The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-02-18
Met Him and Gen. Beltran While
in Mexico City Several
Years Ago.
CALLS DIAz HUMAN SPHINX
Relates Great Joke Perpetrated on
Chief Desmond of st. Lou.s by
Rebel Chieftan.

A well known Cairo railroad Off
cial. who has made many visits ID
Mexico in the interest OF his rail-
road is very well acquainted with
Felix Diaz, the rebel chieftan.
In discussing Diaz last night he
vouchsafed much information, but
requested that his name be sup
pressed in the publication.
While in Mexico City severa
years ago he met and was very well
acquainted with Diaz. whom he first
met in the Hotel Itrude.
1T was an odd circumstance,
said our local railroad officials,
that Felix DiaZ, when captured al
Vera Cruz in October last by Gen
Joaquin Beltran were inseparable
friends at the time | met both in
Mexico City. Beltran and Diaz were
both directors in Mexican trust
company. The former was a COM
mander-in chief of ine military coll
lege at Chapultepec and Diaz was
inspector genera, OF the police of
the Federal district, which em-
braces the capital and its suburbs
Every afternoon. after the direc-
tors meeting at the bank, Dia:,
Beltran and would adjourn to the
Maison Doree and sit for an hour
or more chatting. 1t was an UNI
broken part OF the daily routine for
months. So it was quite an odd
trick OF fate that Beltran should be
the one 10 capture Diaz on the fail
ure OF the latter's abortive reyo IL
tion Vera Cruz.
Diaz Human Sphinx.
you know Diaz, is something OF
a human sphinx" our friend con-
tinued. "He never smiles, at least
no one has ever caught him at it,
His face is absolutely impassive and
the only way you can tell what inn
preston anything is making on him
Is by watching his eyes.
Upon one occasion Wi liam Des-
mon, chief of detectives of St. Louis
visited Mexico City and called upon
Col Diaz who was the head OF the
police force of the capital. The pc
lice there, you know are under mill
tary rule. In the course OF their
conversation Diaz took occasion to
caution Desmond about being care
full OF pickpockets. We have the
smoothest pickpocHets in the world
in Mexico City. chief. he advised
him. Desmond answered that he
guessed he could care for himself;
that he had gone up against the best
in the business in his St. Louis ex-
perience, and he believed after that
he could tackle anything Mexico
City had TO offer.
After Desmond had gone Diaz
ca led in Ramon Castro, his chief OF
detectives, and told him to bring in
Immediately four of the smoothest
pickpockets he could find. 1t wasn't
long before Castro was back with
four men. had dropped in during
the interim, and was witness to the
instructions he gave them. He told
them that on the morrow he would
be at the Villa de Guadalupe, with
an American stranger. i want YOU
to get everything he has, he told
them in Spanish, and by everything
| mean everything, and | want II
back in this office by 10 O'Clock the
following morning.
"The next day DlaZ made the trip
to Villa de Guadalupe with Desmond
and showed him the famous shrine
of Guqdalue, and the spot where the
treaty of peace between the United
States and Mexico was signed, and
other aces of interest. They en-
countered other groups of visitors
during the trip, but Desmond ap-
parentiy didn't notice anything
amis Then after they had gotten
In the carriage of Gen. Diaz, and
were spinning back toward the city
Diaz looked at Desmon's tie and
asked, Chief didn't you have a dia'
mond pin?'
Victim of Pickuockets.
Desmond reached for his pin. i
was gone. He felt for his watch. L
was gone. His badge was gone, hi
money, his pistol, his keys. his not
books, everything. The uickpockes'
had cleaned him out Diaz was out
ragged. He fumed and vowed ven
geanee. The. idea that thieves shout.
dare to touch the guest of the in
spector general OF police! The,
would rue the day. He carried tn
chief back to thelstation, and Their
had him give list OF the things b