New-York tribune. [volume], July 09, 1920, Image 3

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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nblicans
uss Pound
Governor
May Be Put Forward
Beat Thompson?, Also
tfa? Niagara, Whose
(^didacy Is Feared
for Convention
tl Says O'Brian, How?
and Hugo Have Good
Imces to Head Ticket
,|^iuw state leaders are hoping
?f|rfw??n n01ir and nwct Toesday,
^m.Qte executive committed of the
acucad State Committee meets to
?V temporary chairman for the
l?tl convention at Saratoga on
,,?ftthere will have been a erystal
?L?? at sentiment behind some man
?Jjg5 the state ticket
&atte A. Glynn, chairman of the
JTeSnmittee, on arriving in town
2L[d*y from a tour up-state, said
~^raUe the leaders virtually every
jtot ?re for the convention desig
S?aa entire state ticket, there was
?SL resembling united support for
j^y ?ne candidate
%h ?re still looking for a man like
Nathan Miller, of Syracuse,"
-|j Chairman Glyr.n
Uncertain Abont Ponnd
ft? ?nother state !eader it was
J??d that there was considerable
Xof Judge Cuthbert W. Pound, of
?fcourt of Appeals for the nomina
I?? for Governor. Still another who
?ids is giving shape to the Republican
Stfesef the state, said:
?Jadge Pound will not be a candi
*fta talk of Pound was regarded in
fcMblican circles rather generally as
"ft^npt to drive Senator George F.
?S^on out of the race. Both Sena
w Thompson and Judge Pound come
??M-Niagara County. They are close
Meads, and it was argued that if Judge
Pound would consent to run Thompson
maid forget his determination to be a
-??date in the primaries, regardless
rftiwaction of the unofficial conven
toa, and would get behind Judge
The truth of the situation is that
there is a real fear on the part of some
o* the leaders that with Thompson a
candidate in the primaries ho might
create a situation where the successful
candidate for the nomination would
aeet with defeat in the general elec?
tion as happened two years ago. The
leaders are inclined to discount Thomp
?m's chances, holding he could only be
rtminated in the event that Francis M.
Hneo, Secretary of State;"persisted in
feeing a candidate in the primaries
Mould the convention designate some
Hugo, outside of his own county, Jef?
ferson, and Suffolk, has little strength,
among those who are at the top in the
state machine Hugo has no following
whatever. Yet he has a personal or
aBUation of his own of no small pro
jortions which might create trouble if
le determined on running in the pri
naries. It would take from the strength
?f the d?sign?e and might so divide
the organization strength that a third
?Mdidate might walk away with the
gemination.
For Lieutenant Governor
For second place on the ticket the
?janization Republicans are discussing
!W men. Senator Charles W. Walton,
if Kingston, and Senator J. Henry Wal?
ters, of Syracuse. Walters, so far, has
developed little strength outside of
Onondaga County, while Walton has
most of the Hudson River counties, the
Catskill district and counties in the
other part of the State and the south?
ern tier.
But with the Republicans having
virtually decided on designating Judge
Emory A. Chase, of Greene County, for
?le nomination of Associate Judge of
the Court of Appeals to succeed himself,
Senator Walton may have hard sled
tog.
''Senator Walton would be an ideal
candidate for Lieutenant Governor,"
?id one of the State leaders yester?
day, "but if Judge Chase is- designated
It is possible that Walton, who comes
from an adjoining county, might have
to withdraw. However, that is some?
thing that will not be decided until
*e meet in Saratoga."
There is a third candidate in the
leid for the second place on the ticket
-George Henry Payne, a member of
fte local Tax Board. Payne, however,
Ms no organization strength behind
him.
--v. ??,u jcstecuaj- m answer to a r
?on that in his opinion the four roan
to be feared by the rest of the field
jwe Judge Pound, Supreme Court Jus?
tice Wesley 0. Howard, of Trov. John
wdO Brian, of Buffalo, and Francis
?. Hugo.
jm . '-?"
varrison to Apply at
Once for Fare Increases
Court of Appeals Decision, How?
ever, Makes Action Possible
on Only Few Lines ?,
Lir.dley M. Garrison, receiver for the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, an?
nounced yesterday that he would take
?:v?nt.aS1 immediately of the decision
Mnded down by the Court of Appeals
?eanesday, which heid that the Public
-en-ce Commission had authority to
increase tarea on certain lines of the
??K; T. system and apply to the Com
?v 1 Dr "??eases. It appears, how
hn * there are onlv three isolated
HP. ?the Brooklyn svstem coming
?!-n.in the decision and on which the
eceiver may make application for an
m.I!ased fare' Mr- Garrison's state?
ly m part follows:
flBm Court of Appeals bv the various
thi? f.f r?nd?ed yesterday decided
- n? the Public Service Commission
?re in New York has jurisdiction to
? se or reduce fares on street surface
croada in all cases where the fran?
ko? *were canted directly by the
?5.; ? ,"? a11 franchises granted by
j n'c2Pal authorities before January
- tojo (date of the constitutional
f^*4?nentl, all franchises granted by
-? munkipal authorities after the
SU**. ?l the Public Service Com
?wsions law on January 1, 1907, and
???ln*8i?ecific Masses of franchise be
?wm the date of the constitutional
? p^?' (1875) and the date of
flJe?) Service Commission's law
?Wivi??*11 "?mediately comply with the
ted ,?*" ??tended to me by the court
ttia.?AeMnt t0 the Publi= Servie Com?
