Evening star., 1931-12-13
Alfonso Has Price on Head
While Former Honoed

some of us willing to die for oul
ideals"
In all truth, Capt Galan had large
ly himself to blame for his ill-fortune
He had led his troops against the mon.
archy so hours before the time Sc
for the uprising. He did this PARTIAL,
/ because OF his t-headedness and i'm
! petuosity and partly because of 8
flXed idea that he was the man "cho
sen" to bring the republic to Spain
He aSp1red to be first to enter Madris
with republican army. There alst
was a certain amount of friendly rival.
ry between the dashing artillery Off.
Ger and the spectacular airman. Mai
Ramon Franco, who, a few days later
to avenges his fallen comrade, bomb.
ed" Alfonsos palace with revolutionary
leaflets and led the Quatros Vientras
Air Corps in second abortive mutiny
Before the drumhead court martial
composed of generals and colonels. sit.
ting over the two officers, the follow.
ing dialogue took place:
Have you any accomplices?" the
judge asked Galan.
Yes" replied the accused.
who are they?"
"All Of you as you we'll know. All
o. yoL who are towards and traitors
TO Spain" retorted Capt. Galan, i'm.
petuously.
Warned Against Replies.
The Judge then warned him against
his replies, calling attention also to the
fact that he was addressing his "su-
perior officers"
There are no superiors or interiors
mere retorted Galan. In this court
there are only men and traitors. Yol
are The traitors. Capt. Garcia Hern-
andez and 1 at least are men"
When Galan himself signed the
courts record, calm and smiling, he as
founded all of those present, most of
whom were his comrades of many years
and also implicated at one time or
another with him in the republican
movement, by saying:
You see how easily one can sign his
own death warrant, if he be real
man . ..
A priest came forth to offer consola-
ton. Galan politely waved him aside.
Il do not need what you have to offer"
he said. only let me live the few re-
naming moments of my life intensely
Refuses Blindfolding.
The scene then shifts to the country
side, with Galan and Hernandez march
ing beside platoon Of soldiers. Re-
fusing to be blindfolded Galan faced
the firing squad, still smiling. He took
out one last cigarette, lighted it. and
tossed the case to one OF the officers
as a souvenir. Then, after few puffs,
he tossed the cigarette aside, faced the
soldiers, and himself gave the COM
mand to fire.
The volley re-echoed across the hills
Galan slumped to the ground There
was not a bullet mark in his head. The
soldiers either couldn't or wouldn't look
into those burning eyes. Neither had
any shot pierced vital spot. The Off
Ger in charge, wishing to end Galan's
suffering, borrowed a service revolver
from a trooper. The bullet glanced of
the skull Sick at heart the officer
turned aside and motioned to soldier
to end it.
| That is how Capt. Ffrmin Galan died,
according to the story told the Cortes'
Committee on Responsibilities. They
decided that former King Alfonso was
to blame-also for the equally poignant
execution of Capt. Hernandez. Some
members of the committee demanded
a death sentence for the former King.
Others held that that would be too
good.
Today, from one end OF Spain to the
other, they are erecting statues. tablets
and memorials to "Galan and Her
pandez.". Streets which bore the names
6 Alfonso ana his KIN aze being Re-