The priests told him that they had given all they had, whereupon he had their arms tied behind their backs, kicked them, struck them and whipped them with rattans.
Father Zallo was thrown on his face and savagely beaten.

Meanwhile two shots were fired over the heads of the others and a soldier called out "One has fallen," badly frightening the priests who had remained shut in the room.

Villa then returned with soldiers to this room, ordered his men to load, and directed that one priest step forward to be shot.

Father Mariano Ortiz complied with this request, asking that he be the first victim.

Villa, however, contented himself with threatening him with a revolver and kicking and striking him until he fell to the floor.