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Rh however, he failed. Next morning, fighting began again. The foreigners in Mexico city asked both parties for assurances that the lives and property of their nationals would be respected. To this Diaz readily assented, but Madero gave no sign, so the various foreign colonies immediately organised a suitable protection for themselves. Hostilities proceeded apace. The citizens appeared absolutely apathetic, and even went quite close to watch the fighting between the Maderistas and Felixistas, as the followers of General Diaz were called. Many of them were shot down, but this failed to quench their curiosity. The slaughter and damage to property were immense. The military cadets shot their leader, Colonel Morelos, dead, for suggesting that they should surrender. The American consulate was almost wrecked by shells, and its inhabitants had an exceedingly narrow escape. As in the case of the Dublin revolt, men armed with rifles lay on the roofs of the houses firing at anybody who chanced to pass, and innocent women and children were shot dead, their bodies lying in the streets for days afterwards. The aboriginal savage that lurks behind the Mexican of the lower and middle classes had broken loose.

Neither side seemed able to make much headway. At last, Huerta met General Diaz at the citadel and agreed to join the Felixistas on the condition that he should be appointed Provisional President of the Republic until such time as General Diaz should be elected by the suffrages of the people. This ended the insurrection. Madero, hearing the news, attempted to escape, accompanied by his brother Gustavo, and Suarez, the Vice-President, but all to no purpose. What precisely took place no one can say, but both Madero and Suarez were killed, under what circumstances it has never been made clear. It has been said that their bodies were left on the street where they were shot, but there is no direct proof that this was the case. Madero was a well-meaning but weakly politician, an idealist rather than a worker,