The Bismarck tribune., 1929-02-11
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
DESTROYS BRIDGE AS
engine APPROACHES
Sleeping President Unharmed
as Fireman Is Killed In
Wreckaqe Of Cars
UNEMPLOYED BOMB FOUND
Riots Occur as the Body oe
obregcn's Slayer Is Carried !,
Through Crowds to Grave n

Mexico City. Feb. 1l.--(R)-Tho
greatest excitement Mexico City has
known since the assassination of
President-elect Aware Obregon pre-
vailed today.
Police guards were doubled becauso
Of dynamiting Of the train on which
President Emilio Portes Oil was re-
turning here yesterday, and because
Of discovery shortly after midnight Of
an unexploded bomb In the campaign
headquarters Of Arron Saenx, prest-
Dental candidate.
Adding to the Sabbath excitement
were demonstrations accompanyiux
the funeral OF General Obregon's as-
Sassin, Jose de Leon Toral, who was
executed Saturday. SOf 81 persons
20 were women. One person WoS
killed and 30 were wounded. @
The bombing Of President Portes
Gils train took place as the locomo-
tive passed over . bridge In the des-
ert wilderness in the eastern part Of
the state Of dauanajuato, between
Comonfort and Rincon, south OF San
Luis Potosi.
Fireman Is Killed M
The locomotive was partly destroyed
and two coaches back OF 1t were
thrown from the tracks. The fire
man In the locomotive was killed, thu
pilot train, which preceded the prest-
dental special. passed over the bridge
unscratched.
The president and the secretary Of
war left the rear coach and uues-
toned some Indians whom troops
captured in searching the vicinity.
They Satisfied themselves these had
nothing to do with the attempt on his
life and they were released.
Further down the track another
dynamite bomb-unexploded-was
found affixed to the rails, A special
train was dispatched from oueretaro.
enabling the party to continue the
journey to Mexico City. With the
president aboard the train were q
number Of politicians, a considerable
body Of troops. and q number OF
newspapermen.
Crowd Follows Hearse
Mexico City police had their hands
full at the funeral Of Toral. A motor
hearse carried his body to the Spanish
cemetery on the outskirts Of the city.
As 1t passed through the streets e
crowd fell In behind with occasional
women breaking through police lines
to grab flower from the hearse.
Fire engines accompanied the pro-
cesston with hoses read to disperso
the gathering should 1t become un-
ruly. Neither father, mother. nor
widow Of Toral was able to participate
In the services.
While interment was In progress Z
volley Of shots nearby frightened snrne
but 1t developed soldiers had only
Tired above the heads Of the crowd ii
an effort to disperse 1t.
There were frequent clashes be-
tween the firemen with the hose. thu
police. and crowds Of mourners, many
Of whom threw stones to emphasis
their feelings. It was in these clashes
that three were killed and many In
jured.
Engineer Saves President
Humberto Martinez, brother of Au.
euStan Martinez. the dead fireman.
told newspapermen that quick work
OF the engineer probably saved the
Mexican president from death.
He said the train was going about
IS miles an hour south Of Rincon
when . terrifi: explosion occurred
about 300 yards ahead, blowing to bits
the small railroad bridge spanning :
dry gap.
The engineer applied the brakes.
but before the train could be stopped
the engine and its tender and one
pullman had leaped entirely across
the gap and overturned.
The fireman was killed when his
body was caught In the wreckage.
The prestdent and his party wern
asleep when the explosion occurred.
but they hastily donned bath robes
and left the train to inspect the DANE
age.
The conductor Of the presidential
train was told at San Felipe station
three hours before the wreck that =
party Of IS armed men had been seen
riding horseback in the direction the
train was going little while before.