threatening gestures and inflamed eyes regard the building in which the Spaniards left by Hidalgo are imprisoned, and for whose blood they are athirst. As yet, however, they are restrained by the presence of the guard commanded by Captain Mariano Covarrubias. But as Allende and his party turn the corner to take the road leading to the mines,[1] one of them cries out, "Why do you not finish with them?" indicating the captives. The words act on the mob like fire on saltpetre.[2] Under apprehension that Calleja is already at hand, they think only of vengeance, and with wild yells, and clubs and brandished knives, they rush toward the gateway. All efforts to oppose them are useless. The soldier's sword and the priest's entreaty alike fail. Maríano Liceaga, after wounding several of them with his sabre, is stretched senseless on the ground; the cura Juan de Dios Gutierrez and other ecclesiastics are thrust aside; the guard is overpowered;[3] and the maddened crowd throw themselves upon their victims. The work begins, and the alhóndiga again becomes hideous with mutilated corpses, stripped of every shred of clothing. A few of the captives barricade themselves in some of the storerooms, and manage to escape during the temporary dispersion of their assail-
- ↑ See plan of the alhóndiga and surroundings in previous chapter.
- ↑ Alaman is the authority for the statement that the crowd received this encouragement. He refers to the evidence in the trial of Covarrubias, whose cousin, Benigno Bustamante, supplied him with the above particulars. Allende, Aldama, and Chico, however, in the declarations taken at their trials, imputed the massacre exclusively to the voluntary action of the populace, which tends to prove that they were unaware of the fury incited by their comrade, who was probably riding in their rear. Hist. Mej., ii. 50. Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., i 100-1, followed by Liceaga, records that a negro named Lino, a native of Dolores, incited the people to commit the deed by representing to them that Calleja had gained the victory, and was advancing upon the town with the intention of putting them all to death. Abad y Queipo states that Allende gave the order for the massacre—which is contrary to Allende's persistent efforts to suppress outrages—accusing him also of never placing himself within reach of a bullet. He forgets his own cowardly flight and desertion of his flock. Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., i. 839. Compare Ansorena, Defensa, 17.
- ↑ Liceaga states that a portion of the guard took part with the assailants. Ut sup., 155.
