The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-27
How a Mother
Saved Her Son
BY EUNICE BLAKE

Ten or fifteen years ago we heard
more of anarchists than we do to-
day. Possibly the great war has pro
duced a condition in Europe more ter
rible than anything the widest an
archist had ever dreamed Of There
was a time when the anarchists of the
world were well organized, being in
touch with one another all over the
world, and the circle was more pow
erful with respect to its members than
any of the tyrants it wished to elm
mate
Manuel Fernandez. n Spaniard, was
in his youth converted to the theories
of the anarchists. and when he was
twenty-one years old he offered him
self for any purpose by which he might
serve the cause He was informed
that lots would be drawn by mum
Der of devotees as to who should as
sassinate sovereign. Manuel volun-
teered to be one of those to risk having
to perform the work and drew the IA
tal black ball
He was at once taken apart from
the others and given the name of the
sovereign he was to asSasSinate. He
was also warned that any baking
would result in his own death
IF you do your duty like a man."
said his instructor, you will be hon
ored; if you shrink from it you will he
followed to the ends of the earth. No
country is remote enough to shield
you"
Manuel being face to face with the
reality, the ideal faded away very
quickly. lie was Mortified at the posi-
ton in which he had placed himself
Going to his mother he threw himself
into her arms as he had done when a
boy and told her all,
Sonora Fernandez was a woman Of
great resource She began at once to
think out a plan for saving her son
and when she had come to decision
| said to him:
"My boy, we must find way to con
| vince your associates that you are
/ dead Appear to be making prepara-
| tons for the crime you are expected
| to commit. and will be making
preparations for your pretended death"
| Manuel at once began to appear to
experiment with bombs in little out
house in the rear of his home. He ap-
| piled to his anarchist associates for
some one verscd in chemistry to be
sent him as an instructor. \ man
was detailed for the purpose, and
Manuel appeared to be an attentive
| student. The two secretly worked to.
| gether at such times as they could dc
so without running much risk of being
discovered, and in time several bombs
were made, any one of which was ca
pablo of killing dozen men.
Manuel succeeded in impressing his
instructor with the belief that he was
really studying how to make bombs
that he might do his duty by his an
archist comrades. He proved an APP
pupil and as he progressed insisted OF
making the explosives himself WheI
he seemed competent to do so he TOLD
his instructor that he needed him NJ
longer. The man went away, caution
ing Manuel to be very careful lest III
cause premature explosion with him
self for the victim.
One night, or, rather, morning-fo
it was about . o'clock-those livini
near the Fernandez home were awak
ened by terrific explosion. The pc
lice at once rushed there and foun'
Sonora Fernandez bending over bod
which she said was her son. 1t wa
so mutilated that its features were no
distinguishable but the clothes on
were those worn by Manuel. The VIC
man was loud in her grief, especial
that her son should have died in sue
a cause. for there was plenty Of ev
dence that he had been making bomb
for an Legitimate purpose, The pC
lice made their notes, then told tn
mother that she might bury the bod!
She waited till she saw the man sh
had seen working with her son com
to view the corpse.
GLOW do you know that this Is III
body of your SOM" he asked. "Tf
features are unrecognizable."
Because of the clothes. Do you NJ
remember that suit he woref"
The man seemed satisfied and wei
L away. The same afternoon there WI
:. funeral at the Fernandez home, al
/. the body was laid away.
h The evening before the tragedy Ma
q uel Fernandez. disguised as an o
man. took train for Gibraltar. whe
he waited for ship to take him
America. He was fortunate in Il
l. fact that one from Genoa stopp'
II there the day after his arrival He
20 once took passage in the steerage al
Is in due time reached New York.
e, While he had been learning how
% make the bombs his mother was {
g ranging for the explosion. She we
Y. TO n medical college and made con
dante of the man in charge of subJet
provided for the use of students
anatomy He agreed to furnish !
with corpse about the size of her 81
st and on the night of the explosion
;" had it secretly conveyed to her hon
c. She dressed it in the suit of cloth
Us her son was used to wearing and &C
"a veyed it to the clubhouse where
"A bombs We're made.
= Manuel had run a wire from the o
80 house to point where his mott
h- could easily make an electric circ
nd and explode bomb. Placing the 81
at iect in the clubhouse, she pressed
nd key and before any one had arrived
nd the scene removed the wire.
es Sonora Fernandez's plan worked S
NO cessfully in every respect. But her
~, bos never heen known in America