Evening star., 1914-02-01
A[[EGEDR[0TTERS
JAILED BY HUERTA
Conspiracy" Against Mexi-
can Government Nipped
by Arrest of Four.

MEXICO CITY. January S1-with the
arrest today of Jose Luis Requena. chief
OF the Felix Diaz political organization,
and two or three other men who also
were prominent in his support in the
late race for the presidency. and the dis
covery of several hundred rifles stored in
the capital. the war department believes
1t has we'll in hand a new plot, which. it
is alleged. had as its object an attempt
to overthrow the government tomorrow.
The case has been handled entirely by
agents of Gen. Banquet, minister of war.
and the chief of police, Col. Francisco
Chavez, many of whose men are alleged
to be implicated in the reasonable plans,
is inclined to doubt the accuracy of the
war departments information.
The arrests were determined upon af-
ter the submission to Gen. Banquet of
evidence discovered by a detective. who
had represented himself as Juan Ortega.
a well known rebel operating in the
state of Michoacan and the territory
of Topic. The detective went to the
home of Francisco Serrano. civil en-
gineer living at Tlalpan, a suburb Of
Mexico City. with a letter said TO have
been written by another revolutionary
chief. which appears to have convinced
Serano OF the bearers identity as Ortego.
The detective won Serranos conf
dence and offered to contribute $500
and 500 guns. promising that 1000 men
would join the new cause. Serrano it
is alleged by the intelligence depart
ment of the war Office. sent note to
Requena, asking his opinion regarding
acceptance of the offer.
At the department there is letter
supposed to have been written by Re-
quena to Serrano, in which Requena
advises acceptance of the rebels offer.
AS If to corroborate the genuineness
of the investigation. 500 rifles have
been brought to the government ar
senaL which. it is said. were discov-
cred in the place where Ortega said
they were hidden.
Pedro Villar. an attorney who identi-
fed himself with Gen. Felix Diaz's politi-
cal fortunes. went to Havana to meet
him and accompanied him to Vera Cruz
in November, remaining with him until
the night OF his fight, also has been ar
rested.
of Requena and prominent in the po-
litical affairs of the capital. is being
sought by agents of the war department.
Details of Plot Not Known.
The exact development of the plot and
the exact form the new government was
to take are things on which Gen. Blan-
quet is uncommunicative, nor do his
agents profess to know the details They
claim to have some evidence to indicate
that the plan was either to install as
temporary president Gen. Fernandindo
Gonzales. an army officer. who is now in
Washington on leave. or Gen. Felix
DiaZ.
Another feature which is interesting
those working on the case is the
reported disappearance from Paris of
Gen. Mondragon, who was DiaZs chief
lieutenant at the time of his revolt
here a year ago. He was removed from
the department of war and sent to
France on a special mission by Presi-
dent Huerta- Information from Paris
is that he has not appeared at the
bank to collect his last remittance
from the government, now many days
overdue.
AS corroborative evidence it is re-
ported that an American while re-
Gently in Havana was talking to Gen.
Diaz relative to d concession which he
hoped to get in Mexico. Diaz advised
him not to do anything further until
he (Diazl was In power. intimattng
that the time would not be long
Appeals to o'shaughnessy.
Reauena learned last night that his
arrest was proDdple, dHo' dieHoue" ~
his friends he protested his innocence.
he made plans to leave the capital and
sail on the steamer Ypiranga from
Vera Cruz February 10. He was arrest
ed at his home before he could COM
plete arrangements.
Reuuena's son visited the American
embassy today and appealed to Charge
OShaughnessy to use his good offices
in behalf of his father.
Requena is imprisoned in Santiago
military prison, over which the police
have no jurisdiction. Ntllar was taken
to the penitentiary. Requena is an aged
man, reputedly wealthy. who up to
the time he was induced to take the
leadership of the Diaz party and ap-
pear as vice presidential candidate
had never displayed active interest in
politics.
The War Department insists that the
recent rebel activity on the lsthmus OF
Tehuantepec, especially about Puerto
Mexico. the Atlantic terminus of the Te-
huantepec railway. was wholly Diaz
movement.
Reinforcements for Torreon.
JUAREZ. Mex, January 31.-Federal
reinforcements were ordered today to Tor
.~s~