Omaha daily bee., 1897-09-25
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
Police Officer Who Killed Assassin Arroyo
Commits Suicide.
BLOWS OUT HIS BRAINS WITH A REVOLVER
Found Dead in His Cell by the Warden of
the Prison.
URGED TO DEED BY A BROTHER oFflc; r
Leaves Letter in Which he Makes a
Statement to the Public.
ED TO DEED BY A BROTHER offlC; R
OWES SATISFACTION TO THE PioPLt
Loyalty to President Dinx ImpcIlcd
Him to Siny ArroyO-Dead
OHicer II Brilliant and
Able Man.

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 24.-Ex-Inspector
General of Police Eduardo Velasquez, at the
early age of 80 years, lies tonight corr Sc,
having taken his life in Belem prison at
about half past 8 o'clock. The inspector
blew his brains out with revolver. He
was proud, exceedingly reserved, rarely being
known to smile and very ambitious his rise
from a humble position through various
posts to the command of the police having
been sufficiently rapid to attract attention
to him a man Of great talent.
Since the alleged lynching plot was eX-
posed and he with other police i'm
prisoned he has shown marked change,
being extremely retcent and evidently suf-
fering from a nervous strain. He was sub
jected yesterday to a long examination by
Judge Flores and at the conclusion, on his
return to his room in the prison. 1t was
noted he showed great detection and anguish
of mind. He had always been in the habit
OF retiring late, and in prison kept up his
custom, retiring about O'clock except
when his presence required by the
Judge Last night he retired late, and at
IL o'clock this morning the warden of the
prison went to call him. The warden wen:
to the bedside of Velasquez and said in a
friendly tone, as he knew the prisoner WELL
well, my boy it is time to get up. The
Judge wants you. ReCeVlDg no answer, ne
began to shake the inspector saying:
Don't be lazy" when he noted that Velas-
quez had a bullet wound in the right tenn
pie, and on investigation found a small,
wo-barreled pistol, with which the act had
been computed The weapon was a small
one. The muzzle of the pistol had been
placed so close to the temple and pressed
into the skin that 1t practically made no
noise on being discharged, hence the reason
of no report being heard by the guards.
How the pistol reached the prisoner is under
investigation, and a certain prisoner is sus-
pected. The body lay in perfectly natural
position, one arm thrown across the body,
and the eyes We're closed and the face per-
fectly tranquil
AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED.
The warden Immediately notified the ju-
dlcial authorities, who went at once to the
room of the suicide and summoned medical
men. Judge Flores remarked he had given
the strictest orders to prevent Velasquez at
tempting suicide; that he had carefully
watched him and every precauton was taken
to keep weapons from him. AT first the au-
thorities were inclined to censure Colonel
Campuzo, the warden. During the afternoon
relatives of the dead man were allowed to
enter the prison, which had been closed to
the public. The doctors have concluded the
examination and found that death must
have been instantaneous, the bullet being
embedded in the brain Judging by the tenn
perature of the stomach the physicians came
to the conclusion that the act must nave
been committed about half past this morn
tng. The body was dressed and delivered to
relatives.
"A letter was found in the room in which
Velasquez made his statement to the pub
lie, saying his death was, he felt, the salts
faction he owed to society and he should
therefore give that satisfaction by leaving
the world. He also said that the crime was
suggested to him by Inspector Vilivlcencio,
of the second police district, who is in
prison. Vclasquez added that under any
other circumstances, not having been high
official authority nothing could have induced
him to take part in the crime He felt, 1t
is said, that his loyalty to the chief magis-
trate whose life had been attempted war
ranted him in putting Arroyo to death. In
fact he said this repeatedly yesterday on
being questioned. 1t is generally felt by his
friends that Villivicencio was his evil star,
having from the time Velasquez became chief
had a great influence over him, though he
was warned by those who had his welfare at
heart to beware of the man.
Velasquez had a very large acquaintance,
having been employed after leaving college
in the Department of Finance and was secre-
tary to the minister of finance. At one time
he was connected with the newspaper El
Combate, and had at an early age been
elected to congress He had effected many
reforms during his incumbency as inspector.