MEXICAN EXECUTION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10880, 26 April 1929, Page 7

MEXICAN EXECUTION

/ r EACKD .I>l l{ ING SQUAD

SEQUEL TO (i KNK'RAL ORREGOVS DEATH:

TI i« 'pistol si Col’s' liral killed Goneral Alvaro 'Obregon. last, July had their lust .cello with the execution by a fifing squad of J use d.e Leon Toral, the,. Ih'esidout.e-lect’s- assassin; when the conspirator came to his end in Mexico City in a tense finale. The'young slayer, who, throughout had maintained that ho ieltrliis act. was tor the good of Mexico, went to his death calmly and bravely, facing the .firing squad quietly and dropping swiftly before a rapid hail of shots. The execution had been set for noon, but it was put off until 12.30 p.ih. A.few minutes before that time Total was taken to a small patio and instructed how to act before the firing squad. . At 12.35 p.nf. the fatal shots rang out, and Torn] slumped down. Mis body twitched, and Captain Rodriguez 'Rahiela. in charge of the squad, fired the coup vie grace, using a. pistol once .presented to him by,. General Obrcgon, Toral’s victim. 1 .Just as the rifles of. the firing squad cracked, Toral tried to shout, “ Vie—” That was as far as he got. 11c had hoped to cry “Viva Christo Key” (“Long live Christ,'•• the King”) but his. words were, cut short by donth.

A Catholic priest was with Total in his cell until the walk to the, execution ground. Toral . was dead in less than a minute after he left the pi'iest. and only a few seconds after lie. had stepped into the courtyard. T|ie squail was ready as he approached. The instant he was in position the rides cracked. This rapidity .scorned to startle Toral, and he earned into death an expression of astonishment, as if lie had expected mi opportunity to say something while facing •the squad. He was not blindfolded.

PRIEST DETAINED. A moment alter lie received the coup do grace, the priest, Ralel Ruiz Soto, pushed through the guards, advanced to the eropso, knelt and dipped h:s handkerchief in the blood. He made the sign of the Cross and pronounced evtreme unction. He was detained bv the guards lor having broken through tlio lines. However, he kept the blood-stained handkerchief.

Tnfal'. was shnvqd, at Ins request, |)v the prison bather a lew hours prior to the execution. He felt h:s face and said: “It is not smooth enough : go over me once more.” In accordance with another of jus requests, half an hour before ins death, a huille of cognac was taken to Toral, of which he drank about hall. Some spilled on his carefullypolished black shoes, and la* very meticulously wiped it oil'. lie said In: wanted 'lo face the firing squad side and span. He was dressed ill his best clothes, a double-breasted black coat, dark, pinstriped trousers, with an old van-colored sweater over his vest. Less than 50 persons witnessed (lie execution. Most of these wore Mexican and foreign newspaper men. with a lev, high Government officials, members ol ( ,»ngre>s. and army gen-

erals. No crowds were permitted near Die prison. Perhaps 5000 persons assembled several hundred yards disiain across the big bare plaza. Jliev were mostly residents of tlie poor slum district in which the penitentiary is situated. Some wept. However. then- w;i, no. attempt to make a demonstration. While Toral was being executed, Mother Conception was praying, In the penitent ary infirmary near the court-yard. Mu* could hear the rifle x i,||,-v. She refused to see anyone or sav anything None’ of Toral's family witnessed the execution. His 10-year-old- son was taken i.o him early in the morning, but his wife was too ill lo see lum again, as she had done on the previous evening. His mother remained in the prison until an hour ami a-liali before the execution, when she was taken away in a state of miaous eo,lapse. His elderly father remained an hour longer.