?a ??.? 9'?P*r applications for action
respect of the franchises that the
?rt holds the Public Service Commis
^n# jurisdiction over.
"i course, the opinion of the court
?teanil* -*wlth BUrface line companies,
?arfa, iU was on'y applications of
Sri?? "n* companiea tJ??t were under
Wttftr T"e decisions, therefore, do
***?!** *ffect th* ?*w*yor ?*?
???"*Y Indictment Dismissed
jjgwwae Court Justice Tompkins
,?r??y dismissed an indictment,
; attempted bribery and subor
?f perjury, ajgsinat Morris
**. of 1417 Twenty-ftrat Street,
in. Fischer was charged with
tried to bribe Antonio Cardi
?n?es against Joseph Cohen,
iher-in-law, who was con
plicity in the murder.of
rich poultry dealer.
Weeks of Inquiry Fail to ':'
Solve Death of Carranza
{?&Mrtf*IM0 Km? 9f M?)
led them from one ?actanda to an
?w?, where he thought he might pos?
sibly count, on friends, and through
Httl? village?, where he hoped news
of the success of the revolution had
not reached. On th? third day they
reached the headquarters of a small
Carransista chief, only to learn that
this jefe bad "turned" the day before
and ?gon? out on th? hunt for them.
They had to leave this town, where
they had hoped to test for th? day,
and go on in a different direction.
The next three days they made their
lonely way through territory ruled by
th? now enemy chief, the nerves of all
stretched to the tautiest, but they were
not molested. On the sixth day they
rode into the town of Putla, where
they were well treated, ate their lunch
and fed their horses. They learned
here that just outside the town, across
the river, began a dark land of inac?
?essible ravines, ruled by another small
jefe, Rudolfo Herrero.
Herrero a Petty Bandit
Herrero is one of tho many small
Readers of small bands of. revolucio?
narios that infest the mountains of
Mexico, doing the best they can for
themselves. First he was a Federal
(Diaz) army man. Later, when every?
body was doing it, he started out to be
a "revolucionario."
He began with two men. Attacking
fifteen, asleep, he took away their arms
and horses; and so was immediately
equipped for eighteen men. On the
day that Carranza rode out of the vil?
lage of Putla, Herrero's followers were
eighty. During these years of growth
and expansion he has been a Palaecista,
then a Carranzista, and is now, inci?
dentally, an Obregonista.
He became a Carranzista last March,
rendering himself to the Carranzista
General Mariel, and since that time
working in the sierra under his orders.
It was this same General Mariel who
welcomed him when he rode up to the
Carranza escort that afternoon and
who presented him, with the highest
eulogies, to the old man himself.
What had Carranza to expect of this
jefe of hi?, who ruled the steeps of
rocks and brush they were about to
penetrate? Was he loyal or had he
turned? Would he attack or would ho
let them go through in peace? They
were soon to know. Just outside the
village, on the opposite bank of the
river they must ford, Herrero was
waiting for them.
Meeting With Herrero *
To quote Captain Amador, Carranza's
personal aide:
"We went out of Putla, crossing a
river. Herrero was waiting on the
other side. Here the road forks; one
branch going to Villa Juarez, and the
other climbing almost straight up to
Tlaxcalantongo, which is about five or
six leagues above Putla. Herrero rode
up to us, and asked for General Mariel.
When he saw Mariel he embraced him,
and weeping with emotion, said: "Here
I am, General, to fulfill what I offered
when I rendered myself (became a
Carranzista). And then General Mariel
embraced him, and congratulated him
on his attitude, and told him that he
was going to present him to the Senor
President, and Herrero got down from
his horse."
To quote General Marciano Gonzales,
also of the Carranzista escort:
"Herrero told General Mariel that he
was ready to sacrifice his life for that
of the President. He said that he
would lead him through the sierra
until he put him safely without. Then
ht went up to Se?or Carranza and,
with tears in his eyes, swore to him
fidelity. The rest of the way Herrero
conducted him, serving him solici?
tously, helping him to dismount. There
was a moment when the President said
he was thirsty, and Herrero got down
from his horse and brought him water.
So he was, all that afternoon, gentle,
thoughtful, insinuating himself into
absolute confidence.
Arrive at Fatal Town
"And so we arrived at Tlaxcalantongo,
an Indian village of about twenty huts,
where Herrero said we should pass the
night. He himself rode through the
village, pointing out the huts in which
all should lodge. He said to the Presi?
dent: "This jacaL is for you. It has a
floor of wood. Farther on I shall place
General M?rgia, and then the Engineer
Bonillas, and so on, and he added that
we must leave very early, and be?
sought the President to rest. Then he
rode away to place the others. The
President turned to me and said with
a sigh:
" 'I don't know why, but I have no
confidence in this man (desconfio mucho
de esta hombre).'
"Some minutes afterward he said:
"'What a long night! We should
have been able to go on further.'
"He was visibly sad. But finally he
got ready to rest, and ordered his
blankets placed on the floor in a corner.
"The President slept in the corner
opposite the door. Beside him, not
more than a meter away, was Aguirre
Berlanga. Opposite him, next to the
door, were Gil Farias and Mario M?n?
dez. On the side were the two aides,
Captains Armador and Suarez."
