The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-17
AFFAGil]E{|,azss's
Wtsb'fzzS
MeXicO'S Independence Day
Marked by An Attempted
Assassination.
NO DAMAGE IS DONE.
The Programme for the Day
Carried on Without a
Change.
pR0RTEM 0E low SUVER
PROBLEM OF Low SILVER
Most Important Portion of
the Presidents Message
to Congress Devot-
ed to 1t.

CITY OF MEXICO, Sept. 16.-Ignacio
Anulfoa, violent character, assaulted
President Diaz today during the mill
tary procession. The man was felIed
by cane insthe hands Of a companion
of the president and was Immediately
| taken into custody by the authorities.
The central thoroughfares of this city
extending from the Great Plaza to Ala
media, or the public park, and known
by various names, were thronged by
thousands Of people this morning, as
sembled to see the military procession,
usual on Independence day, pass by.
The sidewalks, balconies and house.
tops were crowded with people and res
licences were profusely adorned with
the national colors. Gendarmes, lining
both sides of the street. kept the crowd
from pressing in the open space
through which passed the various
bodies of civic and federal marchers,
on the way to take part in the public
exercises at the Alameda, after which
the military parade was to march
through the same street on it's way to
the national palace to be reviewed by
President Diaz
The scene was picturesque in the ex-
| treme, the historic avenue called by
George Augustus Sala one of the fa-
nous streets of the world, being all
aglow with color, and the Spanish-fash-
Toned balconies filled with ladies' After
| short wait the murmur ran through
| the crowd that the president was COM
| ing on foot, dressed in the uniform of
general Of division. The presi-
dent, bowling right and left to the ap-
plauding crowds, came, Immediately
| hnh ind H0;.
| governor of the national palace. who
served in the same capacity under En-
peror Maximillian. Following them
were other officers, cabinet ministers.
| etc.
o. SUDDEN DISTURBANCE.
Suddenly. near the Alameda, there
was disturbance in the crowd on the
sidewalk and a we'll built, muscular
man with flowing black hair and mus
tache forced his way by tremendous
effort past the gendarmes and soldiers
and jumped between the president and
Gen. Pradillo and the chief of staff.
Monasterio. and dealt a blow at the
back of the presidents neck But the
violence Of the blow was diminished
by the fact that he was crowded be-
tween the president and officers. The
president turned around and caught
sight Of his assailant and resumed his
| march with admirable coolness
Meantime Chief of Staff Mcnasterio
hit the man with a cane The assaiI-
ant turned, seized the cane and broke
! it. Gen. PradilIo then hit him a pow
erful blow on the neck Telling him.
The gendarmes rushed forward and
some mounted officers and police seized
and pinioned him. He was taken
| through a side street and led away the
people shouting: Give him to us, we
| will hang him. But the gendarmes
succeeded in keeping their prisoner,
being reinforced by cavalrymen, the
great crowd shouting and running be-
hind. The man was taken into the
palace and stripped, but no weapon
was found on his person He was
taken to the city hall, securely bound.
and placed in solitary confinement
after being questioned by the officers.
He has often been employed in a no
tary's office as clerk, and is said by
the chief of police to have a record as
man of violent habits, given to drink
and quarrelSome. Various stories are
told regarding his design on the presi-
dent. one theory being that he was
armed with dagger, as many police
believe. but If so he must have thrown
1t away, as no weapon was found on
him.
INTENDED HARM.
IL seems almost certain that he in
tended harm, for at the moment of
dealing the blow he used opprobious
terms and was most maniacal The
president, on returning to the palace,
was cheered by the crowds and an
immense crowd assembled in front Of
the palace cheering, shouting and call
ing for the president.
President Diaz took the matter very
calmly, and advised that the man be
kept in custody until tomorrow and be
brought before him to explain his
move, apparently believing that the
man had no murderous intent, but the
demands the deepest investigation, and
they counseled his being turned over
to the military tribunal, as he had
assaulted their Communicated
while un uniform.
1t is variously reported tonight that
Anulfoa will be tried by court martial,
and also that he will be handed over
to the civil authorities.
Gen. Powell Clayton, the United
States minister, Immediately called
upon President Diaz and offered his
congratulations, as did other diplo-
mats and many other prominent peo-
pie. There is no doubt that if Anulfoa
had fallen into the hands of the peo-
pie he would have been torn to pieces,
so intense was the rage Of the people.
Some think the aSsailant merely made
the assault for the effect of gaining
notoriety, having read the accounts of
the assassination of Canovas.
CONGRESS CONVENED.
President Diaz opened congress this
1sevening, reading his message covering
the period since April. Referring to-