of Holmdahl and Corral. They are said to have maintained they were in this section on a hunting trip. Solution Wanting Investigators have taken their lead from a reported inquiry recently by an American as to the exact location of Villa's grave, which was pointed out by the cemetery caretaker. Conditions about the grave offered small aid to solution of the mystery, except it must have taken a number of strong men to dislodge the weighty concrete covering slab. Liquor bottles and corks smelling of pungent chemicals found near the grave are unaccounted for. The body was left partly expose to view, apparently having been moved only enough for the decapitators to do their work. Villa was buried here in 1923, following his death at the hands of some of his disgruntled henchmen. Bound for Columbus Chihuahua City, Mexico, Feb. 8 (AP) The bandits who broke open the vault containing Gen. Francisco's body and cut off his head are on their way to Columbus, N.M., according to telephone advices received today from the chief of the defensas sociales in Bosque Bonito, Chih. Troops were dispatched by the commander of the Chihuahua garrison to catch the bandits. They left a note in the grave saying they would deliver Villa's head to Columbus for $25,000. Emil Holmdahl, who is reported under arrest in Parral in connection with the grave desecration, has been interested lately in mine development in Chihuahua and was associated with Al Jennings recently in El Paso in one project.
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