Herrero Places Guards
To quote again Amador:
"When we arrived at Tlaxcalantongo
the jefe (Carranza) ordered Captain
Suarez to place the advanco guards,
i saying, 'Take with you Colonel Her?
rero, 'Iho knows the situation per?
fectly.' So Herrero put the advance
guards just where he wanted, and then
he returned to the hut to ask the
President if he were comfortable, and
so finding out just'where we had put
our blankets. An hour or so later, he
I came again and said he had had news
i of an accident to his brother in a
i neighboring ranch, and said he must
j go, but would return in the morning.
"The President showed the greatest
sympathy and gave him cotton and
medicine. When Herrero went, Ber?
langa eaid the business didn't look
good to him, but the President an?
swered: 'What has to happen, let it
happen.' Then he sighed, and said be
thought of the words of Miramon be?
fore he was shot: 'Dios nos libre de
estas viente quat ro horas.' Then he
blew out his candle.
"At 3, two Indians of Herrero's party
came in, and when the Jefe asked them
what they wanted, they said they had
been told to report to him that all was
well. Thus at the last minute they took
account of exactly where the Presi?
dent lay. In less than half an hoof;
afterward the attack began. From oath*
side they began shooting into the cor?
ner where the Chief lay; there were
fritas of 'Viva Obregon,' and 'Viva,
tlaez,' and cursing, and cries of 'Come
out, you dirty old man. Here comes
your father' (Aqui viene su padre?a
common insult). Come out and let us
drag you along the ground, sal viejo.' **
Carranza Is Wound?ed
Aguirre Berlanga, who was sleeping
beside the President not a meter away,
said:
"I awoke with the shots and beard
j the President say : 'They have tare*??
my leg. I cin't move. Hand me my
rifle.' "
i And Captain Amador adds:
S "Always before the President got op
he pat on his glasses. When he trie?
to get up and said that his leg was
broken he already had on his glasses.
J Sounds came out of his throat? bot h?
couldn't speak any more. A Captain
Garrido of the forces of Herr?te cam?
! to the door and told us to give our?
selves up. He asked for the President,
? and when he saw h ira in agony h? ?aid
| h? was going to send for a d?setor? bot
j from this to his death there wer? only
; a few minutes. The agony was very
i rapid."
' Lacking as it is in essential ?details
in the last and important foots* this is
the fullest account that has ?ver basa
given (except, of course, to those who
really know) of the death of Carransa.
Most of th? reports com? up to the
moment of the attack, and then just
ftple out. Of. all th? attempted inter?
view? with those who were ther? or
near bv, this with the General Marciano
uonxalea is typical:
"At 8 o'clock in the morning, when
nobody expected, shots were heard.
From the direction of the sounds we
could know that they were by the hut
where the President slept Came con?
fusion, shots, all. Then?you know
what happened."
"And the defense ??
"There was no defense possible,
amigo mio. The surprise was per?
fectly prepared."
Carranza Shot Six Times
Six bullets tore through the body of
Carranza.
No one has ever tried to explain how
in a fight m the dark?every witness
has insisted upon the appalling black?
ness of that night?six bullets from
outside the small hut found their way
into the body of one man and no other
bullet found its way into any other of
the five men lying huddled clog? in
that one little room.
And no one has ever tried to explain
why, in the time from the first shots
outside until the attackers appeared at
the door and ordered the "rendici?n"
of the five absolutely untouched within,
not one hand was raised in defense of
the old chief in the corner.
True, Herrero says the President
killed himself.
As proof of this he appeared at the
"Diligencias" with a paper signed by
ten of the Carranzista escort that
affirmed that Don Venustiano had
killed himself.
What about this paper? Where did
it come from and under what circum?
stances was it signed? In the very
first interviews after the crime with
those who were there or near general
mention was made of this document.
Herrero Gets Document
According to Captain Amador:
"Afte*r the President was killed the
five others in the room were made
prisoners and later that morning were
taken to a point a kilometer from the
village with others ?of the escort who
had been gathered in from the other
huts and barrancas where they. had
hidden (not all; some escaped and
made their way back alone to safety).
Here Herrero said he was going-to kill
all from generals to majors unless they
would 'make a document in which it
would be stated that the President
committed suicide. Aguirre Berlanga
(the one who slept beside the Presi?
dent) dictated out loua to Paulino
Fontes an act that is in the hands of
Herrero, an act in which it is set forth
that the President committed suicide.
Eight or ten of those present signed it,
naturally, at the point of a gun. Then
Herrero said, 'From here I am going
to let you free to go ahead. I am not
going to give back your horses be?
cause I need them, nor your arms be?
cause my officers have already divided
them among themselves.' And we all
went ahead, without horses or arms,
but free."
It was with this document that Her?
rero came freely into the City of Mex?
ico; with this document that he ap?
peared boldly at the "Diligencias." It
was with this document that he there
made the statement that was allowed
to stand unrefuted, that Carranza
killed himself.
Why was his statement allowed to
stand unrefuted? How was it pos?
sible? It is necessary to understand
something of this procedure called
"Diligencias papa esclarecer la Muerte
del Se?or Carranza."
Generals Are Accused
In the first place, appearing as "ac?
cused" in this proceeding were the
four Carranzista generals, afterward
"formally held"?Barragan, Urquizo,
Montes and Murguia; another Carran?
zista general, Francisco Mariel, and
one "civil" Berlanga, Carranza's Min?
ister of State, who slept beside him
and who dictated the document saying
he had committed suicide. Appearing
as "witness for the state" was Her?
rero.
The Diligencias lasted three days.
First were taken the statements of the
Carranzistas and of Herrero. This
part of the proceedings was in private.
