The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-25
ONE OF ARROYO'S SSLAYERS
LOYALTY TO DIAZ LED HIM INTO
THE PLOT.
VILLA WCENCIO WAS HIS EVIL STAR
On His Advice VeIasquez Participated in Crime
of lynching the Woud-be Assassin
Young and Ambitious, of Great Tai
emf and MANY Friends.
ent and Many Friends.

City of Mexico, Sept. Inspec-
tor General of Police, Eduardo Velas-
quez, committed suicide in Belem prison
to-day. He was 81 years old The in
spector blew his brains out with re-
yolyer. He was proud man, exceeding
ihgly reserved, and very ambitious, his
rise from an humble position through
various posts TO the command of the
police having been sufficiently rapid to
attract attention to him as a man of
great talent.
Since the alleged lynching plot was ex-
posed and he, with other police, was
imprisoned, he has suffered from an in
tense nervous strain. He was subjected
yesterday to long examination by
| Judge Flores, and at the conclusion of
that ordeal. on his return to his room in
| the prison, it was noted he showed great
detection and anguish OF mind.
| rat IL o'clock this morning the warden
Of the prison went TO call him. He ap-
| preached the bed and said in friendly
| tone, as he knew the prisoner well;
| .Come, my boy, it's time TO get up: the
Judge wants you.
Receiving no answer, he began to
| shake the Inspector. saying don't be
j lazv,H when he noted that Velasquez
had a bullet wound in the right temple
and OH investigating further, discovered
a small. two barrelled pistol with which
the act had been committed The mlz-
zle of the pistol had been placed SO
close to the temple and pressed into
the skin that it 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.
The warden Immediately notified the
judicial authorities, who went at once
to the room of the suicide and summon
ed medical men.
During the afternoon relatives of the
dead man were allowed to enter the
prison. which had been closed to the
public. The doctors had concluded the
examination and had found that death
must have been instantaneous, the bull
let being imbeddcd in the brain
The body was dressed and delivered
to the relatives.
\ letter was found in the room, in
which Velasquez made his statements
to the public, saying his death was, he
felt, the satisfaction he owed to So
ciety He also said that the crime was
suggested to him by Inspector Villa
Nicencio, of the Second Police Distria
who is in prison. Velasquez added that
under other circumstances, not having
been high official in authority, nothing
could have induced him to take part in
the crime. He felt, it is said, that his
loyalty to the chief magistrate, whose
life had been attempted, warranted him
in putting Arroyo to death.
In fact, he said this repeatedly yester-
day, on being questioned. 1t is gener-
ally felt by his friends that Villa Vicen-
clio was his evil star, having, from the
time Velasquez became chief of police,
gained remarkable influence over him,
although he was warned by those who
had his welfare at heart to beware of
the man.
Velasquez had very large acauaint-
ance, having been employed after leav-
ing college, in the Department of Fin
ance, and was Secretary to the Minister
OF Finance. At one time he was con-
nected with the newspaper FL Combate,
and had at an early age been elected to
Congress. He had effected many re-
forms during his incumbency as inspec-
tor.