The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-05-03

rage KiIled-PreSident Alights
from Carriage and Return on Foot
to His Rcsidence-Nany suspects
Arrestcd-Third Attempt on Life OF
President OF Guatemala.
Guatemala City, Guatemala, April g
Estrada Cabrera. president OF Gua-
temala, narrowly escaped assassination
today. He left his private residence
at 7:3O in the morning for his CUSTOM
airy drive. accompanied by hi staff.
While passing along Seventh avenue,
between 18th and 18th streets an eX-
DlOsion, at first supposed TO haye been
caused by a bomb, occurred, killing
the horses attached to the presidential
carriage, wounding the coachm2n and
injuring several staff officers, including
General Orellana, the chief of staff.
The president. who was uninjured,
displayed great presence Of mind.
Alighting from the carriage he inspect
ed the surroundings and then returned
on foot to his residence.
A careful examination showed that
the explosion had been caused, not by
& bomb. but by a mine. The C0Hsplr-
ators dug a tunnel from II Of a group
Of houses rented by a man named Ra-
fael ROdil, placed explosives under the
roadway and connected them by a
wire with a battery in Rodil's house
and from there discharged the mine.
Many suspects have been arrested, hut
If is not known whether the wCu'd-be-
assassins are among them.
The president has received many
congratulatory messages on his escape.
Peace prevails throughout Guetamala
and the government officials Soy hey
lave the situation we'll unde~ control.
Cabrera was elected president SEP
TENDER 9, 1898. an d in March, 1905, he
assumed the presidency for a second
torn. He was said to be very lnpop-
ular, was reported to have been shot at
and wounded in April. 1905 and The
following month it vas again runlored
that an attempt had been made to
assassinate him. Later it was stated
that the president had been accident
ally shot in the leg.
In May, 1906. revolution broke out
against the administrator of President
Cabrera and Guatemala was invaded
by the revolutionists from four points.
After a series of encounters in Which
the regular troops of Salvador took
part and were joined later by the arm
ed forces of Honduras the good Offices
of the United States were accepted by
the belligerents, hostilities ceased and
a treaty of peace between Guatemala,
Salvador and Honduras was signed
July 20, on board the United States
cruiser Marblehead, off San Jose, Qua
temala. :
Caberara is declared to have ruled
despotically and to have never appear
ed in public without ar armed guard.
Washington, April 30.-Ambassador
Creel, of Mexico, and Assistant Secre~
tary of State Bacon today conferred at
length concerning the situation in
Guatemala. Advices received in Wash
inston and Mexico City agree on the
point that affairs are approaching a
crisis in Guatemala and any moment
there may be an uprising which the
present administration there will be
unable to control. The assassination
of former G~uatema1an president, Bar
rillas in Mexico; the attempt on the
life Of President Estrada Cabrera in
Guatemala City, and the alleged anti
Mexican and anti-American feeling that
has been engendered in the Cabrera
government have caused complications
IN Central American politics which, it
is believed here must be handled ty a
frmer hand than can be found in Qua
temala. Indications of an uprising
against the Cabrera government are
giving the United States and Mexico
some concern as a revolutionary move
ment now probably would embrOil the
whole republic in conflict. 1t is believ-
ed here that an agreement will be
reached between the two countries bv
which Mexico, with her troops already
on the border, will police Guatemala
Just as the United States policed Near
aqua and Honduras in the recent war
between those countries.