Then came the "careos," the putting
face to face of the accused and the
accuser. During this each had a short
opportunity to pass the lie to .the other,
following which immediately the judge
gave his decision. It was all over, ac?
cording --to law, within seventy-two
hours. The four strongest Carran?
zista leaders were sent back to prison
and Herrerd went back to his hotel.
It was called a civil action and was
held before a civil judge, Se?or Licen?
ciado Roman, Juez 3d, de Distrito
(Judge Roman of the 3d District
Court). Yet the law utilized to hold
as formally accused the four Carran-y
zista generals was military. The for?
mal warrant issued by Judge Ro?
man holds the four men "respon?
sible for the death of Se?or Carranza,"
because they "did not watch over the
personal security of Mr. Carranza,
abandoning him in the thickest of the
combat, not fulfilling what is definite?
ly commanded by Articles 256 of the
Military Penal Code. 528, 536, 537 of
the General Army Ordinance, and
sixth of the rules."
Civil Jurisdiction Claimed
In this warrant the legal jurisdiction
of the civil court was given as "Con?
siderando Primero," "because there
exists among the accused one civilian
Aguirre Berlanga, this court is com?
petent to issue the warrant of 'for?
mally held' against the prisoners."
Considerando Segundo quoted mili?
tary law for holding the four men most
wanted.
Considerando Tercero said "that as
Aguirre Berlanga held a 'civil' char?
acter-in the escort of Se?or Carranza,
it is clear that the law invoked above
is not applicable to him, so he is ab?
solutely cleared of the ?charge."
All of which, any one must admit,
is "neat."
General Mariel, who presented Her?
rero to Carranza, was let free because
it was proved that he left the escort
soon after Herrero joined it, to go
on a detour of investigation.
Of the six men accused, Berlanga
"SMS the only one actually present at
the place and time of the crime. And
ho was the only one not brought into
court.
H?e is said to have been very ill.
'" And he is the one cleared of all re
aoonsibility.
' His preliminary statement was taken
IB the prison privately, and was the
o..!y one of the preliminary statements
the facts of which were entirely with?
held from the public.
Formality Dispensed With
The "careo" between nsm and Her
T ero was never held. (Careo is a form
? of proceeding from the old Roman law,
and is prescribed as public). The
reason given for not holding this par?
ticular "careo" was that "the person?
nel of the court did not present them?
selves on time." (que el personal del
Juzgado no se presento oportuna?
mente).
So it was that Herrero's statement
was allowed to stand through the Dili?
gencias unrefuted. No one of the other
five men accused, and who were per?
mitted a "careo" with him, was pres?
ent at the time of the crime, nor had
any actual knowledge of it. Natisrally
they could not testify to it
-Absolutely no mention or reference
was made throughout the Diligencias
to the four other actual witnesses of
| the crime. The proceedings went
I along as though they- did-nob ?sagst.
The only other people, besides the
accused and accuser, mentioned in the
preliminary ?acto de consignaci?n" as
persons that could give light in the
matter (como personas que pueden
aportar luces in este asunto) were
General Jacinto Trevino, the Obre
gonista general who was sent out after
Carranca from Mexico City; General
Guadalupe Samchez, the Carranztsta
general who turned st the last minute
and drove his former leader from the
train into the mountains at San An?
dres; three lawyers (los licenciados
Roque) Estrada, Aguilar, and Elorduy;
Alberto M. Gonzales, and Senator Jos?
Lugo.
These last two were on the first
Commission named by Obregon and
Gonzales to investigate the death.
They went from the capital to the
railroad town town of Be m is tain,
where the body of the President was
brought down from the sierra, and
rendered a report to be enclosed here
later. None of these "bringers of
light" was within eighty miles of the
tragedy. And the only ones who
actually appeared at the Diligencias
were Estrada and Elorduy.
Doctor Not Called
. Nor was the doctor who performed
the autopsy called to testify, although
the Secretary of War and Marine sent
the "certificate of the autopsy."
This Dr. Sanchez Perez was the
medtco * of the Light and Power Com?
pany of Nexaca, not very far from
where the President was killed. He
later went to Mexico City to collect his
bill, and bring the intestines of the
dead President, which he had preserved
in alcohol. His arrival was noted in
the local press with the following com?
ment:
"The arrival in Mexico of the doctor
from Nexaca-is very opportune, since
without doubt he will be questioned
by the authorities concerning his work,
since it is understod, and the doctor
himself agrees, that 1;he certificate in
which are described the wounds which
the body of the President presented, is
deficient."
What of this document so naively
acknowledged to be "deficient"?
It describes four wounds only. Tho
first in the left thigh, the bullet pass?
ing from the back to the front; and
from belcw, up. The second in the
left side by the fifth rib, the bullet
passing directly from the front to th?
back. The third in the left side, below
the sixth rib, the bullet taking an
oblique direction from above, down?
ward, and from the left to the right
penetrating the diaphragm and intes?
tines. The fourth in the stomach, tt
the left, the bullet taking an obliqu?
direction from the front backward anc
from above downward, cutting through
the intestines, and coming out in th?
right lumbar region. But Carranza i?
known to have received six wounds.
Suicide Held Disproved.
On the day that this statement was
made public a prominent doctor gavi
to the press in all seriousness th?
"medical legal conclusion" that "th<
hypothesis of suicide is inadmissible
except only in the case that Se?or Car
ranza shot himself with a machin?
gun."
