The Opelousas courier., 1891-08-08
A MILITARY EXECUTION,
THE FATE OF A YOUNG OFFICER
IN MEXICO.
Shot to Death for Drawing a Pistol
Upon His Superior Officer-"Shoot
Straight at My Heart"

Straight at My Heart"
The following particulars Of the recent
execution of Lieutenant Estuperron, a
young Mexican officer, are given by a
Times Democrat correspondent: Monterey
and the State of Nuevo Leon has been
the theatre of many military tragedies,
but the shooting of Salvador Estuperron,
second lieutenant of the Mexican Cav
airy, was the saddest that has ever dark
ened the annals of the State. Abrief
history of the event which led to this
mornings execution is necessary to a
proper understanding of the case. Last
December a company of the Thirteenth
Regular Cavalry was ordered to do
special duty at Cadereyta, a small town
on the Gulf road. The company was in
command of a first lieutenant and the de-
ceased. A dispute arose between the
officers, and Lieutenant E~stuperron fear
ing, as his friends say, that his life was in
danger, drew his pistol, but did not
shoot at his superior. 1t is claimed that
he snapped the pistol, but it missed fire.
For this offense he was placed under ar
rest and tried by a general court-martial
and sentenced TO death.
There were ~extenuating circumstances
admitted, and the case was carried to
the highest Federal courts. Pending
decision the first officer of the company
was shot dead in the portals at Mon
terey by one of the soldiers, and the
soldier, while yet the smoke was
curling from his weapon, was shot
down by the captain of the company.
Whether these deaths affected the par
doning power or not will never be
known, but the finding of the court was
approved, and powerful personal appeals
by persons intimately associated with
President Diaz were %unavailing. The
death warrant was signed and carried in
to execution. That the officer was ad-
mired by the people and dearly loved in
his regiment was well known by the au-
thorities, as the precautions taken by the
commandment of the department were
ample proof.
The time of the shooting was kept a
profound secret until the night before the
execution. The cathedral clock chimed
four. There was a sharp bugle call, a
hurrying of mastering feet, quick COM
mands and rapid evolutions and in a few
moments the garrison fell into line. The
gate in the rear of the barracks was
opened, and the Thirteenth Cavalry in
full marching order on foot, issued forth,
followed By their band with mufied in
struments. The Fifth Cavalry followed,
and then the Fifth Infantry. They
formed a square, three sides of which
consisted of the representative regiments.
The fourth was the wall of the barracks.
The general commanding the department
and staff took up a position in the centre.
When the troops halted the commanding
officer called, "Attention?" ttFix
bayonets!" He then announced the sem
tence. and added
eff any man moves in the ranks or
gives any expression of sympathy with
the prisoner or fault with the sentence
he shall be committed to prison from one
to five years, depending on the gravity of
the offense."
The silence as of death fell upon the
soldiers and the few spectators who were
allowed to be present. Altar off the
church bell tolled the knell for the dy-
ing. The early sun just gilded the
mountain peaks that rise like giant senti-
nels around the historic city, and ones
thoughts went back to the dull gray
morning long ago, when an American
soldier knelt upon his coffin and met a
bloody death almost on the same spot.
Great white Wreaths circled the higher
hills. It is now AS. From out of the
gate issued a company of the Thirteenth,
at its head a prisoner, and by his side a
priest. With a firm tread and a proudly
lifted head he marched, never faltering
or hating, but with a bright smile upon
his face, he looked the least concerned
OF the party. He halted at a small
marked elevation twenty feet from the
barracks wall. His company fled past
and formed in front, four lines deep.
I've lines advanced, halted, aud one
still! advanced. There were six men in
each line. The firing party thus con-
sisted of SIX men in the front line within
ten feet of the prisoner, and the second
line within fifteen feet. The other two
lines formed a reserve. The death knell
toiled and the clock struck 5. The off
Ger advanced to bandage the eyes of the
prisoner, but the latter waived the Off
Ger aside and said:
II have looked too often in the face
of death to fear him now"
lit shall be as you wish" said the
captain, as he took his place at the left
of the firing party. Taxing off his hat
the prisoner surveyed the assembled
troops, looked once at the suu-tipped
hills, and said to the firing party:
stShoot straight for my heart, but do
not strike my face. Adieu,o And
bringing his hands to the position of
.tattention,n he awaited the end. There
was a slight fash of the captains sword.
The guns came to, sReadyf' Another
fash. "Aim!" The blade drops. SIX
sheets of flame dart toward the prisoner,
who sprang into the air with three bull
lets in his heart. The surgeon took
his wrist. The captain gave a quick
command, a soldier stepped from the
ranks, aud placing his rifle to the pris-
oner's head, fred. In less than fifty
seconds from the drop of the sword
Lieutenant Estuperron was dead. The
bugles sounded. The troops fled past
the body; it was put into a coffin and
the grim tragedy was Overland as
brave a mar as ever buckled on a sword
had crossed to the 'sbiyouac of the
dead