Evening star., 1928-11-09
TORAL SENTENCED
I TO DIE IN MEXICO
ReIigieuse Given 20 Years for
Her Part in Staying of
Gen. 0bregon.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SAN ANGEL, Mexico, November o.
Jose De Leon Toral, under sentence OF
death for the assassination of Gen. AL
varo Obregon, today remained firm in
his assertion that the verdict held no
terrors for him.
Mother Conception Aceveda de la
Llata, tried jointly with the young art
student, was convicted of being the
intellectual author" of the crime yes
terday and sentenced to 20 years i'm
prisonment.
One thousand perscns cheered the
Jury when the verdict was returned.
Ever since his arrest on July II, i'm
mediately after Staying Gen. Obregon.
Toral has maintained that he is willing
to die. He reiterated this as the trial
closed His hope. he added, was that
the Mexican people would forget their
hatredS.
Counsel Plans Appeal
Attorney Sodi of the defense counsel
announced that he would appeal to the
Mexican Supreme Court. He was al
lowed five days to perfect this appeal
Should the San Angel courts verdict
be upheld the date and place of Toral's
execution by a firing squad will prob
ably be fixed by the governor of the
Federal district.
The courtroom resembled a garrison
when the trial was concluded. Rein
forcements of guards were on duty cut
side the building to keep back an ever
swelling crowd
The Jury of nine men, mostly labor
ers, was out an hour and 40 minutes.
The verdict was radiocast.
The jury was unanimous in Toral'S
tease.
Mother Conception was found guilty
by vote of eight to one, majority
verdict under Mexican law being suf-
flcient to convict. She dropped her
eyes and sat motionless.
When sentences were imposed every
body in the courtroom stood. From
the outside came the cheers of the
crowd Officers drew their swords and
saluted as the blades flashed in the
late afternoon light. Policemen stood
at attention and saluted.
Toral arose. May I speak?" he
asked.
mo, you can speak later" the judge
answered.
The guards formed quickly around
Toral and Mother Conception. Before
they could be led off a spokesman for
the jury rose. He asked the judge to-
give the jurymen guards to escort them
to their homes. Many of the jurymen
had been coming to the trial armed
since threats had been made against
them.
The Judge replied that a guard was
unnecessary. The juryman insisted,
saying there are lots of fanatics
around"
''You have performed your duty and
returned fair verdict" the judge said.
THE nation applauds you and you do
not need guards"
The jurymen departed unguarded.
Through double rows of troops bris-
Ting with weapons Toral and Mother
Conception were led from the room for
the journey to San Angel prison.
Toral was bundled into an automobile
and surrounded by heavily armed army
ofhcers. Mother Conception rode to
prison in an open truck, with guards
around her.
AS they rode through the cowd, Toral
saw a friend. He waved.
Other cars loaded with soldiers
grouped around those which carried the
prisoners. Soldiers stood or crouched
on the roofs of houses along the way.
Radio Cut OF.
Attorney Sodi of the defense left the
/ courtroom under heavy guard. The
| crowd, however, displayed none of the
violence against him and the jury, which
1,aA To- f1aa a1a cfx1er 40 Nf
the trial.
'rhe defense contended that Toral's
crime was political and as such was not
punishable by death.
Mother Conception based her appeal
for acquittal on the argument that she
knew nothing of ToraPs intention to kill
Gen. Obregon. In her behalf it was
argued that she did nothing more to
influence him in this act than hundreds
of others who opposed Gen. Obregon's
religious stand and sometimes said SO.
Toral's story that he was tortured
when police sought to obtain informa-
ton as to possible accomplices brought
an order cutting of the radio broad
cast of the trial. 1t was charged that
the defense was using the proceedings to
spread religious propaganda. The broad
casting was resumed only on the closing
day.
Spectators were excluded from the
courtroom after Torals story. The
government declared an official boy
colt of the newspaper Excelsior Of Mex
leo City, charging that the stories ap-
pearing in it made hero of Toral
The last day of the trial were punc-
tuated with threatening cries from out
side the courtroom of Viva Obregon'
and Death to Obregon's assassin"
The closing arguments were bitter and
Defense Attorney Sodi was forced to
cut his speech short because he was
unable to make himself heard above the
Kissing in the courtroom.