How is it possible, considering al
of this, that the government has per
mitted Herrero's story that the forme:
President killed himself to go uninves
tigated? How is it possible that i
sense of humor?if not a sense of de
cency?a pitiful sense of humor hai
not pre?#snted ?
That, of course, is the question.
A brief history of the case from th?
time the death was first known unti
the responsibility for it was so extraor
dinarily placed, may hold a littl
light; not the secret, the true, un
known history, but just the simple de
velopment of events in which all th
public shared. There may be a little?
a very little light.
The first information was meager.
On the morning of Saturday, May 2?
were published two telegrams sent t
the two generals then in control o
Mexico, Obregon and Gonzales. Thes
telegrams gave the first news of th
death of Carranza, and were fror
revolucionario officers in the vicinit]
Nothing had been known of the fleein
President for a week, from May II
when it was learned that he had fie
into the sierra the day before, with
small escort of mounted men.
Text of Telegram
One telegram read:
"De Hauachinango, Puebla to Mexic
D. F., the 21st of May. 1920, 8 p. n
General of Division, P. Gonzales. Ver
urgent. With pain I inform you froi
creditable sources that to-day at 1 i
the morning, the President of tl
Republic, V. Carranza, was assasinate
by forces of the ex-Federal Rodoli
Herrero at a point called Tlaxcalai
tongo. General. Francisco de P. Mari?
is bringing the body here. Respec
fully, Colonel Lindoro Hernandez."
On this day General Obregon ga?
out a bulletin:
"Very late at night a special me
senger of General Rodolfo Herrero ?
rived in Mexico, his mission being
inform General Obregon that last nig!
General Herrero left a point called 1
Union for Tlaxcalantongo, where Ca
ranza was spending the night. Tl
information sent by General Herre
coincides in all its points with that
the telegrams received from Huacl
nango."
Public opinion ran very high on i
ceipt of the news that the preside
had been assassinated. "?he blacke
rumors were afoot. Everybody in ge
eral were being called traidores a
assassinadoes. A local reporter soug
out General Obregon.
"It is said," explained the report'
"that Se?or Carranza was going almt
alone; that many had abandoned hi
almost all the cadets of the milita
college, as well as some civilians a
not a few soldiers. Is this true?"
Obregon answered:
"What you tell me does not surpri
me, boy. Since I knew that Ser
Carranza had lost with his trains
the treasure he was taking with hi
I considered that those who acco
panied him would abandon him short
Who was there to follow Carranza, n
without treasure?"
Seven Reported Dead
Extras appeared then, saying six
companions of the President had died
with him. Rumor immediately indenti- \
fied these as General Murguia, General i
Barragan, the two Cabreras, Bonillas,
and General Urquizo. These were the
most powerful Carranzistas, the Presi?
dent's closest friends; men to whom he
had given every confidence and oppor?
tunity, several of whom he had per?
mitted to make themselves million?
aires. It was only natural that the sim?
ple opinion of the pubic took it for
granted that these were the men who
had died with their old leader.
The next day, however, arrived a I
telegram signed by most of these very
men and many others. It was addressed
to Gorfzales and Obregon, and was sent
from a little town in the sierra called
Nixaca, late on the night of the crime.
The message read:
"To-day at dawn, in the town of
Tlaxcalantongo was made prisoner and
cowardly assassinated, to the cry of
'Viva Obregon!' the President of the
Republic, Don Venustiano Carranza, by
General Rodolfo Herrero and his mob,
violating the hospitality that had been
froely given them. The signers of this
message protest with all the energy of
their honor and loyalty, before the
world, against this new ?tain on the
patria. Fulfilling the obligation that
our dignity as soldiers and friends de?
mands, of us, we put ourselves at your
disposition, and ask only to be per?
mitted to brin? the body of our chief
to its last resting place in the capital,
supplicating you to order a train for
us in Beristain for this object" Signed,
Juan Barragan, Ignacio Bonillas and
thirty others.
Reply of Obregon
To this Obregon answered:
"It ia very strange that a group of
s?ldier**whof-liko_yott_invoke Joysity
u.? *?*?*' Md who accompanied the
cltiseh Venustlano Ctrranxa with th?
unavoidable obligation of defending
him, have permitted that he be given
to death, without yourselves fulfilling
your duty of defending him to the
point of undergoing the same fate?a
duty all the greater when, as all the
nation knows, you are the very* ones
most responsible for the unfortunate
events that have so moved the country
in the last weeks, and that yesterday
found their lamentable climax in the
???? Venustiano Carranza, a death
that he met abandoned by his friend?
and companions, who did not fulfill
the? duty in the moment of proof,
"On repeated occasions the citizen
Carranza was notified that every sort
of ?guaranty would be given to his per?
son if he was disposed to abandon tho
zone of danger, and he declined to ac?
cept, because undoubtedly he believed
that it would be an act unworthy of a
man of honor to save himself while
leaving his companions in danger. This
act reveals a flash of dignity and 'com
panerisimo' that you could not under?
stand.
"Only the signers of your message
are thirty-one soldiers and one civil?
ian, a number more than enough if you
had known how to fulfill your duty,
to have saved the life of Se?or Car?
ranza, if it was, as you yourself say,
an assassination. I have the right to
suppose that you all fled without using
your arms, since none of you was
even wounded? If you had known how
to die, defending the life of your leader
and friend, who had always for you
so much consideration, you would have
conciliated in part public opinion and
your own consciences, and you would
have freed yourselves from the stain
of having to accept the insult that will
always weigh on you.
