Rebels Capture Fort Guadalope

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 212, 8 September 1936, Page 7

Rebels Capture Fort Guadalope

Scenes of Horror

NOTED REBEL SYMPATHISERS SHOT United Press Association—By Electric Telegrapn.— Copyrtgtu. Received Monday, 9.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 7. The Times’ Hendaye correspondent says the insurgents captured Fort Guadalupe at 7.10 p.m. The last of the loyalists to evacuate Iran were a squad of soldiers, a handful of whom covered their comrades’ retreat as a rebel armoured car dashed up spurting fire. Some of the fugitives crawled over the girders of the railway bridge or swam the Eidassoa river into France. One was drowned and two of the covering party were shot. The rebels hauled the corpses back and raised the Spanish red and yellow flag amid frenzied singing and dancing. The efforts of the French Mayors in the prefect to aid the refugees attained a perfection beyond praise.

Most of the hostages at Fort Guadalupe escaped death. Fifteen of the 190 were shot but the remainder embraced relatives in the streets of Iran or across the frontier. The hostages were kept in damp underground cells.

The extremists who succeeded the members of the Popular Front as guards called out (he prisoners on Friday when Behobia fell and selected Deputy Honorio Maura, a member of Iho famous political family, and Deputy Joaquin Buenza, leader of tho Basque Rightists, led them out, shot them in tilio courtyard and made the survivors bury their bodies.

The anarchists later furnished the guards who reassembled tho prisoners and picked out and shot the former Minister Leopoldo Marios, the engineer Felix CMiurruca, a Fucutcrrabinu Priest, also tho Marquis Eliczegui, Count do l’Lobregnt and eight others who were marched to their death with neither plaint nor cry. Subsequently tho guards called out tihe survivors and told them to face the wall. Then they laughed and dismissed them to (lie cells where they spent the night in prayer and iu terror that the same performance would be repeated later. .Suddenly the prisoners realised that their guards had disappeared except one who beckoned them to como out when it was ascertained lhaf: the majority of the guards had succumbed to a gift of champagne furnished by supporters outside. The prisoners not daring to risk being shot at the prison door ran through tho passages and escaped through shell holes iu the walls and immediately scattered because everyone seen was sniped at. Tho majority escaped to Iran or to France in the boats of friendly fishermen.

Tho Times’ Hendaye correspondent realised tdi afc the prisoners wore escaping when ho saw a boatful of four who made signals of distress off Henday o beach. The crowd idly watched the boat capsize in the rough sea. A solitary swimmer landed and the correspondent’s wife picked him up and drove him to their villa. He implored aid for his friends who could not swiin. Hendaye motorists turned their headlights seaward while mobile guards stripped and plunged info the surf, but fishermen had already picked up the remaining trio.

Street Fighting in. San Sebastian DEFENDERS PREPARING TO BURN CITY. Received Tuesday, 11 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 7. A Heiidaye message states that the insurgents appear m no hurry to occupy what is left of Iruu or to press ou to Ban Bcbaslimi. Government 'planes made a surprise raid early this morning and dropped 111 bombs before they were driven off by anti-aircraft lire. A later message states that street lighting has broken out in Ban Bobastian. The extremists were preparing to soak the buildings with petrol which led to a gatnenng of angry crowds shouting: ‘‘Don’t want iucendiarisml " Shots were exchanged and the authorities are endeavouring to restore order. Bau Bepastiau to-day is a tragic contrust with the gay city of tea days ago. The shops arc closed, food and watei are rationed, and the population is terrilied at tuo prospect of incendiarism and massacre.