Madero Talks Of Victory.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 10, 1913:
Says His Government Will Now Use the Iron Hand.
    MEXICO CITY, Feb. 9.— President Francisco Madero, with his Ministers and a strong detachment of loyal troops, is fortified in the National Palace to-night, while Col. Felix Diaz, with a large majority of the regulars behind him, has practical control in the capital.
    In bloody encounters to-day the President and his supporters succeeded in defending themselves against the rebels, and notwithstanding the fact that the troops in large numbers are in a state of revolt, which carried all before them to-day, there was an appearance of genuine optimism at the palace. To all parts of the republic Madero has telegraphed reassuring news, which he and his Cabinet seemed to believe.
    To a representative of The Associated Press President Madero said the facility with which the new revolt had been suppressed was only another indication of the strength of the Government and the loyalty of the army. He pointed from a window in the palace to a mob, for the most part of boys, carrying the National flag and crying "Vivas" for him, and said:
    "There! You can see the people are with us. It is said that the Government stands alone, but that is not true. The Government has the support of the people. There will be no more temporizing. We are going to use the iron hand."
    Earlier in the day, shortly after the first outbreak occurred, Madero declared martial law throughout the city and announced that he would ask Congress to authorize a suspension of the guarantees throughout the republic. Gen. Huerta was named as post commander on account of the wounding of Gen. Villar.
    In the belief that the Government had scored an easy victory, Foreign Minister Lascurain, Ernesto Madero, and others of the Cabinet embraced one another and congratulated themselves and the President on what they called the new turn of events.
    Those who have observed affairs closely point out that Gen. Diaz, who escaped being shot summarily following the failure of the Vera Cruz revolt, can now expect no clemency, but must fight to the death. There is no question that Diaz is straining every fibre to depose Madero, and, with the large forces at his command, both within the city and outside, it is not likely that the present revolt and the rising within the capital will be suppressed easily.
    Madero is relying on the loyalty of Gen. Blanquet, who has been summoned from Toluca, forty miles distant, but Blanquet has only a thousand men under his command, and the rebels are confident of defeating him, should he refuse to join in the movement.
    The day was marked by four separate engagements. The most sanguinary took place in front of the National Palace, but the most important was that which terminated in the formal surrender of the troops in the artillery barracks.
    At 8:30 o'clock the first encounter with the loyal troops occurred in front of the National Palace, and Gen. Reyes was killed instantly by a bullet through the head. Many fell in this engagement, and among the scores of bodies which strewed the streets were those of minor officers, women, and boys of the lower classes, and members of the great crowd of spectators which had gathered at the firing of the first shot.

Madero Goes to the Palace.
    At the first call to arms President Madero took command of a force of approximately 1,000, consisting of mounted police, Chapultepec cadets, and a small detachment of volunteers. He appeared at the head of this force a mile from the National Palace, riding a big gray horse. By his side rode Gen. Huerta, hero of the campaign against Orozco, and one of the army Generals whom the public generally had suspected of being disloyal.
    Several blocks from the palace one of Madero's aids attempted to dissuade the President, and placing his hand, on the horse's bridle, half turned the animal from the line. Madero protested vigorously, and continued to lead the advance until the shooting began, when Gen. Huerra succeeded in persuading him to enter a building in a side street. This building, by a coincidence, was the same in which Gen. Reyes took refuge during his campaign for the Presidency eighteen months ago against a mob of Madero supporters who attempted to stone him. Later he went into the palace.

Machine Guns Halt Rebels.
    Riding at the head of their troops, Diaz and Reyes approached from the east into the Zocalo, the big square in front of the palace. Reyes appeared for the first time in many months in the uniform of a General, but Diaz was clothed in the ordinary blue sack suit and soft gray hat of a citizen.
    From the west could be seen advancing the force headed by President Madero. As it approached the rebels retired into a side street.
    Thirty minutes later street fighting began in the neighborhood, but lasted only a short time. Neither side appeared ready to press its advantage, and just before noon Gen. Diaz led his command, numbering 1,000, on a wide detour in an effort to reach the arsenal.
    When the fighting in the Zocalo ceased, ambulances of the Red and White Cross engaged in the work of picking up the dead and succoring the wounded. The Plaza, an area of four city blocks, was strewn with the bodies of persons and horses. Within the palace there were few victims, but Col. Morelos, one of the most loyal of Madero's adherents, had been killed.
    Gen, Gregorio Ruiz, a retired officer; two Captains, and three Lieutenants were executed in the patio of the National Palace. It is officially reported that this was by order of the Government, but another story is that they were killed by a detachment of their own men because they opposed their joining in the revolt. Added to this is the report that these mutinous troops were overpowered and disarmed.
    The Red and White Cross ambulances carried the wounded to provisional hospitals, where investigation showed there were almost as many victims among civilians as among the soldiers.
    Dias succeeded in capturing the arsenal after a strong resistance by the Federals. A large number of rurales and mounted police then went over to his cause.
    The attitude of the artillery, stationed in the arsenal, was one of much speculation on both sides. It remained loyal an hour, but no use was made of the big guns, and it soon became evident that the reinforcements which the Government had sent to attack the rebels were not inclined to fight. One after another they signified their intention to surrender, their chiefs riding to Diaz under flags of truce and extending their hands in congratulation. Before long almost all the mounted police whom the President had led against the rebels a few hours previously were in the rebel ranks.
    The artillery from Tacubaya clattered into the city, but not to oppose the mutinous troops. Instead, it joined the movement and lined up with the rebels about the arsenal.
    This victory gave to the rebels a majority of all the cannon in the city and left to President Madero probably not more than 25 per cent. of the capital's fighting force.
    The revolt, in its unexpectedness, was such as to stupefy the populace, the lower elements apparently not knowing for whom to cheer. This is popularly given as the reason for the lack of pillaging and looting. Outside of the fighting between the two opposing sides there was little disorder, and to-night the streets are patrolled by the rebel troops. During the day only one mob assembled. It attacked the building of El Pais, the only independent morning newspaper in Spanish. The building was partially burned.
    President Madero was asked by the Diplomatic Corps to say yes or no as to whether he could give protection to foreign residents. The President did not answer. The diplomats then sent a message to Gen. Diaz notifying him that they would look to him to give such protection. Stray bullets entered some of the embassy buildings.

TROOPS BAR MADERO WIRE.
Answer to Times Dispatch Shows He Is Besieged in Palace.
    A message was sent by The Times yesterday to President Madero, now a prisoner in his palace in Mexico City, asking for word regarding conditions there. Late last night this reply was received through Galveston, Texas:
    "Regarding your press dispatch of today to President Madero, we must state that we will be unable to deliver it until to-morrow morning, as the troops will not permit messengers to pass."
    This explanation was sent by the Western Union Telegraph Company in Mexico City.