While this was being done, from those arrested the previous day between sixty and seventy were drawn for examination.[1] These were sent to Flon, who had occupied the alhóndiga, and who was in structed to pass sentence upon them. Twenty-three were sentenced to death, among whom were the intendente Gomez, the unfortunate Rafael Dávalos, under whose directions the insurgents' cannon had been constructed,[2] and three military officers who had espoused the revolutionary cause. The examinations were of the briefest, and the executions immediate, the place being within the walls of the alhóndiga. The description of the scene as given by Manuel Gomez Pedraza, an eye-witness, is harrowing. After the sentence of death had been passed by the conde de la Cadena, the condemned were hurriedly shrived by a priest in one of the storerooms, then led to the door way which had been bricked up by Riaña, and there blindfolded and shot. As victim after victim fell, their dead bodies being dragged aside to make room for their companions, the pavement became covered with fragments of skulls, scattered brains, entrails, and blood. By this human debris, progress was impeded, and before the horrible work was done the floor had to be cleared of its slippery and loathsome covering. [3] The gallows came into play next.
- ↑ Manuel Gomez Pedraza, who was captain of a company, states that Calleja placed under his charge, with instructions to deliver them to Flon, 60 or more prisoners, 'no hago memoria del número.' Celeb. N. Independ., 1.
- ↑ The temerity of Gomez and others implicated in the revolution in not effecting their escape is inexplicable. Dávalos carried his rashness to such an extent as to walk in the street among the troops. He was arrested, and would have escaped but that, after having had the good fortune to obtain his release, a paper was discovered secreted in the sleeve of his coat, by the soldier who was untying the cord with which his arms were bound. The document was taken to a commanding officer, and proved to be an account of the cannon cast by Dávalos. This discovery decided his fate. Alaman, Hist. Mej., ii. 56.
- ↑ 'Para ejecutar esta operacion, se trajeron de la calle algunos hombres, y con sus mismas manos echaron la sangre y las entrañas despedazadas de los fusi-
de Granaditas, en la plazuela de S. Fernando, en la de la Compañia, en la de S. Diego, en la de S. Juan, en la de Mexiamora, y una en cada plaza de las minas principales.' The plazas in Guanajuato were little more than streets, some what wider than the ordinary tortuous thoroughfares. Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., i. 104.
