New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-06-08
Herrera Insists. !. :.
Carranza Killed
Self In In Combat:
Alleged Assassin Declares
Late President Ended Life
After Being Wounded I'M
Night Battle With Rebels
Denies Any Treachery'
Asserts He Did Not Join
Fugitive Leaders Forces
as a Friend, but as Foe
J By Sophie Trcadwell~
sneoia1 cab,a To rha rrtnuns


Copyright. 1920. New York Tribune. Inc.
MEXICO CITY, June 7.-Rodolphe
Herrera to-day told me the story of the
night battle in the mountains Of Puebla
which resulted in the death Of Venus
tiano Carranza.
The alleged betrayer and assassin OF
the one-time President arrived in the
capital Saturday night from Tampico
accompanied by only fifteen Of his own
mem and all escorted by General Car
denas and government guard. Herra
refused to ride in a passenger coach
insisting on a box car for himself and
his men. He has established head
quarters at the Hotel Gillow and ap-
pears to be perfectly at liberty, though
under technical arrest, awaiting the
outcome of the charges that the aged
Mexican President fell victim to his
treachery. He adheres. to the state
ment that, Carranza committed suicide.
With eighty men T attacked the
200 who accompanies Garranza, while
they slept in the night, said Herrera 70
day. Y"Carranza's death WAS not the
result ofs.tEeacheEy:laes my enemies say.
He died in combat. did not join Car
ranza's forces as friend. If 1 had
done this his men would have known
how few we were and might have de-
tended him better
Carranza Among Wounded
"The plain truth is that led a sud-
den and furious attack in the dark and
the rain and they did not realize the
s SIN of our force We fought for
thirty minutes. Six of their menSapd
three of mine had been killed and Car
rama and some others had been
wounded before they surrendered. "a,
,followlng the surrender, Carranza
called out All is lost and then shot
himself"
Herrera denies that he or his fol-
lowers felt any personal 'ennaity toward
the Mexican President,i huu did ac-
knowledge. great bitternessStoward the
r sa brothers, .membess of Car
ranza's party. Alfonso Cabrera was
Governor Of 1.-THE States of, Puebla ana
Luis Cabrera MiRister ofs.Fihanoes in
Herrera continued: f5E,l-% 81 e
THE Cabreras are rny..cousins and
my enemies! When We were. children
they were poer,a and received fAvcfs
from my family. worked until I was
fourteen years of lage in the, fields sof
the State OF Vera CFuG;with my father.
| am connposinos--a. coslntrynasn. ~
left the land TO 3oinSthe federal army
under Don Pogfrio Diaz, and was 4
soldier until Carransa dissolved that
army in a0l4s had. attained the rank
of major upom my retirement. / then
went back to. Che country in the State
Of Tamaulipas with ny family, bu.
there Was constantly bothered ~ the
Carranzistas.,1sT They called nae 'peion'
trascaD, andSpne day aals captain m
suited me and Struck my mother with
his rife. 1t was then that l became a
revolutionist
Recruited Revolutionary Army
With two friends land in the night I
attacked this captain: He was asleen
with his twelve men around him; Il
took all their arms away ana turned
them loose. With these arms Ira.
cruited more men, and for the last
four years l have been fighting in the
mountains"
Herrera's story of the attack on Car
rama was incomplete, in so far as he
refused to detail how Carranza, wound
ed six times, was able to administer
the seventh and last bullet to himself,
he, however, promised to describe the
entire affair in more detail after he
had talked to his "jefes," Generals
Gales and Oregon.