Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-27
GOVERNOR BLAMES
CHURCH IN MEXICAN
PRIESTS Staying
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when lives are endangered" the Papal
Nuncio said in discussing his message
TO the priests. I'VE, therefore, are
leaving it for each individual priest in
volved to decide. Probably many OF
them, unwilling to leave their people,
will go into hiding and attempt to min
lister to the people in secret.
The church gravely laments yester-
days occurrences in Vera Cruz and
Jalapa. We are doing all we can to
keep the people quiet and have re-
peatedly cautioned and ordered our
people to refrain from rising up in arms.
Armed resistance is against the
spirit of Christianity and the church.
II is against Christian doctrine"
Bishop Guisar said he had received
no reply from Gov. Tejeda to an offer
made early today to sacrifice his life
to the governor if, in return, Tejeda
would leave the priests and Catholics
alone to have religious freedom"
He charged that Gov. Tejeda was
chief of the Communist party in Mex
leo and was trying to force Communism
on the state of Vera Cruz.
Priests Limited to Is.
The disturbances have accompanied
Gov. Tejeda's attempt to enforce a
state law which limits to IS the num-
Der of priests allowed to exercise their
religious functions in the state, which
has a population of about 100000.
Churches at Cordoba and OriZaba re-
manned open yesterday and were JAM
med for services. The state did not
interfere.
One priest is dead as a result of the
disturbances and two are injured. Gov.
Tejeda was shot through the ear Sat-
urday by young man. now under ar
rest, who has refused to give the
authorities his name. The youth was
wounded by the governors guard, but
reports from Jalapa said he would live.
Immediately after he had been
wounded by a shot in one ear, Gov.
Tejeda declared from balcony OF the
government palace here that despite
this campaign of terrorism l will carry
out my plan"
The governor had warned that I'M
less the Catholic Church complied with
the new state religious law limiting
the number of priests in the State OF
Vera Cruz he would take measures to
enforce it.
Eye witnesses to the attempted as
sassination OF the governor said his as
sailant was shot down after pistol
fight which lasted Is minutes, in which
the governor and his assailant shot at
each other from behind pillars at the
entrance of the government palace.
Mob Attacks Churches.
After the attack on the governor, a
mob formed and obtaining gasoline at
automobile filling stations, advanced
against the churches. Pouring gasoline
on the walls, they set fire to the build
ingS.
The cathedral and the churches Of
Calvario, Beateric and San Jose were
damaged before the fire was extin-
guished by police and troops. Several
were injured when wall Of the San
Jose Church collapsed.
Police broke up the mob and made
many arrests. The city was reported
quiet today.
Troops were placed at danger points
in the State.
Father Dario Acosta, who was shot
to death in a raid on the Asuncion
Church in the city of Vera Cruz Satur-
day, was buried there yesterday with
out disorders. The public was barred
from the funeral, which was attended
only by police and civic officials.
A Vero Cruz dispatch to the news
paper Excelsior said Father Rafael
Rosas, injured in the same raid in
which Father Acosta was killed, fled
the city last night, fearing that his
life was in danger, An inventory Of
the church property was started pre-
paratory to turning it over to the fed
eral government. The national con-
stitution stipulates that all church
buildings are the property Of the ma
ton and the priests are caretakers.