El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-20
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statement, the information having been
given to him conf1dentially.
Mexican's Explanation.
A prominent Mexican of chihuahua
the other day was asked what in his
Iopinion was the nature of the disease
that was threatening the life of Presi-
| dent Diaz.
He pointed meaningly to his fore
head and shrugged his shoulders.
Is Diaz Insane?
A letter from Mexico City published
in the Kansas City Journal says:
President Diaz will never rule Mex
leo again. said a prominent army Off
Ger and a close friend of the president,
today, for he is insane and the doc
tors have no hope of his recovery
| Rumors of a like nature have been
rife in the city ever since the president
hurriedly left the capital two months
ago without giving any official notice
of his departure. It is now pretty gen
orally believed he was hurried out of
the city by those close to him to keep
from the public the fact that his mind
was badly affected. To lull suspicion
it was given out that he had gone to
the wilds of the state of Guerrero on
a hunting trip. There were those who
remarked that it was strange that the
president should go on a second hunt
ing trip when he had but recently re-
turned from one. Shortly after the de-
parture of the presidential party for
Guerrero it was whispered that the
president was not well. Then came
the report that he was dangerously
ill. and few days later it began to be
| whispered around the city that he was
4 insane.
The gloom was lifted from the city,
however, some three weeks ago, when
it was reported that the president had
completely recovered and that he was
on his way back. to the city. But he
never reached here. Instead he went
to the fashionable winter resort, Cuer-
navaca, few hours ride from the cap
ital, where he was received by the gov
ernor of the state, in whose house he
has been ever since. There only physi-
clans and his family and very intimate
friends have been permitted to see him.
1t appears from reports that it was
decided to bring the president back to
the capital, but that he showed such
a decided dislike to returning there
| that it was decided to take him to Cuer
| navaca.
The presidents malady takes the
| form OF great dread that some one is
going to kill him. and he believes that
assassins are hidden in his winter res
idence here. the castle Of Chapultepec.
One of the doctors attendant upon
General Diaz said couple of days ago
that the old man appears quite child
ish, and that the strong will that made
a nation out of disorganized con-
Iglomeration of states peopled by rob-
bers. cut threats and political intrig-
uers, has completely broken down and
left the old man as helpless as child.
All there is left of his former strong
self is his obstinate refusal to come
back to Chapultepec.
The Origin of the Presidents Men
tai Trouble.
A member of the legislature, and
man who has been in close touch with
the president for years, said this week:
1.-The present malady of General Diaz
commenced to show itself in slight &C.
|centricities some three or four years
ago, when an attempt was made upon
his life by a drunken sailor named Ar
royo. At the time the general public
attached no great Importance to this
incident. nor did they think the presi-
dent did. But the event had a signi
ficance which the public did not see.
for Arroyo was but the tool in the hand
of others who wished to get Diaz out of
the way so that another prominent Off
cial might become president"
The incident referred to took place
four years ago. The president and his
party were walking at the head of the
annual procession in honor of the Sep
TENDER victories of the Mexican army.
when Arroyo rushed through the crowd
knife in hand, and ATTEMPTED to stab
the president: but before he could ac-
complish his object he was knocked
down by one of the guard. He was at
once secured and taken to the city
hall. where he was to remain in Gus
tody over night. Why he was taken
there instead of to police headquarters
has remained a mystery. AS he was
very violent he was put in straight
jacket.
That night band of masked men en-
tered the room where the prisoner lay
and stabbed him to death shortly be-
fore midnight. with score of wounds
two of which went through the body.
The doors were broken and the hall
generally badly treated.
Shortly afterward the alarm was
given that mob had entered the city
hall and killed Arroyo in revenge for
his attack upon the president
This story was accented by the press
the next day But there were many
SuSniciOuS circumstances connected
with the affair which raised questions
on the part of the press. An fnvesti-
CATION which followed showed that the
unfortunate prisoner had been stabbed
as he lay in his straiehtiacket by a
band of police disguised as rurales