The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-27
Exodus Is in Bitter Con- trast to the Once "Iron
 Man of Mexico"
DE LA BARRA TAKES
 OATH AS PRESIDENT
No Word Heard From Fugitive-Is Believed He Will Make Home in Spain-Madero's Popu-
 larity Is Growing

Mexico City, May 26-Porfirio Diaz, for fwhom during 30 years all Mexico has tstood to one side hat in hand, stole from fhe capital with great secrecy at o'clock fthis morning. Only few devoted friends lwhom he dared to trust followed him to hthe station. He was bound for Vera lCruz to take ship for Spain. In the dis ifance could be heard voices of few of Ithe more enthusiastic celebrants who were still acclaiming the new president Francisco L. De La Barra, and shouting sViva Madero."
 So carefully were the arrangement made for the ex-president's escape that details could not be confirmed until this afternoon. Secrecy was due less to ap- lprehension of 8 popular outburst here than to a desire to reach Vera Cruz without the fact being known to maraud- Ing bands along the route.
 Travel between this city and the sea port usually is over the Mexican rail- road, standard guage line with modern equipment. Rails along this route, how ever. frequently have been removed Of late by bandits who were determined that Diaz, for reasons best known to them selves. should not leave the capital They are reported to have harbored the idea that Diaz would follow the precedent Of other Latin-American presidents and carry the national funds with him.
 There is another railroad to the coast, a narrow guage affair. owned by the gov ernment. Taking 1t for granted that Diaz would take the more luxurious route, the bands have not molested it. For this reason it was chosen by the expresident for his trip
 No News From Diaz
 The general should have reached Vera Cruz during the afternoon. but whether he has done so is not generally known. Newspaper correspondents at Vera Cruz long since gave up attempts to transmit information over the federal lines par ticularly when their information had to do with news which the government wished to remain unpublished.
 Presumably De La Barra and the higher governmental officials have been informed but their lips are sealed on every detail. Even Americans high In authority with the road have been impressed with the necessity for maintaining silence.
 senor De La Barra, who was inaugu- rated as provisional president only today, II is realized has not yet had leisure to bring about the reforms of free speech and liberty of the press,' which have been among the lou6est of the triumphant l. insurrection war cries.
 General Diaz, still feeble from his ill., ness and far from being well man. left his home at o'clock in the morning. A more dreary leave taking could scarcely be imagined. Rain had fallen earlier In the night and by the time the ex-pres- ident emerged from his house a Novem- Der chill was in the air. He was closely nluffled and to aid in the disguise bof rowed automobile was used. The route } the San Lazaro station had been mapT l out over unfrequented streets. By a | arranged ssheme, at the last morff~ nt police were scattered along the line. Al certain points the close friends of the former chief executive, including those who are to accompany him across the Atlantic, fell In behind his limousine.
 Three trains were used, the first acting as pilot. r
 The Diaz special followed and some time later third train, occupied by detach- Saent of the Twenty-ifth infantry, set out. fhe cars of the fugitves' special were oc- cupied as follows:
 First car, General and Mrs. Diaz, Mrs. Tonero Rubio De Teresa. Col. Porfirio Diaz, son; Lieut.. Lorenzo Eliza and their families.
 Second ear. Gen. Fernandino Fernan- dez Manuel Gonzales, Col Santa Cruz, Maj. Espinosay Rondero.
 Third ear, Francisco S. Garcia, Ignacio De La Garta and kitchen crew.
 Run Without Orders
 The trains ran without orders to pre- vent rebels along the line picking up news of Dazs coming from the wires.
 Just when or on what ship General Diaz will sail is matter of conjecture The French ship Espasne was due to leave Vera Cruz yesterday, but may have been held at the disposal of the party from Mexico City.
 A Spanish liner, the Manuel Calvo, is scheduled to weigh anchor tomorrow sail ing via Havana to Barcelona. A German ship on which the Diaz party recently reserved staterooms, which reservations have not been cancelled, sails next Wednesday.
 General Diaz undoubtedly will make his home in Spain, probably at Madrid During the recent centennial King AL fonso conferred upon him a title and made him an honorary general of the Spanish army. Senora Diaz was made a lady In waiting to the Spanish Queen. General Diaz speaks no language other than Spanish and outside of Mexico he would find the most congenial surround lnRS in the country or the Dons.
 The inauguration of De La Barra as provisional president was a very brief |, affair, occupying but ten minutes. To l spectators 1t seemed that he had scarcely moved down Avenida Cinco de Mayo with his splendid escort before he was on his way back to the national palace at the heels of his galloping troopers. his car riasc smothered with flowers.
 The oath was administered by the president of the chamber of deputies. The provisional president stood with shis hand extended and repeated the oath. It Is not the custom In Mexico to use the Bible In taking the oath nor is the name of the deity used. A portion of the oath reads:
 De La Barra Takes Oath
 .'1 promise without any reservation whatsoever to keep and see to the Keeping of the political constitution of the United States of Mexico with it's additions and mendments, the reform laws, those laws depending thereon, and to discharge Loyalty and patriot ically the office of provisional presi- dent of the republic which, by law de- wolves upon me. having as my sole aim and object the welfare and pros- perity of the union."
 TO this the president of the chamber X replied:
 If you do so, the nation will re- ward you; if you don't, 1t will call you strictly to account"
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