Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-10
TORAL

Confined from rsEe ons.)
his heart just az the shots rang
out.
Death Extremely Quick
The execution took place so quick
ly that the small group Of spec
tstors, almost entirely composed Of
newspaper men and held back about
a hundred feet from the place Of the
execution. scarcely had q good
glimpse of Ioral before his body fell
to the grolnd.
Toral's death was extremely quick,
il not instantaneous.
As the bedy dropped the bullets
tore open the sand bags behind the
prisoner and little streams OF sand
poured TO the ground.
A crowd Of several thousand was
outside the penitentiary when the
execution took place, but was held
a block away from the building by
the military police With fixed bay
onets.
Nurse Hears Shots
Meanwhile . crowd Of several hun
dred which had gained entrance to
the penitsntisry vas held In an
outer patio and only about thirty
we're permitted TO pass through sew
ersl long corridors to the place
where Toral was executed.
Immediately after the firing squad
had finished itz work, the body was
taken To the peritentiary mcrgue.
IN the hospital Or the ~penitentiary
ct the time OF tho execution was
Mother Conception, sentenced 10
twenty years imprisonment as the
intellectual author Of the Cbre-
aon assassination. The hospital Il
within the sound OF rifle shct III
the execution ground.
A Catholic priest, Dressed in civil
ian clothes as all priests have been
in Mexico for some years except
when III churches, was with Ioral Ia
his cell until the walk TO the execu-
ton ground. The distance from n
cell TO the firing squad was short,
Just down the corridor.
Ioral was dead in less than a min
ute after ne left the priest an1 only
q few seconds after he had stepped
into the courtyard. The squad was
ready as he approached. The instant
his was Ia position the rifles crack
cd. This rspidity seemed 70 startie
Toral, and be carried into death an
expression OF astonishment, as n he
had expected opportunity TO say
something before death.
Dips Handkerchief in Blood
lie was not biindfolded. lie simp-
" was marched from his cell by two
civilian officials Of the penitentIary.
A moment after he received the
con de grace, the priest who had
been with him in his cell, Rafael
Ruiz Soto, pushed through the sol
der guards, advanced 10 the corpse,
kneIt and dipped his handkerchief
in the blood OF Torel. He made the
sign Of the cross and pronounced
extreme uncticn. He was detained
By the guards for having bioken
through 4 lines. However, he KEEP
the bleed-stsined handkerchief o. !
relic Of what 1or.l esrlisr had call
ed his m~srtyrdom.
During q final conference with
one OF his attorneys Toral said: III
am absolutely convinced that ! will
20 direct 10 Heaven and join God
there. / die absolutely tranquil"
One of the guards said he (IoraD
has the courage Of a bull"
Toral was shaved ut his request by
the prison barber this morning. He
felt or his face and said: 1T Is not
smooth enough, 60 over me once
more" After the barber had repeat
ed the operation Toral attempted to
pay him, but the barber refused.
In ~3cc0rdancs with another of his
requests, half an hour before his
death . bottle Of ccgnsc was brought
to Torsl Of which he drank about
half. He spilled Eoms on his pei
ishrd black shoes and he meticu-
lousy wiped il Off. He said he
wanted to face the firing squad spick
ard span.
He was dressed in his best clothes.
a double breasted black coat, dark
pin-striped trousers. wiah IN old
yari-coicred sweater oyef his vest
Less than fifty persons witnessed
the execution.
While Torai was being executed
Mother Conception wa praying in
the p~enitentiary infirmsry rear the
court yard. She could near the rifle
volley which ended the life az the
1 tA1h WIN huQN1 EUE R0H L0HNAELU1 OIL
c~onspiring. She refused TO see any
one or say anything and asked 10
be left alone.
Tcrsl had only about two hours Of
sleep Last night Several priests
were with him ut one time Of an
other, and he prayed with them or
alone most Of the night. He went to
bed after four q. IN, and was I'D
again at about o.
Meme Of his family witnessed the
execution. His ten day old son was
brought TO him again early this
morning. but his wife was too III TO
see him again. as che had last night.
His mother remained in the prison
until an hcur and m half before the
execution when she was taken away
In q state Of ervcu collapse. To-
RAILS elderly father, his beard streak
ed with gray a1d seemingly very
YEAR,, rerasired an keur lcrrer.
Father Soto said later @ore Of TO.
rails last exPysssad wishes was that
as newborn sen might become .
Catholic missionary"
Iorsl had kissed the cross held By
the priest IS he left his cell and he
carried In his pockets a cross and
religious enhiemE.
Prison guards said Tcrai had ted
them that he dreamed last night
that the Virgin Mary had appeared
20 him and beckoned him 70 Heaven.
He said he heard celestial music.
Then be awakened with start ~
find the prison hnFles blowing the
revsiIle.
The bedy wa 10 he turned ever "a
his family for burial II was err
psctsd that the fun&raI will BE- hsld