"A. OBREGON."
Message Inflames Public
In this bitter and not unfounded at?
tack was already commenced, al?
though no one yet realized its sig?
nificance, the attitude the new govern?
ment was to follow in fixing the re?
sponsibility for the death of the leader
of theold.
With the publication of this message
public opinion ran still higher. Not
only was Herrero a traidor, an assas?
sin and a bandido, but the followers of
Carranza were all "sin verg?enzas"
(people without shame). ?
On this day Obregon announced the
appointment of a commission to pro?
ceed immediately to the scene of the
crime and make a complete report.
This was the first of the commissions
and reports.
Gonzales, chief of the Liberal revo?
lution and army, ordered the immedi?
ate capture of Herrero. These orders
were transmitted to General Jesus
Novoa, the jefe of the sector of the
sierra where Herrero was supposedly
hiding with his men.
The body of the President was ex?
pected to arrive in the capital that
night. The new government gave or?
ders that there would be no public
signs of mourning.
On Monday, the 24th, the body ar?
rived af the Colonia station. Just out?
side the city the train was halted and
the leading Carranzistas, who, if they
could not defend their chief living,
were still following him dead, were
taken off and put under arrest. Gen?
erals Barragan, Murguia, Urquizo, Mon?
tes and Mariel, and Bonillas, Berlanga,
Gil Farias and some others were taken
by automobile to the penitentiary.
Body Taken to Residence
The body of Carranza was taken to
his home and all that day and the next
a crowd of curious filed along before
it. Still nothing definite was made
public concerning the facts of his
death. On this day Adolfo de la Huerta
was designated Provisional President.
Tuesday, however, a reporter who had
been sent by a local newspaper to
meet the body at the little railroad
town of Beristain, on the edge of th?
sierra, published his story. This was
more interesting for what it did not
tell than for what it did. The reporter
went on to Nixaca and described the
arrival there of the homemade coffin
carried down from the mountains
across branches of trees. It was fol?
lowed by fifty or sixty horsemen, th?
remnant of tho Carranzistas. The re?
porter knew many of them personally
He went to one after the other, asking
the simple facts. But already, there or
the dark edge of the mountains, th?
veil of secrecy and evasion had de?
scended.
"Seek Marciano Gonzales," they tole
him. "He is the only one who will
talk."
Gonzales gave the interview used ir
part above, an interview not lacking ir
detail or interest until he arrived a1
the climax, the actual death; when< h(
merely gave a wave of the hand . .
"came confusion, bullets, all. Then yoi
know what happened."
Report of Comi.u.'ion
On Wednesday, the 26th, the repor
of the special co;umission named bj
Gonzales and Obregon to investigate
the "happenings at Tlaxcalantongo'
was made public. These four gentle
men, like the reporter, went only a?
far as the railroad town of Beri3tain
and contented themselves with ques
tioning several of the Carranza escor
when they arrived there with the body
For not proceeding to the actual seen?
oj the crime they gave the followinj
reasons:
"Not only from data given us by th?
declarants, but also from informatioi
given by various neighbors of Beristaii
we arrived at the certainty that th?
event had happened at half-past thre?
in a night extremely dark and rainy
This reason, added to credible infor
mation that none of the few inhabitant
of Tlaxcalantongo knew anything abou
the affair precisely because of th
time it took place, and, finally, the con
viction that we would not be able t?
examine Herrero nor his people be
cause they had fled, made us decid
not to go to Tlaxcalontongo, becaus
such a trip would be useless, as w
could not constitute ourselves there a
a judicial authority, with gun expert
and all other means necessary to stud;
the case."
Death Is Pictured
However, the commission gave s
"well proved" the facts set forth abov
concerning the meeting of the Cai
ranzistas with Herrero, his dispositio
of the huts, the advance guards, th
arrival of two Indians at 3 in th
morning within the hut of Carranzi
and as Point 9: "A half-hour aftei
ward the. people of Herrero, In com?
plete silence, attacked the hut fro? ?11
5*?!* "??Hing in the wounding of
Se?or Carra?a? by the fiiret shot?.
The attackers of the hut numbered be?
tween twenty and twenty-ftve. Se?or
Carranza said that he could not get up
because his leg was broken and asked
Io. ??handed his carabina to defend
himself, i On concluding these words
a second discharge caused his immedi?
ate death."
_ The report gives no hint aa to where
this second discharge came from, nor
who fired it. It gavve as Point 10: "All
ruBhed out of the hut. Those who
were in other huts did the same. There
reigned frightful ?-?confusion. The
people of Herrero, with Herrero him?
self at their head, made many prison?
ers and took them to a place four
leagues away. They made four or six
of these prisoners sign a paper saying
that Se?or Carranza had 'committed
suicide, menacing them with guns in
hand. Then they w?re all let free.
The paper was dictated by Se?or
Berlanga and written by Se?or
Fontes."
The report ended with the judgment
of the committee that "a trial in all
form should be opened to make clear
the exact responsibility of all the
people of both sides; that is to say,
the people of Herrero and the defend?
ers of Mr. Carranza."
