Socialites to Jail

Over Cuba's aristocratic House of Mendoza hovered last week scandal and disgrace. Mendoza menfolk are among Cuba's leading lawyers. They represent American Sugar Refining, Electric Bond & Share. Last month socialite Senora Mariana de la Torre Mendoza became the first woman ever arraigned before a Cuban court martial. She, her son Dr. Igacio Mendoza and a nephew, were charged with conspiracy to assassinate on June 10, by means of a 6-lb. dynamite bomb, General Gerardo Machado y Morales, President of Cuba.

Socialites who packed the courtroom waved handkerchief encouragement to Senora de la Torre Mendoza. Her military judges avoided her flashing gaze.

"I plead not guilty!" she cried. "I had no knowledge and we all had no knowledge of any attempt on the life of the President."

"My mother had absolutely no knowledge of my activities against the Machado regime." said Son Dr. Igacio Mendoza. "I plead not guilty."

According to Havana police, the 6 Ib. of dynamite were placed at a street-corner which the President was scheduled to pass in his automobile. An electric cable ran from the bomb to a magneto detonator some distance away. A gardener noticed the wire, called police. They hid near the detonator. A swank motor car drove up. Out stepped Dr. Igacio Mendoza and two other young men-about-town, one his cousin. All were arrested. Just then the President's car appeared. Recognizing the young men. General Machado alighted smiling, insisted on shaking hands with them all, exclaiming in a fatherly way, "Well, well, boys! Why did you attempt to take my life?"

During the trial, which ended last week, the prosecutor produced no evidence linking Senora Mariana de la Torre Mendoza to the attempted crime but proved up to the hilt that she has often voiced antagonism to President Machado. That was enough for the court martial. It sentenced all the accused to 14 years penal servitude each.

P:Not properly speaking a President but an out & out Dictator, General Machado recently signed a bill passed by Cuba's Parliament at his behest extending the suspension of constitutional guarantees until the expiration of his term in 1935. In effect Cuba has been under martial law since her citizens' constitutional rights were suspended Dec. 11, 1930. National City Bank of New York, Chase National Bank of New York and Chicago's Continental Illinois Bank & Trust Co. lately joined in loaning the Machado Government $2,278,125 which it needed June 30 to meet payments on Cuba's external public works bonds and serial certificates.

Keystone man in the Machado regime was Capt. Miguel Calvo, chief of Cuba's Secret Police, foiler of numberless plots against the President. As Captain Calvo rode down the broad Malecon with two Havana policemen one day last week, a submachine gun suddenly began to spat-spat. The two policemen were instantly killed. Captain Calvo was rushed to a hos pital, died with 36 slugs in his body. The submachine gunners escaped unidentified.

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