Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-03-24
COL. JOSE PENA
MADER|STA
ESCAPED FROM PRISON IN MEN
ICO CITY PASSES THROUGH EN-
ROUTE TO WASHINGTON ON
SECRET MISSION.
CAME IN DISGUISE-HE FOUGHT
FOR MADERO AND TELLS OF
THRILLING EXPERIENCES IN
TEN DAYS BATTLE

border who actually took part in the
recent fight in Mexico City is now in
Brownsville i'll the person Of Colonel
Jose Pena, formerly colonel Of the ru-
ralcS i'll MatamoroS, and later colonel
of the 57th rurales under the Madero
government. A staunch MaderO man to
the last, Pena is now on this side for
the purpose of visiting Washington to
see President Wilson, for reasons he
will not give out at this time
Pcna'S arrival on this side was not
entirely with the consent of the Hucrta
government With the aid Of friends
he escaped from the penitcntiary at
Mexico City on March s. and on March
10 made his way out of the capital and
started on his journey to the states.
Shaving the flowing mustache which
was one Of his distinguishing features
and wearing Spanish cloak. and a
derby hat pulled down over his face he
managed to assume the appearance of a
in reaching the states. Many Of his
friends in Brownsville who met him to-.
day failed to recognize him.
Though he will not disclose the facts
in connection with his proposed visit to
Washington, Col. Pena saws that he il
really equipped with information that
will DC read with interest BY the author
tiles at Washington He has letters and
papers to identify him as one fully CON
verSant with the happenings in Mexico
\ City during the trying times in Feb
ruary and he is certain that the PURPOSE
Of his visit to Washington will meet
with success. He has letters Of indcnti-
ficatiOn from foreign cOnSulS in Mexico
I City. and fully believes that he will be
given hearing at the national capital.
Col. Pena saw service in the Madpro
cause on the streets Of Mexico City from
the time of his arrival in the city from
MOrelOS, on February II. until he was
arrested and incarceratcd in the arsenal
on February Is. He was in command of
the 51th ruralcS. comprising 80 men.
of the seven to eight thousand rurales
that were in the battle fighting in the
cause of MaderO, more than three thou
sand were killed. Col. Pena relates how
the rnraleS. mounted, were placed in a
street between sthtl arsenal and the pal
are. bet ween the two main pofntSfof fire.
He believed thfs was done for the pur-
pose of wiping the ruraleS out of exist
ence entirely I'm one instance five hun
dred men were sent down street bv
t.'S IN, e. nf
arsenal. and within a few minutes only
ninety of them were living. to fight
again.
Pena'S regiment of two hundred and
eighty men were stationed in another
street. under the same orders and would
have Jared the same had Pena not seen
what was taking place. He ordered his
men to diSmOunt and take to the sides
of the street. This they did and stand
ing III doOrwayS five solid days they fired
toward the arsenal. using the sides OF
the entrances as barricadeS. They fed
themselves as best they could. being
compelled to break into stores in the
ncighbOrhOOd for food. BY the order hC
gave contrary to that of Huerta. Pcna
held out until he was arrested. with only
ifty-two men of his regiment killed.
Fourteen other rurale commanders
were arrested also in the capital. Pcna
does not know what will be done with
them. and has no idea whether they
are all still living. Some twenty other
rurale commanders are scattered over
the republic. and, according to Pena. are
still loyal to the MaderO cause.
The colonel. who appears to be a MAJ
built along fighting lines. was one Ot
several that made search for the body
of GuStavO MadcrO several DAYS after
his death. BY the consent of Gen
Iiuerta they went to the arsenal. where
they found hundreds and hundreds ot
bodies plide i'll trenches. They searched
through the bodies but were notssuccess
ful in finding the body they sought. The
men in charge Of the arsenal refused 4
tell where it was. Going to Huertf
again the general told them to return L
the arsenal and gave instructions thai
the location of the body be made known
They were then told that the body haC
been buried in the Dolores cemetery
and on cXcavating. they found GustavO,
body in a rude box. The body. Pcni
declared. showed that horrible torture
had been inflicted upon the man befor,
he was killed. 'IISi eyes had beer
gOugcd out with bayOnetS." said Col
Pcna. his tongue cut off. his ears were
chopped away with swords and his bod,
was literally covered with bullet holes