Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-22
Confessions Reported From
Members of "MartYs'"
Band in Mexico City.
GIRL ACCUSED OF PLAF.
TO POISON PRESIDENT
Alleged Conspirator Assumes En-
tire Blame, Exonerating
Catholic Clergy.

By the Associated Press
MEXICO CITY. August 22.-Seven
women and five men were under arrest
today accused of having conspired to
kill President Plutarco Elias Gales as
well as the late President-elect Gen.
Alvaro Obregon
Mother Superior Conception Acebeda
de la Llata, under custody since the
Staying of Gen. Obregon in July, Is
charged with having been the chief
plotter. The police declare the con-
spirators planned to kill the two Of
flcials last April by pricking them with
a poisoned pin at dance in Celaya.
This plan. as well as later plot to
bomb bridge near Celaya, over which
Obregon and Gales were to pass, was
abandoned as impracticable, it is al
legged, but the conspirators continued
their efforts and succeeded in Staying
Gen. Obregon.
Salvation Promise Reported.
The police attribute to Rafael En-
riquez Vidal, 22-year-old law student,
who is one of those arrested, the state
ment that he was invited to join the
group, being promised entrance to
Heaven if he should become one of the
martyrs"
In signed statement, Chief of Police
Antonio Rios zertuche said that En-
riquez and others among those under
arrest made confessions. Enriquez, he
declared, told of Mother Conception
showing him pictures of young men
executed for religious activities and ex-
pressing her determination to organize
another group of martyrs"
The police statement says she told
him the Pope would canonize all those
who died in behalf of the church. Not
believing himself timber for a saint,
Enriquez, the statement says, declined
to join the group.
Met at Nuns Home.
The police statement says the plot
/ ters met at the home of Mother Con-
cepuon. Senorita Maria Elena Man
zano, now under arrest, is accused of
having accepted mission to 20 to
Celaya, induce Obregon and Gales to
dance with her and, while dancing,
prick them with poisoned pin Mother
Conception Is charged with having fur
nished a bottle of poison for the pur-
pose.
When the poison plan was abandoned,
the conspirators manufactured bombs
III house near that occupied by Mother
Conception. Chief Rios Zertuche de-
clares, the explosives being used in
bombings in the Chamber of Deputies
and Obregon headquarters, in recent
months.
Jose Leon Toral, obregon's assassin,
and Manuel Trejo, who is alleged to
have furnished Toral with the pistol
that he used In Staying the President
elect, are declared to have been MEM
brs OF the martyrs" group
Senorita ManZano Is quoted In an
interview as admitting she planned TO
prick Gales and Obregon with a
poisoned pin. The plan failed. she said,
because Trejo and Carlos Diez Soliano,
who accompanied her to Celaya, be-
came frightened and returned to
Mexico City before she could ac-
complish her purpose.
Betrothed TO Castro.
She said she was betrothed to Carlos
Castro Balda, one of the alleged con-
spirators, and II was her love for him
which prompted her TO participate In
the plot. at his invitation
She said she became acquainted With
Mother Conception five years ago and
met Castro at her house. The inter-
view proceeds:
"Sollano hatched the plot and gave
me the poison, most deadly one.
was TO conceal the poisoned pin in the
folds of my dress A single scratch
would have been sufficient 10 kill a
person and l intended TO approach
Gales and Obregon in one way or
another"
If Castro is executed she will be-
come nun. resolved TO do her utnloSt
in behalf of mankind, she added.
Those under arrest are: Senorita
Mazano, Margarita Rubio. Leonora
Rubio. Piedad Rangel. Sonora ESper-
anza de CiSneros. Ana Maria CiSneroS.
Margarita Pacheco. Enriquez Vidal,
Castro Balda. Eduardo Zozalla Y Col
lada. Eulogio Gonzales Arzola and Fer
nando Amory Villal Pando,
student Supplied Formula.
2ozalla Collada. a 34-year-old en-
gineerine student, is accused OF having
furnished the formula for the manu-
facture Of the bombs,
Castro Balda, aged 81, has been n
government clerk and participated IN
the Huerta revolution against the
Gales government, Aided by Trejo, he
is alleged 10 have placed bombs In the
Chamber of Deputies after unchinS
with the nun, Josefina, sister of Mother
Conception.
Rios Zertuche's statement SAYS that
after the bombing IN the Chamber OF
Deputies Treio and Castro lied, keep
ing Mother Conception advised OF then
movements Gonzales Arzola, a 27-
year-old hookkeeper who studied for
the priesthood, testified to the police.
the statement SAYS, that he attended
meetings In Mother Concepcion's house.
where plans to kill Gales and ooregon
were discussed,
The statement adds that Armor
VillalpanCio, a 2S-year-old engineering
student. was associated with the group
and participated In the formation Of
secret organization for the promotion
of social and political affairs,
Castro Takes Blame.
Ana Maria CiSneroS, %. the police
declare. testified that she heard the
Catholic priest Jose Jimener twice say
in the presence of Turai that the Cath
,lies should fight because they already
had suffered two years OF persecution
and IL was necessary to remove" those
persons who ohStructed the settlement
VI the religious question. The police
nave been unable to md Jimenex
Interviewed In his cell, Castro as
'umed full responsibility for the plot,
lie said he alone was to blame and
hat he was nrcmpted by personal mo-
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