Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-24
mADERO AND SUAREz KILLED
WHILE BEING TAKEN TO PRISON,
Stories Differ=-One Says During an Attempted Res
cue--Otler Intimates Legal Killing, Through
Unwritten LawBotf Armies Indignant
Washington Taking Every Precaution.
MADERO AND SUAREZ KILLED.

| Mexico City, Feb. 23.-Francisco |.
| Madero and Jose Pine Suarez are
dead. In midnight ride Under guard
| from the national palace to the peni-
| Tertiary, they were killed.
The circumstances surrounding the
death of the deposed President and
| Vice President of the Republic are
unknown, except as given in the off
| cial accounts, which do not conform in
| all cases. The only witnesses were
| those actually concerned in the killing
The Provisional President, Gen. Vic
| ltoriano Huerta, says that the killing
| OF the two men was incidental to a
| fight between their guard and a party
attempting to liberate them. The min
lister of foreign relations Francisco De
! La Barra, adds that the prisoners at
tempted To escape. Neither makes
definite statement as to which side
fired the fatal shots. II is not impos-
sible that neither knows.
An official investigation has been or
dered to determine the responsibility
and solemn promises have been made
that the guilty will be punished.
Not unnaturally a great part of the
public regards the official versions with
doubt, having in mind the use for CEN
turtles of the notorious Ley fuga." the
unWritten law which is invoked when
the death of prisoner is desired. Aft
er its application there is written on
the record Prisoner shot trying to es-
cape"
Sonora Madero, the widow of the
President. received the first informa
ton of his death from the Spanish
minister, Senior Cologan Y. Coiogan.
She already had heard reports that
something unusual and serious had
occurred, but friends had endeavered
up to that time to prevent her from
learning the whole truth.
soon afterwards, accompanied bv
her brother. Jose Perez. and Mercedes
Madero, Il sister of Francisco. Sonora
Madero drove to the penitentiarv. but
was refused permission to see the BODY
Of her husband Sonora SuareZ was
also denied admittanee to the mortu-
airy, where physicians, in accordance
with the law. were performing an au-
topsy.
In contrast te the widow, whose
grief was of a pitlably silent charac-
ter. expressed by sobs, Mercedes Ma
dero, beautiful young woman. edu-
Gated in Paris, who has been a bril-
lant leader of society since the revo-
luton of 1910, was dry eyed and tiger
ish in her emotions. BY the side of
The two women whose husbands had
been killed, the girl hurled accusations
| at the officers who barred the entrance
"Cowards,' "Assassins" she called
| them, her voice pitched high The Of
| icers stared impassively.
You are the men who fired on a
| defeneeless man. You and your SUI
| perior officers are traitors"
No effort was made to remove the
| women, nor did the officers attempt
| to silence them. Sonora Madero con-
| tinued weeping and the girl did not
| cease her hysterical TRADE until the
| arrival of the Spanish minister and
| the japanese charge, who came to offer
| their services.
The minister spoke with the officers
| in charge, but was told that on account
| of the autopsy it would be impossible
for any one to see the bodies. Later
| in the day. they said, the request
/ would be complied with. The diplomats
then conducted the women away from the
penitentary.
| Madero's father and Rafael Hernandez.
former minister of the Interior ana other
| friends made efforts early in the day to
| recover the bodies and it was stated this
| afternoon, that the American minister,
| Henry Lane Wilson, had interested him
self and secured the promise of Minister
De La Barra that the bodies should be
delivered their families for burial.
| The tragedy occurred. shortly after
midnight. Madero and Suarez who had
1 been prisoners in the national palace
| since their arrest, Thursday last Were
placed in an automobile, which was ac-
companied by another car and escorted
by 100 rurales under the orders of Com
mandant Francisco Cardenas and Col
Rafael Pamiento.
With instructions not to outdstance the
escort the cars moved slowly. No Incl.
dent occurred until they had reached a
point near the penitentiary, where, in al
open place. the guards attention was at
tracted. according to the official version
to a group of persons following. Shots
We're fired at the escort out of the dark
ness The rurales closed in and ordered
the prisoners out of the car Thirty OF
the guards surrounded the prisoners
while the remainder disposed themselves
to resist an attack.
About so men, some afoot and some
mounted, threw themselves upon the ue.
tachment guarding the cars and the ex.
change of shots lasted 20 minutes, wher
the attacking party fled.
The dead bodies of Madero and Pine
Suarez were then found.
The body of Madero shows only one
wound A bullet entered the back of
the head and emerged at the forehead
The body of Pine Suarez shows many
wounds, entering from in front.
of the male members of the Ma
Continued on Page Seven.)