Message by Obregon
The following day General Obregon
sent a communication to the C?mara
(Congress) that said:
"A case so extraordinary and un?
usual as- the death of the Citizen Ve
nuatiano Carranza T?as not been ex?
pressly foreseen by our laws; further?
more, its importance demands the
highest grade of scrupulousness and
impartiality in its investigation. All
of which induces me to suggest very
respectfully to this high Federal Con?
gress the necessity of naming a mag?
istrate df the Supreme Court of Jus?
tice of the Nation, who, with such per?
sonnel as he judges convenient, shall
proceed to the investigation of the
fact?,"
And so was appointed another com?
mission to render another report.
On this day also arrived in Mexico
City the doctor who had performed
the autopsy. He came to present to
the daughters of the dead President
the intestines of their father, which
he brought in a glass jar, and a bill
for 10,000 pesos. He explained that
the reason his certificate of autopsy
was "deficient" was "due to the fact
that the generals appeared at the time
to fear a second attack and made him
work with unusual rapidity."
On Friday General Calles had a long?
distance telephone conversation with
Herrero i? the mountajns of Pa
pantla, and Herrero's story was made
public in detail. He said that his
forces attacked the town of Tlaxcalan
tongo and met with but weak resist?
ance; that a picket of soldiers fired
into the hut where Carranza was sleep?
ing and wounded him in the leg, so
that he could not escape. All those
who were in the hut with the Presi?
dent fled, and he, seeing himself aban?
doned, took his revolver and shot him?
self three times in the chest, from
which he died almost instantly.
Interview With Doctor
On this same day the autopsy doctor
gave an interview to the one of the
papers that was evidently not con?
sidered important, as it was buried
in a corner of an inner page. But her?
the doctor said that from his studj
of the wounds he concluded that the
first shot was fired from a window ir
the hut and struck Carranza in the lefi
thigh from the back, as he lay on hii
right side with his face toward th?
wall. That in trying to get up h<
changed his position, trying to sit up
Then it was that the three other shoti
were fired into him, from directly ii
front and at a very short distance
From which he inferred that the as
sassins entered the hut to finish thei
repugnant crime.
On Saturday it was made publi
that Herrero was en route to the Cit;
of Mexico to testify freely to hi?
story of suicide. No mention of any
thing like his arrest was ever mach
from the first day that General Gon
zales gave the order to capture him.
It was also made public that th
Carranzista prisoners had been movei
from the penitentiary to the Militar;
Prison of Santiago and that they wer
being held without bail.
On Sunday the papers had anothe
absorbing item. The plague ha>
broken out in Vera Cruz. The whol
republic was menaced. A deadly fea
clutched the people .of Mexico. Car
ranza was forgotten. On this day ap
peared but one story concerning hi
death. But ?hat story was significan'
Its heading was "Tiene Partidarios 1
Version del Suicidio del Sr. Carranza.
A Dr. Millan announced he was writ
ing a thesis on this hypothesis. It wa
to be a "scientific work," explainin
that it was very probable Carranz
committed suicide.
Plague Reports Continue
On Monday there was more of th
plague, nothing of Carranza; mue
about the new President. De la Huert
had arrived.
On Wednesday came the great pai
ade of all the revolutionary elemente
through the city. On this day Bonilla
Farias and some other of the Carrar
zista prisoners were set free.
On Sunday, after daily reports c
his advance from one city to anothe
Herrero arrived in the capital. H
gave his" same story of the deserte
Carranza shooting himself three time
in the chest. He announced that h
had not only a signed paper to pro\
it, but Carranza's revolver as well.
On Monday Farias was interviewe
by the press. He was asked, "Whf
have you to say concerning the stat?
ment of Herrero that Se?or Carram
committed suicide?" and he answerec
"I can't answer that question. Loj
ally and honorably I declare to yo
that not one of us who were in th
hut took account of the form in whic
th? death of the jefe occurred. Tr
obscurity of the night and the rapidil
of the attack made it so that we toe
account of nothing."
Inquiry Is Announced
On Tuesday it was announced th;
Generals Barragan, Murguia, Urquiz
Monten- and Mariel, together with tl
civilian Berlanga, would be held f<
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"7 ? ' ??*?*?? -v
La Follette Is
For 3d Party;
May Lead It
Senator and G. ?. Roe, of
'48' Committee, Confer;
Will Give Aid Only to
Permanent7 Machine
Single Taxers Revolt
Delegates in Chicago Assert
They Will Quit Plan if
Wisconsin Man Is Named
Special Dispatch to The Tribune
MADISON, Wis., July 8.?After a
conference with representatives of the
"Forty-eighters" on his farm near here i
this afternoon Senator. Robert M. La
Follette is reported to have said that
he would be willing to head a third
party, providing he can be assured that
there is a public demand to insure the
continued progress of a third party
movement.
Gilbert E. Roe, of New York, of the
Committee of Forty-eight and a former
law partner of La Follette, has beec
in Madison several days as the guest
of the Senator. It is believed that
Roe is in a position to carry to the
"Forty-eigrrters" Chicago convention a
message setting forth La Follette's at?
titude toward the proposed party.
George L. Record and Amos Pinchot,
also of the Committee of Forty-eight,
arrived this afternoon^for a conference.
While the Senator refused to make
a statement, those close to him believe
that these are his views. He is not in
favor of a futile campaign which can?
not hope for immediate success and
which might go to pieces immediately
after the election. He wants a per
manent aggressive organization in the
field if an independent movement is
to be attempted.
Prepares Editorial on Candidates
He wishes those engaged in it to be
resolved to continue their efforts in
successive campaigns without disinte?
gration or-without merger with the old
parties. Senator La Follette is now
preparing an editorial for his maga- i
zine, which will be issued next week, '
in which he will discuss for the first
time the nominations of the Repub?
licans and the Democrats. He -has
just returned from Rochester and has
been ordered to remain quiet for six
weeks.
