Evening journal., 1914-08-19
senator PAYS FOR
Speech WITH death
Dominguez Flayed Huerta,
and Forfeited His Life
Shortly Afterward
CALLED UPON MEXICAN
DICTATOR TO RESIGN
BY WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD,

AthAlNA Altoo DNdA 1oAlNopVhhtAN-l
MEXICO CITY. Mex. Aug. 19.-At
last Bellisario Dominguez's speech
has been published Where the
speaker has gone, only Victoriano
Huerta knows. but Dominguez's
speech will last as long as Mexicans
worship their heroes, or, indeed as
men of any nation continue to pay
tribute to a brave man. They were
terrible days-days of horror-in |
which Dominguez spoke. Huerta had
been President only a few months.
Statesmen who opposed him had been |
led away in the dead Of night, at his |
orders. None ever were seen again.
Huerta's life was an orgy OF cognac. |
women, and murder.
Dominguez was Senator. The
horror of the times seized upon him.
and he resolved. for one, hot TO bend
before the terror. as other Senators
were doing but to face it-and die.
lie took out life insurance policy
for his son; he wrote a speech he
rose on the floor of the Senate and
delivered that speech. Only since
Huerta, with his boarded gold fled.
have the people of Mexico known
what Bellisario Dominguez said that
evening in August to the Mexican
Senate. II is only now that news
papers have dared to print his burn
ing, patriotic words.
It was an adroit manner by which
Dominguez secured the floor for his
| speech that evening Sanchez Ga
vito. Senator, had asked for leaYe of
| absence, an ordinary request. Do
minguez rose to explain why he
would vote No" Il must vote
against Il said Dominguez. because
Mexico needs such men as Cavito in
/ the Senate during these grave times
And then BelEsario. in the beautiful
Senate chamber, under the sparkle
Of the great cut-glass chandeliers.
standing under the arches on which
are carved the names Of Mexico's
| greatest men, smiling. raising his
head against the Terror in the Mexl-
can palace, began his suicide
DO you not see." he said "senor
Senators how dark is the present
/ situation of Mexico? Do you not
see the weakness of a government
which has as its head an old soldier
/ who lacks the knowledge and culture
indispensable TO the government of a
! people, and who tries 10 make him
/ self appear strong by acts that re-
ceive the reprobation Of all civiliza-
! tion and morality? This old soldier
| follows bis plan of terror because
he does not know that there are
other ways by which a good man may
ascend TO power. Don Victoriano
Huerta is controlled by an obsession
that would unseat the mind of a man
of talent. The spectre OF his protec-
tor and friends whom he betrayed
the spectre of Madero-haunts him
at the banquet table and I'm his
dreams. When this obsession be-
comes almost too great for him 10
endure, he descends 10 the depths
Of cruelty saying to his followers,
Kill, assassinate, burnt
The impression which Dominguez
made as he spoke these words was
indescribable. II was as if his fell
low Senators saw him standing be-
fore them with a self-directed revol-
yer at his head. ready to slay him
self, and they helpless. He con-
tinued:
Don Victoriano Huerta is provok-
ing an international conflict with the
United States. In this conflict every
Mexican who is a Mexican must die
for the combat would be so unequa
that none Of us could survie. and We
could save only our honor to live af
ter us, so that men who land on Mex
ican shores in centuries to come, viii
say with uncovered heads, Here one,
lived nation of million heroes
But first il is our duty to avoid, 4
possible. such a conflict How shall
we do it, Shall we stand idle and le
history say that Mexican men wep
for rights they could not defend
Here is my plan:
Let every member Of this bod,
sign a petition TO Don VictorianC
Huerta, requesting him to resign
Vouchsafe TO me the honor of carry
ing to Don Victoriano Huerta this re
quest. l will also present to him thii
address, which ! am now making be
fore you. It is not improbable that, il
his madness. he will lose his patienc'
with me, before he had read through
the papers shall take to him, AM
will kill me. But the papers will re
main there in his presence. and hi
curiosity will force him TO take then
from my dead body, and read them
and then, perhaps, he will he the trutl
and will also slay himself.
.. Il implore you. senors, that yol
make this session continuous, and d
not adjourn until you have your ans
II wer from Don Victoriano Huerta."
Il Dominguez took his seat The Mex
II ican Senate sat in silence a momen
III and then proceeded with other bus
II ness. Dominguez had lost He rosi
II walked to the cloak-room, got his hs
III and went out into the street and [
his home. Within half an hour he wa
III arrested.
II OF all the terrible stories that al
Il told of the hideous deaths of Huerta
enemies. those which detail the deaf
Il of Dominguez are the most awfu
II Mexicans have every reason to belle,
that Dominguez was dragged to Il
hospital of DR.. Urrutia, who was
member of Huerta's cabinet, and thi
i there his tongue was torn from h
mouth, and that, bleeding and almo
unconscious from pain. he was take
TO the hospital yard, that same nigh
August 23, and shot.
m have personally asked DR.. Urrut
III whether the story that he tore ol
III Dominguez's tongue was true.
III 81 did not do it," he told me- "Otl
VI er members of Huerta's cabinet. WI
we're jealous of me. told the stol
about me. Il is a lie. Dominguez
dead. That is all / know"