The New York herald., 1922-01-13
FEAR POISON KILLED
GUATEMALA CONSUL
Police Suspect Dieguez Was
Victim of q Plot of Home
Politicians.

Manuel Dieguez. Consul-General OF
Guatemala. who died suddenly In the
Broad Street Hospital Wednesday few
minutes after his arrival there. may
have been poisoned. 1t was said yes
terday by DR.. Charles Norris. Chief
Medical Examiner. Detectives from the
Homicide Bureau are investigating
charges that Dieguez was the victim OF
a political plot in which personal ami
mostly also figured.
An autopsy was performed yesterday
by DIR. Charles Norris, Chief Medi-
cal Examiner. assisted by DR.. Ben
Jamin Schwartz and DR.. Gordon
Vance. The result indicated, 1t was said
at DR.. Norris's Office. that death resulted
from acute hemorrhagic pancreats.
Whether poison was actually admin
istered cannot be determined until after
a chemical analysis of the contents OF
the stomach, which is to be performed
by DR.. A. o. Gettler, chief of the chemi-
cal laboratories at Bellevue Hospital.
Nathaniel ]. Palzer of 120 Broadway.
counsel to the consulate, said that at
least two persons would be arrested
II the result of the chemical analysis
showed that Senior Dieguez had died
from poison. In that event, he said. he
would lay all the circumstances before
the state Department and ask for a
Federal investigation.
In Way OF Revolutionists.
Senior Dieguez was appointed by the
Herrera Government, which was over
thrown December 5 by the revolution
headed by Gen. Orellano. He was con-
sidered by the present Guatemala Gov
ernment to be the chief obstacle to its
recognition by the United States. the
police wire told yesterday.
Since the revolution Senor Dieguez
had complained to Mr.. Palzer. and to
others. that he was being shadowed. On
December he wrote to the Police De-
partmcnt asking for a revolver permit
Senior Dieguez, the police were told.
frequently had shown his fear of some
one or some thing in other ways. He
refused to drink any water save that
brought to his Office by a private bot
Ting firm. Three days ago he ordered
the water cooler removed from the con-
sulate. But, for some reason. his or
ders were not executed. Two days be-
fore Christmas he made his will. AS
far as Senior Dieguez could learn he was
shadowed by but one man. He en-
ployed an agent to shadow the shadower
and soon learned. Mr.. Palzer says. that
all of his movements were being reported
to his political enemies.
Never Told wife of Fears.
Mrs. Dieguez. who had lived with her
husband at 61a West 163d street is to
become a mother soon. Because of her
condition and desire to avoid arousing
her apprehension, Senor Dieguez had
told her nothing OF his fears, according
to Mr. Palzer.
Miguel Prado. secretary of the Qua
temalan Legation at Washington. was In
conference with Mr.. Palzer yesterday
afternoon. Senior Dieguez's body will be
turned over to Senior Pedro as soon as
the chemical analysis has been COM
pleted. probably tomorrow.
Senior Dieguez was for fifteen years
an importer In San Francisco before his
appointment TO the New York post by
the defunct Herrera Government. He
was seized with what was at first be-
lleved to have been an attack OF acute
Indigestion in his office Wednesday
afternoon and was taken TO the Broad
Street Hospital by his secretary. He
died soon afterward.
The body was removed last night to
an undertaking establishment at 597
Lexington avenue. Burial 1t was said.
will be in Calvary Cemetery.