The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-02-28
MEXICAN CAPITAL
Scene OF ANOTHER
SUNDAY TRAGEDY
MADERo SHOT TO DEATH uN.
DER SUSPICIOUS cIRcUM.
STANCES.
SKEPTICIAN PREVAILS AS FACTS

4
SKEPHCIAN PREVAILS AS FACTS
Huerta and Authorities Claim Depos-
ed President Was Making Attempt
to Escape by Assistance Of Band
Of Armed Friends.
MEXICO CITY, Feb 24.-Francis-
co l. Madero and JOSEF Pine Snarez
are dead. In a midnight ride under
guard from the national palace to
the penitentiary they we're killed.
The circumstances surrounding
the death of the deposed president
and vice president of the republic are
unknown except as given in official
accounts, which do not in all cases
conform. The only witnesses were
those actually concerned in the kill
ling.
The provisional president, General
Victoriano Huerta, says the killing
of the two men was incidental to a
fight between their guard and party
attempting to liberate them. The
minister of foreign relations Francis
co De La Barra, adds that the prison
ers attempted to escape. Neither
makes a definite statement as to
which side fired the fatal shots 1t
is not impossible that neither knows.
An official investigation has been
ordered to determine the response
bility and solemn promise has been
made that the guilty will be punished.
The following official statement of
President Huerta was given out at
the palace:
Il called together the cabinet to
report that Madero and Pine Suarez,
who had been detained at the palace
at the disposition of the war depart
ment, were taken to the penitentia-
Try in accordance with a previous de-
cision, as the result of which that es-
Establishment was placed in the after
noon under the charge of an army Of
ficer for its better security.
When the automobiles had ira
versed about two-thirds of the way
to the penitentiary, however, they
lwere attacked by an armed group,
and the escort descended from the
machine to offer resistance. Sudden
ly the group grew larger, and the
lprisoners tried to escape.
IAN exchange of shots then took
place, in which two Of the attacking
party were killed and two we're
wounded Both prisoners were kill
ed. The automobiles were handy
damaged"
Not unnaturally great part Of the
public regards the official versions
with doubt, having in mind the use
for centuries Of the notorious ley
lfuga," the unwritten law which IL in.
voked when the death Of a prisoner
is desired After It's application
there is written on the records, "pris.
oner shot while trying to escape"
| Sonora Madero, widow of the ex
president, received the first definite
information of his death from the
Spanish minister, Senior Cologan y
Cologan. She already had heard re
ports that something unusual and Sc
rious had happened, but friends up tc
that time had endeavored to prevent
her from learning the whole truth.
Soon afterward, accompanied BY
brother, Jose Perez and Mercedes
Madero, sister of Francisco, Seniors
! Madero drove to the penitentiary, but
/, was refused permission to see the
body of her husband Sonora Snare,
was also denied admittance to thu
mortuary, where physicians, in &C
!. cordance with the law, were perform
ing an autopsy.
In contrast to the widow, whose
grief was of a pitiably silent charac
ter, expressed in sobs, Mercedes Ma
dero, beautiful young woman edu
Gated in Paris, who has been a bril-
liant leader of society since the revo
luton Of 1910, was dry-eyed aud Il
gerish in her emotions. BY the side
OF the two women whose husbands
had been killed, the girl hurled accu
sations at the officers who barred the
entrance.
1 "Cowards." 4assassins!" she call
ed them, her voice pitched high The
eficers stared impassiveiy.
You! The men fired on a de-
fenseless man! You and your supe-
rior officers are traitors"