Imperial Valley press., 1914-03-05
Reuieu of Mexican Affairs

and what mattered the lives of a thou
sand or more onlookers? A thousand
of them fell there under the palms
and eucalyptus trees in the park. Only
the dark ages show more terrible
sights than that. And what is to be
said of the hours that followed on
that Sunday morning, when the
wounded lay screaming in the sun!
When physicians who passed among
hem were themselves wounded and
illed? Or, of the next two days,
when the dead were piled in mounds
and burned after being covered with
oil? Or. of the third day. when a
as main was punctured and the es-
'apinp gas was lighted and convert
d into a Goth century funeral pyre
over which bodies were placed to be
consumed by the gas flames? The
ire from the palace drove Diaz back.
Many of his men deserted. His band
,urried to a side street, where they
yathered around their puzzled leader.
"Something is wrong said Diaz.
Those palace soldiers We're to have
'urrendered," "What will you do
7ow?' asked an American friend of
liaz, who came hurrying to the spot.
| must get away. We must all fly"
aid niaZ. Why not 90 to the ar
email - suggested the American. Diaz'
face lighted. Such move had not oc-
'urred to him. AT the arsenal were
II the clements necessary for fight
ing.
"To the arsenal, he cried out to
lis men. They dashed mile through
The streets on horseback and on foot.
At the arsenal there were only a few
soldiers. -Four of them were killed
bv Diaz' men and within a few mo-
nents Diaz was safe behind the heavy
walls Of the great stone building, sur
ounded by more ammunition, guns
nd cannon than be could use. Then
began ten days of fighting, with shells
lying over the city; with tens of thou
ands Of citizens locked in their homes
and with hundreds killed in the side
streets. Don't worry" President
Madero would tell the newspaper men
who, by devious means, found their
way to the palace every day. "We'll
Whip them soon" But. on the tenth
lay, at noon, an astonishing thing
aappened. A representative of Gen
Qictorlano Huerta, Madero's standby,
he man on whom the president de-
oended mostly for safety. marched
INTO Madero's office in the palace, and
arrested him. Almost at the same
line Huerta himself, VINO had invited
Gustave Madero, brother of the presi-
dent to dine with him at cafe, laid
his hand on Gustave's shoulder and
aid, you're under arrest"
The dynasty of Madero had fallen.
Huerta's treachery became apparent.
It had been his duty to overcome
Diaz; instead, he had plotted with Diaz
md together they had decided to put
The Maderos out of the way and take
aver the government themselves. The
lighting ceased. Huerta was declared
provisional president. The two Ma
1erOs were put in Jail. The next day
the news went out that Gustave Ma
dero had been killed. A band of sol
diers had taken him into the yard of
the arsenal and had said: ''We'll give
YOU chance to run away. Now run
IS fast as YOU. can" And while he
ran they shot him dead, according to
the brutal Mexican custom known as
'the law of flight" The world looked
on, waiting the fate of Francisco Ma
dero. Those who know most of Mex
ican wavs felt that nothing but Ma
dero's death could be expected; the
world at large could hardly believe
that he would be slain. A few days
later newspaper correspondents were
called to the palace at midnight and
Informed that Madero, the former
president had been slain.