The Lovington leader., 1914-07-31

his former chief. . fugitive iron ths
wrath Of his compatriots. vietorsano
Huerta sees himself at sixty forced 70
resign the presidency q biz country.
He will. II 10 believed. 20 70 Europa
where. like other Latin American
presidents, he will end his days with
little enjoyment savs that e rsmanis-
cence.
Huerta was born to wealth. Unlike
Dias, who u Of plebeian origin. .
mongrel. mostly Indian. Husrss Gomez
Of one Of the most aTtstocrafic fAns
lies In Mexico.
He wss born in Chihushua, with
which state the Huertas have long
been Identified. In 1854. or 1857. re-
ports differ. At the age Of seventeen
the sristocrat was appointed by Diaz.
then ruling Mexico with IN iron hand.
to the military school Of Chapultepec.
Huerta served his four school years
passably we'll. He was neither at the
head nor the foot Of his class. He
was graduated with honors. being
about the tenth in class Of nearly
hundred, and Immediately went to Join
a regiment on the west coast as sec
ond lieutenant Of engineers.
when President Diaz began his ~
organization Of the Mexican army
Huerta was promoted captain Of engi-
neers. and while holding this rank do
vised the plan for . Mexican general
STAFF corps. He was An active member
of the military map commission Great
cd to draft q stan map Of Mexico on
q large scale, and he had charge Of all
the typographical work Of the commits.
sion, leading exploring and surveying
parties over the widest regions Of the
republic.
President Diaz soon after began to
place confidence IN Huerta. He be-
lieved he saw In the lieutenant colonel
Of engineers. to which rank the col
der had succeeded. traits which would
make him Q worthy successor In the
executive chair. Huerta was placed In
charge Of q 1tation in Matansas, far
removed from the capital. There plots
could be easily Matched, snd Diaz was
loath to leave In charge any ohcer
in whom he had not implicit trust
Huerta was barely thirty.nve when
this incident occurred. One afternoon
while he was riding with an escort OF
but three men through . mountain
pass in the vicinity Of his station. six
or seven masked men stepped from
the roadside and covered his little par
ty. Naturally they threw up their
hands.
The highwaymen proved to be mem
bers Of the band Of Flores Zegaza. the
bandit who kept the community on
the feather edge. It was his habit tc
descend on the towns along the coast
and levy toll whenever hunger OF
caprice impelled him to do 30. Huerts
soon stood In front Of Zegaza's hut
an adobe dwelling. much dilapidated
far up the mountain.
There Zegaza made the proposition
which was not at all unusual In Mex
leo then, and which 10, In fact, quit
the vogue today. He proposed tha
Huerta should keep him Informed u
to the days when the military forc'
would be marching In . direction op
posite from the town.
On such days zegasa would mako !
q point to call. with his followers. an
collect from the natives such store
Of money and clothes and food AM
; wine and tobacco % had sccumulate'
, since the last visit
Zegasa was not 1t III surprised 4
have nuerta accept his proposition I
receive in return for the promised In
formation share Of whatever loot fel
10 the bandits.
Ten days later Huerta sent word :
Zegasa that he would be away fror
the station On the following Thursda,
Promptly on Thursday the bandit
? rode into Matansas, coaAdeut thef
: would b no opposition except fros
, the sporadic popguns Of the ovsrfrigh
Oed storskeepsfs. A. they turne
into he main street. dischargins thei
revolver 70 ffishtea every one AVA,
{ . squad Of Husrta's soldiers closed I
4 On thsir rsar end another squad Y
psaFed in tAslr ffoak
= A numbse q zeGaEab men weg
+ k1led m he stset. The remainde
: Win ths bandit chiee himsek, sarreI
, dsesd. 4 week hter 1agaa was shl
: n u cuaEtd q ths prison a&tachc
|. b ~ statio0.
: Husrta u no l1awhg room seldie
, He ~ sseH nuoA aeelve eeevice.
: l0o1 b took eo0unnA q ~ i1fo1tz
4 ~ eaApAiW aoalnse ~ ~
4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
n eyohA ~ - sl'lssisskl
4 ClaaEilG SSpy ~ ~ hai1l1g -
i: - 80 bsals No. . Sl
~ S1uI1o - ~ q
L)RH%saE 49, - ~ I. ti1 1i7.is