Evening star., 1937-06-20

BACKGROUND
In the t1Deltth month OF .Spdins
ciUil Dar and after three months
OF resistance, Bilbao's jail was er-
pected for seDeral days. A terrific
9-day final o6ens,Ue shattered the
Basque capitals iron ring de-
tense. Days before, the autono-
nous government fed the city.
Leaving the defense committee of
four to direct the last stand.
Ey the Associated Press
WITH THE INSURGENTS ON THE
EDGE OF BILBAO, June l9-The
insurgent legions marched into Bilbao
unresisted today and the ;ong, desper-
ately-fought siege Of the hitherto in
vincible capital Of the Basques ended.
As the victors moved cautiously into
the city chief obstacles to their prog
ress were swarms of prisoners and
refugees moving out. Not a shot was
heard as the victors marched in to
take formal possession for Generals
simo Francisco Franco shortly after
noon.
The last defenders, said to have been
Asturians, fed over the western hills
toward Santander.
Refugees told tales OF complete dis
organization and panic. They said
Bilbao had been terrorized at the end
by rowing bands Of Asturians and San
tander militiamen. The refugees car
ried what few possessions they could.
Most Of them were simply wandering
out of the captured city with no desti-
nation until they met the insurgents.
Most were convinced they had mar
rowly escaped death by execution or
at the hands Of lawless bands.
1000 Freed From Prison.
One insurgent force moving from
Begona, northwestern suburb, into Bill
bao, encountered a struggling column
Of 1000 Insurgent sympathizers just
freed from prison.
Two hundred of them carried rifles
given them by members of the Itzaldi
battalion. a Basque organization sup
porting the insurgents, who had
opened the doors of Larrinaga prison
in the heart Of Bilbao and told the
prisoners they would have to get out
OF the city as best they could.
Most Of these ex-prisoners were
weak and half-starved, wit ou t
strength to carry rifles. As they met
the incoming victors they raised feeble
cheers and cries of "Arriva Espana!"
For hours, they said, they had
feared their release would mean only
death at the hands of bands of Left
lists still abroad in the streets. The
prison gates had been opened at
midnight. Then they formed their
column, with the 200 armed men on
the sides, in front and behind, and
women and children herded in the
middle.
At almost every corner they were
halted by armed Asturians who ques-
toned their right to leave the city,
but the 200 rifles proved sufficient
safe conduct. The Asturians made
no real attempt to stop them.
Insurgents Provide Food.
The insurgents loaded them on
military trucks. gave them food, sup
piled them with Carlist red berets to
identify them and sent them to 4
refugee camp near Vitoria.
Before Gen. Frances men moved
in, insurgent officers declared their
encirclement Of Bilbao was accom-
plished with the cutting of two roads
leading west to Santander.
All routes for further escape or for
aid from outside were closed, they
said, and the city, "invincible" for
centuries. surrendered.
The investment was declared COM
pleted when an insurgent column
drove across the two Santander roads,
captured Mount Arraiz and pushed
on to the fort of the little mountain"
on the west bank of the Nervion
River, northwest Of Bilbao.
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