The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1922-03-10

mounted machine gun bar
terry with .ts white crew; two blocks
beyond the arsenal square each de-
tachment leader SO disposed his men
as to offer spirited resistance to any
sOrtie that might be made by the
troGps from the palace in the hope OF
driving off the attackers Of the ar
senal
Having thus provided for protection
during its operations. the main bcdy
nominally under DR.. Pacheco but in
reality commanded by the chief of the
machine gun company. proceeded TO
operate. With the utmost assurance
in the world the armored truck rolled
down the street to the arsenal eIi.
trance, swung in and pointed its i'll.
pudent nose straight at the iron bars
while the hidden chauffeur called
loudly and profanely in Spanish upon
the sentry to open the ga e and lot
him in-that there was necessity for
great hurry. since he had been Sent
down from the palace by the presi-
dente himself. for machine guns to
equip this armored motorcar. The SEN
fry Immediately called the officer of
the guard, who peered out. observed
nothing hut the motortruck, which
seemed far from dangerous. and With
out further ado inserted Il huge key
in the lock and turned the bolt. The
sentry swung the double gates aiar.
and with a prolonged and raucous foot
of its horn the big car loafed in. The
sentry closed the gate again. while the
officer stepped up to turn the key in
the lock. Instead. he dice with hair
a dozen E!stol bullets through his body.
and the sentry sprawled beside him.
The prolonged toOt of the motor
horn had been the, signal agreed upon
to apprise the detachment waiting in
a secluded back street that the truck
was inside the arsenal wall. With a
yell they swept out of the side street
and down on the gate, through which
they poured into the arsenal grounds
At sound of the first shot al the gate,
the cOmmandante of the garrison
which had been drawn up in a
double rank for revelle roll call.
realized he was attacked, and that
swift measures were necessary. FOrtu-
nately for him. his men were standing
at attention at the time. preparatory
to receiving from him one of those
ante-batt'a exhortations so dear to the
Latin soul.
A sharp command, and the little gar
r!s0n had fixed bayonets; another COM
mand, and they were in line Of squads;
before the autotruck could be swung
sideways to permit machine gun to
play on the Sobranteans in close
formation, the latter had thrown out
while from the guardhouse window.
just inside the gate. volley, poured
into the unprotected rear of the truck
following it's passage through the
gate. did deadly execution. The driver,
bullet through his back, sagged for
ward into his steel-cad citadel; both
machine gun operators were wounded,
and the truck was stalled. The sit
nation YVES desperate.
I'm q gone goose" mourned Don
Juan Cafetero. and he leaped from
the shambles to the ground with some
hazy notion of making his escape
through the gate. He was too late
Two men, riding tandem on motor
cycle with a machine gun in the spe'
cially constructed Side-car, appeared
In the entrance and leaped off almost
before Don Juan had time to dodge
behind the motortruck to escape pos
sible wild bullets. the machine CUR
was sweeping the oncoming skirmisf
line. Don Juan cheered as man after
man of the garrison pitched on his
| face. for the odds were rapidly being
evened now. greatly to the pleasure
Of the men charging through the gate
to support the machine gun. Out int
| the arsenal yard they swept, forcin:
because of the danger of killing thei
own men; with a shock bayonet me
bayonet in the center of the yard, ant
the issue was up for prompt and fina
decision.
Don Juan's Hibernian blood thrilled
he cast about for a weapon in thi
emergency, and his glance rested OF
the body of the dead officer beside tn
gate. To possess himself of the lat
ter's heavy "cut-and-thrust" swOr'
was the work of seconds, and witt
royal good will Don Juan launche'
himself into the heart of the scrim
~.