The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-05-26
MEXICAN PRESIDENT
MEETS TRAGIC DEATH
Armed Guard Turns on Its
Master
END COMES TO
STORMY CAREER
President Cnrranza Meets Fate Of
Presidents Before Him. Killed by
General Hcrrcro, Supposed to be
Carrying Him to Safety. Meagrc
lGyiccS From Mexico,

iisihS IlHl 10 SuIcty. McNSrC
,ldyices From Mexico.
iIl Paso Texas, May 2.-Venustiano
Carranza, president of Mexico and
head of the 72nd government that
country has had since 1921, was as
sassinatcd at a. M. Friday by Col.
Rodolfo Herrera and his soldiers at
IlaXcaltenango, Puebla, according to
messages received here from General
Alvaro Obregon, dated at Mexico City
today.
There were found six or seven
bodies of the men in CairaIza's par
ty,' one message from Obregon said.
1T is not stated who these men
might be-"
Reports given out by the revolu-
tionists said Carranza was assassinat-
ed by his own men. Hcrroro was des-
cribed as an ex-federal officer. He was
once an officer in the Mexican army
under President Diaz, who was forced
to flee Mexico in 1911.
Caffanza was made prisoner and
iassassinated at the cry OF "Viya
Obregon,' by Col Rodolfo Herrero
and his men, violating the hospitality
that had been offered to Carranza and
his followers by Herrcro, according to
a message from his chief men to Gen.
faDlo Gonzales, quoted in his mes
sage to revolutionary agents here.
Obregon answered this message in
scathing terms. He declared that if
the Carranza followers who signed
themselves, numbering more than 80
men and including Juan Barragon,
chief Of staff; Ignacio Bonillas, form
er ambassador to the United States.
whose candidacy for the presidency
brought on the latest revolution, and
other prominent leaders, had died de-
defnding your chief you would be
at rest with your consciences and cs-
cape the shame Of your cowardicc." :"
"On repeated occasions" Obregon
said, President CarranZa was notified
OF the guarantee which would be Civ
en- him, if he would be willing to leave
the danger zone, but he refused to ac-
cept this offer because he considered
1t undignified Of a man OF honor 70
save himself, leaving his companions
in danger. This act Of CarranZa re-
vcalcd the dignity and good fellowship
you failed to appreciate"
First report OF the assassination Of,
Carranza was filed by Obrcgon on Fri
day night. The message did not reach
here until today. The message said:
"IIave just received the following
message from Huauchinango, state of
Pucbla, signed by Col j. Hernandez:
General Mariel advises me from
Villa Juarez that the troops Of the cx-
federal officer, Rodolfo Herrero, killed
President Carranza at a. m. at a
place called TlaXcaltenango There
were found six or seven more bodies
Of the men in CarranZa's party. 1t is
not stated who these men might be. I
VIII wire details later. Rodolfo Her
rero surrendered last March to Gem
cral Mariel and had been an officer
under General Palaez.'"
Revolutonists today were eager in
their attempts to show CarranZa was
not killed by revolutionists, but "by
his own mem
The department Of propaganda and
information at Nogales sent mes
sage to the commercial agent OF the
de facto government here urging that
the news be given to the press with
particular stress on 'thc fact that the
happening occurred far away from the
field Of operation OF our forces"
From the wording OF the Obrcgon
telegram, skeDticism was expressed
here by many persons in close touch
with the revolution concerning the
affiliations of Herrero. The anxiety
OF the Mexicans on the point was laid
to the concern over what the attitude
OF the United States might be IL the
reported assassination was laid to
the revolutioni3ts.
Mr.. Joel Smith, OF Abbeyille, spent