The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-10-07
BY H. r. KNTCKERBOCKER
Copyright. 1886. by International
Nowa ServieO)

BY H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
copyright. 1895. by International
News ServieS)
CACERES, Oct. I've finally
got away from BurgoS with passes
for Caceres and Seville. I had no
desire to 60 to Seville, but wanted
to come here to see General
Franco and get fresh passes for
the Foreign Legion drive on Mad
rid along the Talavera-Toiedo
road, where the war is going to be
decided.
That is, I believe that if the
whites take Madrid it will be from
this front. It seems to me that
General Mola in the north will
hold fast to his creStS at the Quad
arrama and at the SomoSierra,
pushing as far as he can. but max
ing no serious attempt to take the
city from that side, while frances
troops drive on along this road
which offers no great natural OBJ
StacleS.
Drive Is TireSOme
We had a wearisome drive from
BurgoS, getting away about noon
and arriving here aC in the eve
ming. Without stopping to wash
Up, but all dusty and diSheveled,
we drove straight to Frances
headquarters. It is in q magniti-
cent old aristocratic house with
four courtyardS, situated on a hill
in the midst of the town and
reached by such winding streets
that we had to ask the way no
less than a dozen times.
BY the greatest Of good luck I
found in General Frances ante
room a Spanish diplomat whom
I had met at Frances headQuar-
tiers in Seville. won't record his
name because he doesn't want his
family to suffer from the relation
of the tale of his hair-raiSing es-
cape from death, just few weeks
ago.
"Of course" he said cordially,
General Franco will receive you"
While we waited for the general,
the diplomat, who now functions
as q sort Of foreign minister for
Franco, told us his story.
He had been bound for Spain
from South America on a Span
ish steamer when the revolution
broke out. The moment the crew
heard of it they mutinied, killed
the officers and changed course
for Barcelona. The diplomat had
time and discretion enough imme-
diately to destroy every paper he
had which would compromise him
with the reds, as he had been a
very prominent politician on the
white.
Betrayed by Woman
Nevertheless he was denounced
to the crew by woman on board
who had pretended sympathy
with the whites but was acting as
an informant for the reds.
He and six other gentlemen
were taken off the boat at BARGE
Iona and hailed before a red tri-
bunal consisting Of five men with
rifles. This was about dusk. The
riflemen judges then took all night
long to try, condemn and execute
the six others. Each one was given
an hour or two to defend himself.
Several times the judges were
all but one in favor Of letting the
victim go, but each time one little
understood wrinkled man with a
savage voice harShly interviewed
and demanded Let 'em have it."
So all six were shot, each in turn,
before the eyes of the survivors,
until it came the turn Of the dip
lomat at last. At this moment the
little man with the savage voice
was called on a telephone and had
to go away.
Weary of Killing
One of the other judge-eXecu-
TONERS then said, Fellows we've
already killed six. Don't you think
that's enough? Let this one CO."
"Okay!" agreed the others
YEARLY.
"And then" exclaimed the diplo-
mat, Slapping his neatly trousered
knee with delight, do you know
what they did? One of those same
fellows who were just about to
shoot me carried my baggage off
the boat"
He hid in Barcelona then for
four days, got a false passport and
escaped. One can imagine that he
takes strong personal interest in
his work with Franco.
The general received us stand
ing. He was in hurry, but all
we wante "AS a pass. AS usual,
whenever you get to General
Franco himself you find your way
Smoothed. He agreed to let us
go right on up to the battle line
itself. In a moment we had the
passes, sealed with the most pow
erful seal in white Spain, an oval
one reading Armies Of Africa and
South Of General Staff"
VOTE AMERICAN
Church Marks Birthday
Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal
Church will celebrate its 120th
anniversary Sunday and through
out next week. Services will be
conducted each night by visiting
pastors Of washington and Balti-
more, including Bishop Edwin H.
Hughes. The Rev. George E. Curry
is pastor of Mt. Zion, which is at