The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-04-08
Told BY a Secret Service
Agent
Who KNEW ALL PARTICULARS
Former President of Mexico
Tortured To Death BY
Huerta's.. Cohorts,
BRAvELY HELD OUT TILL END

New York, April 4.-There were
seated in one group in cafe here
recently a number OF men who in
cluded William J. Robinson, who
landed in Cincinnati when he was
not quite II years of age, forlorn
and lonesome, with only s1.15 in
his pocket, and who has since hand
led millions; Commodore Robert +.
Wolfe, of Columbus; Alden G..
Brown, mining expert, who on
Thursday sailed for Cuba, where he
will represent great New York and
Cuban interests in industrial. fnan-
cial and mining developments; to-
gether with topnotcher in the Gov
ernment's Secret Service Depart
ment, whose name it would do him
no good to mention.
This Secret Service man had
much experience in Cuba and in
Spain before the declaration of war
against Spain. With many other
men of his business he has had u
great deal of experience in Mexico,
and largely through him has been
laid before President Wilson affairs
and conditions in the so-called re-
public across the border. This has
been so much so that Mexico is to-
day an open book to the President,
while it is almost "A closed one to
the more than average citizen. The
talk was regarding Mexico.
Commodore Wolfe had told sto-
ry of the hanging of bad man in
his home town of Texas, the first
hanging of a white man in all that
section. He had said that he believ-
ed it would be a bad thing for this
country to send its men into Mexico
simply to pacify that country and
then turn it back into the hands OF
its present rulers.
1t was here that the Secret Ser
vice man, on very friendly terms
with all. spoke up. You need have
no fear" he said, "of Wilson recog.
nizing the Huerta Government. He
knows just how Madero met his
death, in the most horrible manner,
and he nor no other man could ever
think of recognizing Huerta as a
ruler or nation power
There have been many stories
told about how Madero was assassi-
mated. Here was an opportunity
of getting at the real facts from an
authentic source. 1t was taken ad-
vantage of by all. Very much dis
inclined to talk. but being among
friends. this Secret Service man told
the true story of how Madero was
tortured to death, and which now
is "A matter of history in the ar
chives of the State Department al
Wash ington. 1t was without doubt
the most revolving story of crime
and inquisition of which the world
has ever known.
Madero, as is we'll known, was ia
ken by cohorts of Huerta and
thrown into closed chamber in the
palace. 1t has been claimed by
some that he was killed in that
chamber and then removed to the
outer walls of the Federal Peniten-
tiary. Huerta himself told story
of how Madero was being brought
for safety to the Federal Peniten-
tiary when he was set upon by his
enemies and killed.
The story that President Wilson
heard, and to him II was shown to
be true. was an entirely different
one. Late on the night when Ma
dero was thrown into his palace
prison he was approached by Huerta
and six companions. Huerta held
before Madero paper which he
told him to sign. II contained ar
ticles OF abdication. Madero read
the paper and stated positively that
he preferred TO die rather than sign
such paper. which he said would
show cowardice upon his part. He
was then subjected to unspeakable
tortures. The pain caused him t.