The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-09

GALVESTON, TEX, March g.
Private but apparently authentic
adyiccs received here to-day are
that President Diax IL In q critical
condition. his heart being Affect
cd, and that his death is expected
hourly.
Ii In believed in Mexico that TN,
extensive movement of army and
navy forces into this territory b
not for the purpose Of me noeu-
yres. and that the United states
stands ready to prevent lawicss
outbreaks almost certain to follow
the sudden death Of the Mexican
executive.
WASHINGTON, March g.
Further indications that tbs
army and navy demonstration Ii
directed against Mexico was
given to-day when 1t was learned
Mt the Navy Department that tho
scout cruiser Chester Il to-day
proceeding ON rush orsicrS frem
Pensacola, Fla, 70 TAmpico, Mex.
Tampico In one Of the few ports
ON the Atlantic coast OF Mexico,
and Il 500 miles south OF Calves
ton
The scout cruiser Salem has
also left Pensacola and Is en-
route TO Galveston, Tex.
WASHINGTON, March a.---Ths
rumor that President Diaz. of Mexico,
Is dead spread swiftly through OFF,
cial Washington to-day. and in the
absence of confirmation was given
much credence. on the ground thai
the dictator liz more than eighty years
old, and because his demise offeri
the only complete explanation yet sug-
gested for the great mobilization OF
United States troops at the Mexican
frontier.
the death Of Diaz would be kept an
absolute secret as long as possible and
that Official ,deniais would be forth
as long as there was a chance
of further concealmene- For this
reason the absence Of official infor.
nation and a formal denial at thu
Mexican embassy here early to-day
did not affect the general belief thai
the runor had some foundation.
DIR. EasQuez Gomez, head OF ths
revolutionary organization here, re.
ceived messages yesterday confirming
the report that Diaz was on hi
deathbed. The revolutionists declare
that Diaz has been near the end dur
ing the last week.
At the EN- bassy 1t was asserted taa1
the rumor was the product of tht
revolutionists.
TT lis an old trick OF the anti
Diax party" said an attache. When,
ever they think It is opportune. they
start the report that the president Il
cir Oh nc
throughout Mexico last summer
President Diaz is an aged man. bnl
he is in vigorous health"
The embassy did not attempt to ex'
plain the reported cutting off of al
press dispatches from Mexico City las
night.
All officials here who are familiar
with the situation agree that II Dia,
Is dead. no man now exists in Mextct
capable of holding the government
together. Limantour and the othel
leaders now in ascendency ARE civil
ians and not army men. No man car
control Mexico unless he can contro
the army, IL is declared. Genera
Reyes. who Is in Paris and who is thu
idol of the army. Is declared by many
to be the only living man who could
master the situation.
dressed a reassuPing message to Ola,
last evening was not taken as proc
that Taft had evidence that Diaz wal
alive. He addressed Diaz merely al
the head of the Mexican government
The rumor of Diaz's death hal
spread the belief that the news al
his illness was received here on Mon
day evening and that II was the caus(
of the swift. unprecedented orders 70,
mobilization at San Antonio Of tn
largest body OF United States soldier
ever assembled since the Civil war.
II Diax Is dead. the United Stats
will be compelled either to assume
protectorate or TO take actual coutr0
of the country. The state departures
officials who have dreamed OF III
United States nag flying all the Wal
southwark to the canal renewed IN
vague prophecies but there was liktfI
hellef here that the United State
would attempt more than to restoxI
order. and compel the establishmAnl
of definite form OF government.