The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-23
SIX MEMBERS OF
 CARRANZA PARTY ARE FOUND DEAD
RevOlutiOnists Eager In At tempt to Show Deposed
 Ruler Was Assassinated By Own Men

Fl Paso, Tex, May 22.- Venustiano Carranza, presi- dent of Mexico and head of the seventy-second government that country has had since 1921, was assassinated at l a. m. Friday by Col. Rodolfo Herrero and his soldiers at Tlaxcaltenango, Puebla, ac- cording to messages received here from Gen. Alvaro Obre- gon, dated at Mexico City to- day.
 s'There were found six or seven
 bodies of the men in Carranzn's
 party" one message from Obregon
 said. It is not stated whom these
 men might he.
 Reports given out by the reyolu-
 tiOnists said Cnrranza was assas-
 sinated by his own men. Herrcro
 was described m ex-federaI
 officer. He was once m officer
 fin the Mexican army under Presi- ,
 dent Diaz, who was forced to flee
 Mexico in 1911.
 Carranxa wns made prisoner
 and assassinated at the cry of
 "Viva Obregon' by Col Rodolfo
 HerrcrO and his men, according
 to reports.
 Obregon declared that if the Car ranza followers who signed themselves, numbering more than thirty men and including Juan Barragon. chief of staff; Ignacio Bonllas, former am bassador to the United States whose candidacy for the presidency brought on the latest revolution, and other prominent leaders, had died defending your chief. you would be at rest with your consciences and escaped the shame of your eowardice." ODregon told the Carranzists they were suffi- cient in numbers. if they had done their duty, "io have saved Carranza s life, if, as you state. he was assissi- nated.'
 REFUSED OFFER
 On repeated occasions. Obregon said, President Carranza was notified of the guarantee which would be glv- en him if he would be willing to leave the danger zone. but he refused to ac- cept this offer because he considered il undignified of man of honor to save himself. leaving his companions in dan ger. This act of Carranza revealed the dignity and good fellowship you failed to appreciate
 First report of the assassination oi Carranza was filed by Obregon on Friday night. The message did not reach here until today. The message said
 Have just received the following message from Huauchinango. State of
 "General Mariel advises me from Villa Juarez that the troops of the ex . federal officer Rodolfo Herrero. killed President Carranza at I a. m, at a place called Tlaxcaltenango Ther were found six or seven more bodies of the men in Carranza's party. It is not stated who these men might be I will wire details later Rodolfo Herrero surrendered last March to General Mariel and had been an of- ficer under General Palaez.
 EAGER TO SHIFT BLAME
 Revolutionists today were eager in their attempts to show Carranza was not killed by revolutionists, but "by his own men,
 The department of propaganda and tn- formation at Nogales sent a message to the commercial agent of the defacto gov ernment here urging that the news be given to the press with particular stress Ion the fact that the hapbening occuyed far away from the field Of operation of our forces"
 From the wording of the Obregon tele- gram skepticism was expressed here by many persons in close touch with the revolution concerning the affiliations of Herrero. The anxiety of the Mexicans on the paint was laid to the concern over what the attitude of the United States might be if the reported assassi- nation was laid to the revolutionists.
 TO MAKE INVESTIGATION
 Mexico City, May 22.-Lieutenant Colonel Cardenas. who for three years commanded the garrison al Necaxa, near the vicinity of President Cap-anza' s death. and who is now in this y, is quoted today as denying that Gen. Ro- dolfo Herrero. whose forces kired Car ranza, was once federal officer under Huerta. He says General Herrero com manded volunteers from his own town, and that this was his only connection with the federal army.
 General Herrero, Lieutenant Colonel Cardenas reports, is former follower of Manuel Pelaez, and surrendered on March 8, last, to Gen. Francisco De r. Mariel who was with Carranza at the time of his death
 When the Sonora split occurred. says Lieutenant Colonel Cardenas, General Herrero protested adhesion to President Carranza.
 After conference today between Gen erals Obregon and Gonzales. a command was named to proceed to the scene of Carranzas s death to investigate and re- port General Obregon named Attorney
 (COntinued on Page Sfx)
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