CHICAGO, July 8.?Plans of a group
of liberal and radical organizations for
one united third party, with candidates
for President and Vice-ftwsid?* lit
the field, receive a sctkacfc to-day
when Sine le Tax party member? an?
nounced they would not support S*?
tor Robert M. La Follette, who is ejp
pected to be the cb?oi(se of too ?StWf
groups. , v
The Single Taaers, who arrived to?
day to prepare for their convention
which opens Saturday, declared they
would bolt the eombine end nominate
a separate ticket if the majority chote
La Follette. La Follette bos received'?
majority of a mail straw vote of toe
party.
The convention of the Committee of
Forty-eight opens Saturday, sad ?an
Sunday the Labor Party of the United
States, another prospective member of
the proposed third party combination,
meets here. The National Ncnpartissm
League, Triple Alliance of the North?
west, National People's League bt
Minnesota, World War Veterans and
National Public Ownership League
have been invited to send fraternal
delegates to the conventions end't?tfcr.
indorse the platform and candidates.
Can't Stand La Follette
Jerome C. Reis, single tax commit
teeman from Pennsylvania, announced
that the single taxers would accept the
Committee of Forty-eight's invitation
to attend the third party convention,
but would leave if they were unable ?ta
prevent the selection of La Follette is
standard bearer.
"The Committee of Forty-eight has
a most wonderful opportunity to create
the long-looked-for new political party
in America," he said, "but La FoltetfS
ism will certainly be the wrong policy
to follow. I do not believe there is one
delegate to the Single Tax party eoOvee
tion who would stand for ?La Follette,
and I am sure that those from my own
State are against him to a man. La.
Pollette's entire political history is re?
plete with the paternalistic or even
socialistic legislation which the Single
Tax party unalterably opposes.'
Plans for the Committe? of Forty
eight convention went ahead, however,
unaffected apparently by the threat of
the single-taxers. J. A. H. Hopkins,
national chairman, opened headquar?
ters in a downtown hotel, where th?
convention will be held,, and several
score of delegates from a number at
states reported.
"We are delighted with the new
party's prospects," Mr. Hopkins said.
"We have a far more powerful nucleus
for a fighting organization than the
Progressive party had in 1912. Our
strength is coming from Democrats es
well as Republicans. For the flret
^time since the Civil War there will be
*a break in the Solid South."
Sympathizers of the "Irish republic"
among third party men let it be know?
to-night that a plank favorable to the
Irish cause would be submitted for in?
corporation in the platform of tho
committee of forty-eight. A ques?
tionnaire sent to 2.100 members of the
committee, according to an announce?
ment, showed sentiment against ref?
erence to the Irish question.
Announcement was made to-day that
the Republican faction, represented ?by
Mayor Thompson, had abandoned the
idea of joining a third party move1
ment in Illinois.
a preliminary investigation. It was
said that "military authorities will be
charged with the duty of clearing up
the tragic events of Tlaxcalantongo."
The next day appeared an interesting
item, small, onlv a few lines. It said
that the daughter of Carranza had re?
fused to pay the autopsy doctor 10,000
pesos for his services, so he had turned
to General Obregon, who had "satisfied
him" with 6,500 pesos. The doctor re?
turned that day to Nexaca.
This was the day that the actual
Diligencias to "Esclarecer la Muerte
del Se?or Carranza" began. They be
"gan with the designation of the civil
judge, instead of a military one, as
had been announced, to hear the pro?
ceedings ? a Licenciado Roman ? the
judge of the 3d District Court. The
six Carranzistas were named as de?
fendants and Herrero as witness for
the state.
On Thursday, June 10, the actual trial
commenced. Herrero gave his story
in a private statement of three hours.
The statements of the Carranzista
generals were then taken. They ad?
mitted, mosA of them, that on hearing
the sound of shooting they had made
no effort to get to their menaced lead?
er, but had, instead, hidden in neigh?
boring ravines until the excitement was
over. They denied that they could be
held responsible for his death.
During the "careo" of Herrero with
the Carranzistas the lawyer for Gen?
eral Murjruia asked Herrero how he
could explain the singular circum?
stance that in such an attack as he
described Carranza was the onlv man
out of six in the hut who was hit.
Herrero answered that he could not
explain this singular circumstance.
The following day Barragan, Mur
guia, Montes and Urquizo were for?
mally declared responsible for the
death of Carranza, and all others in?
volved were set free.
Next week they will be brought for?
mally to trial on the second charge,
on which they are held, that of making
away with funds belonging to the na?
tion. But when they will be actually
tried for the death has never been an?
nounced.
In the mean time the version of
suicide stands unrefuted. Did Car?
ranza, tasting in those few last minutes
the bitterness of the desertion that,
was indeed his, kill himself? Or was
he killed? And if so, how, and by
whom? And by whose orders? Under
whose protection? v\
These are questions that may newer
be answered. But the asking of tiseari
starts long, long thoughts. ''T.lfe
Convention Delegate Hurt
SAN FRANCISCO. July 8.?Colonel
J. S. Padgett, of Walterboro, S. C,
vice-chairman of the South Carolin?
delegation to the Democratic National
Convention, is suffering from concus?
sion of the brain and probably a frac?
tured skull as a result of being hjt 6y .
a street car.
sH ?tes
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