Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-26
MEXICAN PRIESTS
KILLED IN Church;
GOVERNOR IS SHOT
Assassin of Vera Cruz Execu-
tive Also SIain-Wor-
shippers Wounded.
FATALITIES ARE BLAMED
ON NEW RELIGIOUS LAW
Two Churchmen Put to Death by
Unidentified Men While
Conducting Services.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
VERA CRUZ, Mexico July 25.-An
attempt was made tonight to assassinate
Gov. Adelberto Tejeda in Jalapa.
the state capital, and two priests were
shot to death in a church here.
The incidents occurred in the midst
Of the dispute between church authori-
ties and the Vera Cruz state government
over Gov. Tejeda's recently enacted
religious law.
An unidentified youth emptied pistol
at Tejeda as he was leaving the gov
eminent palace in Jalapa this evening
wounding him In the ear. The would
be assassin was shot and killed by men
accompanying the governor.
Priests Shot Down.
At almost the same hour a group of
unidentified men entered the church at
La Doctrina here and shot to death the
two priests, Fathers Landa and RosaS.
Tejeda was taken TO his home for
treatment. Heavy guards were thrown
about the government palace and the
governors home tonight.
A youth who was in the church at the
time the priests were killed shot and
himself wounded and young girl who
was attending the services also was
wounded.
A showdown throughout the state
on the religious law is expected tomor-
row. Priests have said they will re-
main in their churches and attempt to
conduct services in spite of the COVER
nor's orders that only Is priests could
remain on duty in the entire state.
Church authorities have fatty refI1Sod
to obey the law, which allows only one
priest for every 100000 inhabitants.
Fears Future Trouble.
Monsignor Pascual Diaz Archbishop
of Mexico, when notified at Mexico City
of the violence in Vera Cruz, today,
said:
"That is the sort of thing that leads
to interminable trouble and grief. God
help us. What are we in for now?"
A dispatch from Mexico City said
an immediate appeal to the federal
courts will be made by the Catholic
Church If authorities of Vera Cruz put
into effect the lay restricting the num-
Der Of priests. Bishop Rafael GUITAR of
Vera Cruz warned today.
The bishops warning was contained
in an open letter to Gov. Tejeda, which
was printed in thu Catholic weekly FL
Pals in the capital today before the
fatal shootings.
Bishop GUITAR made a last-minute
appeal to the governor not to apply the
law requesting him to think of the
terrible consequences" and he added an
ultimatum in which he announced that
neither he nor the priests would comply
with the measure.
Refuses to Obey Law.
eff the law treated with things purely
temporal or human" Bishop GUITAR
said in his letter, II would sacrifice
all to avoid trouble, but when 1t in
vadeS the duty and love we owe to God
and the eternal salvation Of the people,
will never obey, although I should
sacrifice my life a thousand times.
Your attitude Is unjust in that it is
IN opposition to the holy will of God.
attacks the sacred liberty Of man and
enslaves all the people.
Again I ask you not to apply the
law. II loving God and striving for the
eternal salvation Of our brothers Is ia
naticism, I wish to be the most fanatic
of all, and I hope all the people of
Vera Cruz and Of the world fill them
selves with this kind of holy and
sanity fanaticism
Bishop to Protest Deaths.
MEXICO CITY, July rs LP.-Mon-
signor Rafael GUITAR y Valencia. Bishop
Of Vera Cruz, tonight went to Chapul-
tepec Castle to protest to President
Ortiz Rubio against the attack on two
priests in their church at Vera Cruz