New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-09
Three Powerful Generals
Who We're Not at Scene
Held; None of Those
Present Are Detained
lrregularity in
Legal Procedure
Herrero's Suicide Story
I Taken Seriously Despite
f BulletW ounds in Body
By Sophie Treadwell

goAcJd1 Disp0fch to The 2fS0uNe
ronyrisht, 1920, New York Tribune Inc.
MEXICO CITY, June 26.-Who
| killed Carranza?
Don Venustiano Carranza, Presi-
dent Of the Republic of Mexico, was
shot and killed in small one-room
hut in the presence of five witnesses.
There were present in that room at
the moment, or Immediately after,
1t least three, and probably frem ten
% twenty, Of his enemies. The crime
took place before dawn on May 8.
Yet, after weeks of Investigations,
reports, commissions and hearings,
the question is still unanswered
Who killed Carranza?
For three days there has been 60
ing on here in the Sd District Court
(al Juzagado Percera de Distrito)
in the Palacio de Donceles an amaz-
ing so-called legal proceeding around
the death of the former President.
It is called "Diligencias para escla-
recer Ia Muerte del Sr. Carranza. ("
Proceedings to clear up the murder
of Mr.. Carranza.)
As result of it, three men are held
in the melancholy prison of Santiago,
formally charged with the response
Ability Of his death. There were four
men until few days ago, when the
richest Of them escaped. But none Of
these four men, all the testimony
agrees, was present at the time of the
crime, nor had they any knowledge of
it until some hours afterward. They
are the four formerly most powerful
Carranzista generais-Francisco MUIR
guia, Urquizo, Frederick Monies. and
Juan Barragan, chief Of stheaEstado
Mayo-the latter has since escaped.
Failed to Aid Carranza
These four men are the only persons
held responsible, because, according to
formal charges, ION being awakened
by the noise Of the combat they n.ad
no serious effort to go to the defense
OF Mr.. Carranza" (al despertar 81
ruido del combate no hicieron ningun
esfuerzo serio papa acudir en- defensa
del Senior Carranza).
1t is included in the formal charge
as a special point against Urquizo, not
only that he was sleeping, but that he
was sleeping in hut 800 meters away.
Rudolfo Herrera, who admits plan
ming and ordering She attack on Car
rama, is absolutely free. So are all
his aides. So are all the men present
at the moment of the assault and death.
During these extraordinary diligen-
Gas much was written and more was
said about money, furniture, the
weather. loyalty. the patria, clothes,
but nothing new, nothing clear, moth
ing plain, practically nothing at all,
about the actual facts of the death of
Carranza.
Summary of Evidence
What are those facts?
This much at least is known:
On May ID Carranza left the train
mat was taking him and his escort to
vera Cruz and fed in disorder, defeat
ana confusion to the mountains. There
were with him at the start about 200
mounted men. After being out a day
Sarranza ordered the boys Of the CO.
y lcglo Militar and most Of the civilians
10 retire. He realized the danger and
o'mculty Of the road before him. Only
one way lay before him-to go deeper
ana deeper into the sierra. Behind him
iay the railroad and the long stretch of
FORCES that had just defeated him. To
tne left and to the right were known
fevolucionario chiefs. Even ahead, into
tne depths of the mountains, were
other jefes, but their forces were
smaller and their loyalty or disloyalty
was not yet known. There might be
one among them who had not vet had
Time to turn.
30 they went ahead, deeper and deep
or into the hills, every day the road
pecoming more desolate, more difficult
ana more dangerous. There were with
.srranza the most important leaders
cl MS government. There were the
sv1i generals. Murguia, jefe de la ex-
Reoition; Urquizo, Sub-Secretary of
va; war and Marine; Monies, Barragan,
zee del Estado Mayor. There were
LUIS cabrera, Secretary Of the Treas
ery; Bonillas, the Carranzista candi-
u p Tor the Presidency, and Aguirre
nerianga and Gil Farias, his private
secretary. There were in all about 100
Party Declines in Number
This is one of the points largely
discussed at the diligencias, Herrera
hlns'ssing that the Carranzistas num-
ssssd zoo: and bringing paper with a
ssa. on 1T to prove 1t. But it was
rsy well established by the Car
.ssaA'stas themselves that. although
. .a.s was their number when they first
s svSx 70 the mountains, it was cut by
r rsla when the President ordered the
e',lemens Of the escort from the
vrsSlo Militar and Of some civilians
A. cabrera, although civilian, was
mn sulde OF the party. He had grown
= ~ these same hills 40 a boy. He
tcensiuusd On psss thrss,