Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-02-24
Mexico and its division among tn


spared. But even while Sonora Ma.
dero plead with Huerta, who ha:
gained the title of "The Butcher o.
the North" for the life of her hus.
band and he was promising that moth
ing outside of the strictest provision!
of the law would be done, foul murder
was being plotted behind the thicl
walls of the National Palace.
And that it was murder, deliberate
cruel and without justification, is ev.
ident to any one who reads behind
the lines of the patched up story thai
comes from official sources. Picture
for yourself the crime.
The transfer of the political prison.
ers from the old national palace, in
the center of the city, to the new pen
itentiary, standing alone on the salt
marshes, facing Lake Texcoco, was
made at midnight. No word Of the
projected move was permitted to leak
out for publicity meant the gathering
Of a people, who were as changeable
as the wind, who yesterday shriekeG
curses at Madero as fallen idol,
who tomorrow might crown him as 4
hero. Gathered in the great patio Of
the National Palace, their movements
quiet, save the occasional rattle of a
sabre on the silver ornaments of their
leather pantaloons, or the restless
stamp of horses, who were hid
den in the recesses of the arches, stood
four-score of the famous rurales, or
soldiers, recruited by Prof.
rio Diaz from the brigands that in
Tested the land, every man armed
with carbine, sword, dagger and auto
matte pistol, every man picked for a
deed.
A stir is heard at the top Of the
great fight of stone stairs that reach
ed from the pavement to the corridor
above. A little band of officers emerged
from the darkness and in the center is
seen Madero and Suarez, their faces
pale and worn, from the s!eep!ess
nights of anxiety since the knock oi
the sword of Felix Diaz at their doors,
r,o vunaL-c heforn =
An automobile, bearing on its sides
the crest of Mexico, an eagle holding
a snake in its talons,-darts from
hidden corner. The ruralcs are
mounted in a second and surround the
the mighty doors are throwh
open and the party dashes into the
great Zocalo, by day the lnarke.
place of thousands upon thousands
but now deserted andforsakcn. AS
they pass through the portal, over
which hangs the liberty bell, which
Hildalgo rang when he called the Mex
leans to arms in the first struggle for
independence, the great chimes on the
dark towers of the cathedral, far
above the trees Of the Plaza, rang Out
the hour of midnight. 1t wa: only
routine matter with the Keeper Of the
bells in his little cell on the roof for he
little knew, then, that the bells were
solemnly tolling the death kneli Of
Francisco Madero.
The calvacade ait quickened pace
swerved around the corner into Gale
de Moneda, broad street leading to
the outskirts of the city where the
new penitentiary is located. From
now on only the meagre official &C
counts are at hand and they are so
indefinite as to Immediately arouse tht
suspicion that the true facts arc being
withheld and the story OF an attempt
at rescue the coloring given out by
the government authorities.
According to some of the accounts
half way between the plaza and the
q little group o. men
tried to interfere with the party.
Former Minister de la Barra says
there were five, others say 80 but
500 men would have oeen unable to
have taken Madero and Suarez from
the 100 or more rurales that officials
say guarded them. Think of it for a
moment. Not soldier killed, o.
wounded, few rounds of shots fired
vet Madero in the center Of the party
is dead with two bullets in his head
and Suarez bears evidence Of the
trcachery of his guards with eight
gasping wounds in his body.
Such are the few facts that are now
at hand, and it must seem incrediable
that with guard Of 100 ruTaleS
there would not have been slaughter of
many more than the two rescucrs, al
legged by the government to have been
killed in the encounter.