Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-18
BY GESFORD F. FINE
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent

MENICO CITY. July Is. -Presi
dent Gales moved swiftly today to
prevent the assassination Of Presi
dent Elect Alvaro Obregon from be
coming the spark that would destroy
his government.
Troops were masscd in barracks.
public gathering places were closed
during the night, three higeh police
officials were replaced by more
loyal men and Il censorship was
clamped down on the press.
Unless authorities find that he
can give them additional informa-
tion about the plot. Gen. Obregon 5
assassin will be executed immedi-
atcly.
The outrage appeared to be an in
dividual matter, not linked, as at
first assumed, with any widespread
political move against the govern
mcnt
The assassin who shot Obregon
six times at close range as the presi-
! dent-elect sat at the luncheon table
with group of his friends in the
Labombilla cafe in the wealthy su-
burb Of San Angel yesterday after
noon, now is believed to be Jose
juan Gonzales.
He was at first described as Juan
EscaPulario, an amateur cartoonist
and 1t was on the preteXt of show
] ing the general a drawing that he
succeeded in approaching Obregon
in the cafe.
After he had been saved from the
! fury of Ohregon s friends, whose
first impulse was to slay him at
once the assassin made this state
mcnt:
! 81 have done what 7 came to do.
| killed Obregon because I wanted
Christ to be king and to reign com
pIctcly, not partially.'
Gales Acts Promptly
President Gales, who according to
the extras. now is called chief by
the Obregonistas and who may con
tinue in the presidency for two more
years rs a results of the asSassina-
tion, wasted no time in his attempts
to stifle revolutionary tendencies.
He ordered troops into the bar
racks throughout the republic. All
theaters, saloons and other public
gathering places were closed. Three
highest officials of the police de
partment summarily were replaced.
The president, deeply affected by
the assassination, issued only one
short statements:
81 have suffered such shock
that | am completely stunned by the
, death of Obregon, who represented
all the hopes and ambitions of the
Mexican people. In my estimation
the country has lost its greatest
representative -
The strictest censorship prevails
/ throughout the republic hut thus far
there have been no indications of
violence even though Obregon S inn
mediate friends in Mexico City had
urged within few minutes after
the cXocution-that eve get be-
hind this
Obregon died as had/his predeces-
Sor in office, Ncnustiano Carranza,
by an assassin 5 bullet.
Closely Protected
1t was not until the assassination
of Carranza, and the subsequent
revolution, that the famous one
armed war hero became prominent
in McNieo'S internal affairs. From
1920 he rode on crest Of popular
ity that brought about his second
election as president only Il few
weeks ago.
Obregon was unoppoSed for the
presidency in the recent national
clection-his two opponents having
been executed months before.
The general had been closely pro
tected, particularly since an at
tempt was made to bomb his auto
mobile last winter. For the past
few days he had been comforting
over policies of his administration.
1t was during one of these confer
ences that Obregon was killed. He
had called Colonel Ricardo Topete,
Senator Valdez Ramirez, former for
eign minister Aaron Saenz and his
campaign director Col. Juan James,
TO the restaurant for luncheon dis
cussion of national affairs.
There was a lively crowd in the
little restaurant. An orchestra
I"N'u N'i lSH'iN dlIS. AS lut gen
eral conferred with his friends the
assassin Juan approached with
Caricaturp.
The assassin pushed a small re
volver into Obregon S back and
fired several times. A late report
said five wounds were found in the
general s back and one across his
cheek Topcte rushed to the assas-
sin, seized him and was aided by
friends in an attempt to kill the
man.
General Cruz, the chief of police,
entered the restaurant and stopped
those attempts with the statement:
Wait until we can see who's
back of this. -
He led the assassin away.
The orchestra served to prevent