Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
HOLDS Interview With Press.
Sanctioned by Chief
of Police.
LAUGHS AT CHARGES
OF INSANITY STRAIN
Blames Toral Alone for Assassina-
tion-Absolves Clergy of ANY
Share in Plotting.

F. the Associated Press.
MEXICO CITY. August 25.--Aftirm-
ing her own innocence and defending
the Roman Catholic Church and its
clergy of all intimationS in connection
with the assassination Of President
elect Obregon. plots against President
Gales and bombings of the Chamber
of Deputies and Obregon headquarters
Conception Acebeda dc la Llata, mother
superior of a small convent here, today
talked freely with. newspaper mon.
The interview was arranged by the
Associated Press and was with the
sanction of Gen. Antonio Rios Zertuche
chief of police. Some officials were
present, but they made no effort to
direct the conversation.
Mother Conception not only discussed
the charges against her. but she vol
unteered information which. the ques-
TONERS did not seek. She laughed when
they reminded her that allegations OF
insanity had been made in her case
and she used Mexican slang in her ref
utation Of that charge.
Welcomes Suffering.
Although innocent, she said she
would welcome any suffering that
might be invoked upon her.
1T is my ideal of life TO be a mar
tyr" she said. In order to be mar
tyr one must be punished for a crime
one has not committed Therefore
welcome any punishment or suffering
that may come my way"
OF the assassination of Gen. Alvaro
Obregon preSident-elect, she said
'Toral alone was responsible for that
/ have said so often that | had nothing
to do with the killing that / am tired
Of repeating"
She was asked If she knew of any
labor leaders being involved in the as
sassination. Her eyes twinkled and
she laughed as she tossed her head
back and said,
Il have no laborites concealed be-
hind my skirts"
1T is absolutely untrue" she con-
tinued. that / took part in or had
knowledge of any meetings held foi
the purpose of manufacturing bombs
do not know what any bombs that
NAV have been manufactured were for
h1u lNus OtENt oASSh
1T is absolutely untrue that I fur
nished any poison to be used against
President Gales or Gen. Obregon. IL
is also untrue that attended any meet
ings where the killing of these two men
was discussed.
Il had no part whatever III the
assassination of Obregon and knew
nothing Of 1t until he was dead. | am
not either directly or indirectly re-
sponsibie for any act Of Toral. / nave
not been involved in any bombing plot
or any other anti-government plot.
1T follows, of course, that l nave
not been influenced In these plots by
any Catholic priest, Neither the Cath
olic Church nor It's clergy has any con-
nection with or responsibility for any
of these things
Her laugh rang out again when she
was asked concerning the signed state
ment attributed TO Bishop De La Mora
which said that there was insanity III
her family. Intimations that she. was
herself mentally deranged also aroused
her risibilitieS.
"Oh. no. she said. there has been
no mental trouble in my family-at
least not before me. And l am not
loco / am only 'chifiado'.
Word Similar to "Nutty."
Loco" is the we'll understood Me%i-
can word for insanity. "Chiflado' Is
slang expression, which Is used about
the same. way that the word "nutty'
is used in the United States.
When reminded of gossip that she
was not a real nun and that her con-
vent was not a genuine institution Of
the church. Mother Concepcions re
sp0nse was prompt and serious.
Those stories are not true" she said,
Il have been recognized as nun and
my convent has been recognized as q
properly established institution for II
years. not only by the Mexican church
but also by the holy father. The holy
father gave me authority To found my
convent II years ago and was made
a nun In Queretaro by Bishop Rivera
In 1912.
Not only is my convent regularly
organized. but all the nuns therein
were and are proper Catholic nuns"
The mother superior said that, In her
role OF martyr. she had intended to
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