[Francisco Indalegio]. Mexican president, the son of Evaristo Madero, governor of Coahuila under Díaz and a large property owner of Jewish extraction. He was born on the family estate, Rosario, at Parras, Coahuila, on the 18th of October 1873. His youth was employed in managing the family properties. During part of 1893 he attended the university of California. By 1903 he was known for independent political views, and in 1905 opposed the Díaz candidate for state governor. In 1908 he began his opposition to the re-election of Díaz in 1910, writing La sucesión presidencial en 1910, which went to three editions. In 1909 he headed the anti–re-electionist party as candidate for the presidency. His vigorous campaign was ignored by Díaz until June 1910, when he was arrested at Monterrey for seditious utterances at San Luís Potosí and incarcerated until after the election of Díaz. Being released on bail July 20th, he escaped October 7th to San Antonio, TX, where he issued the Plan de San Luís Potosí, dated October 5th. It was then evident that the Díaz election had been legally affirmed. The revolutionists in San Antonio voted November 6th to begin armed revolts simultaneously throughout Mexico. Disturbances began prematurely, and Madero, threatened with arrest for violation of neutrality, crossed into Chihuahua and headed the movement begun by Pascual Orozco and others. The revolutionists took Ciudad Juárez early in May, ending the prestige of Díaz, who resigned under pressure May 25th. Madero entered Mexico City in triumph June 7th. During the ad-interim presidency of Francisco de la Barra he was elected President in October and inaugurated November 6th for a term to end November 30, 1916. His rule was marked by visionary schemes which provoked party dissensions. Revolts caused strained relations with the United States. The revolutionary programme did not become law. Felix Díaz, nephew of Porfirio Díaz, revolted, but was captured in October 1912. General Bernardo Reyes, ex-governor of Nuevo León, had previously been captured in the United States and given over to Mexico. Both were confined in the capital, but they were released February 9, 1913, by a rising of military cadets. Government troops joined them, besieging the national palace for ten days. Then Huerta, commanding Madero’s troops, deserted him, and forced the President and vice-president, José Pino Suárez, to resign February 18th. Although promised personal safety, they were killed on the night of February 22nd while being removed from the national palace to the Penitenciaría. In November 1920 Francisco Cárdenas, the alleged assassin, committed suicide in Guatemala while under arrest for extradition demanded by the Mexican Government.
