The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-23


intelligence from the Isthmus Of Panama.
The erecstion Of too of The Chagres murderers-.
Singular and ertensiUe robbery ef Catholic
! priest.
We have received by the Brother Jonathan,
files Of the Panama Herald and Star to the
| Sd inst II
The only TENS Of intelligence of any interest
are the following
| We announced ia our last number the rumor
of a large robbery which, it was alleged, had
Just occurred, and intelligence of which we re-
ceived as our paper was going to press. The
rumor has not only been confirmed, but it has
been ascertained to be much larger than was at
| first supposed, and the whole robbery involves
some very extraordinary facts, which we have
oxthered for the benefit Of our readers
A Catholic priest residing in this city, named
| Jose Maria Banco, has been for several years
the guardian of two or three orphans, the
children Of bis deceased brother. The proper
| ty Of these orphans, this priest has had con-
verted into doubloons and gold dust, and in
this way had accumulated several hundred
thousand dollars together, which he kept in a
wooden chest in his room, somewhere near Ca
tredraI Plaza. The amount i stated ut not less
than three hund red thousand dollars the greater
portion Of which belonged to the orphan child
rem, and which he thus kept secreted with u
large quantity of his own funds.
On Tuesday evening last, the old padre had
occasion to leave his room for an hour or so,
when, on his return, he says he met three men,
apparently just leaving the building. These
men he had seen before, and he remembers their
having knocked at his door one evening, and
when he admitted them they apologized by say
ing they were looking for rooms, and retired.
Upon reaching his room, the old gentleman
| found that his treasure chest which stood out
in The room, had been broken open; but from
the large amount of money contained in it, Il
was impossible to ascertain what amount had
been stolen. On Wednesday morning the padre
very quietly made known the circumstance of
the robbery to one or two personal friends, with
the singular request that nothing be said about
it as he " would rather lose the amount than run
the risk of losing more by having the authori-
ties count the balance"
But his wishes, in this respect were not graft
fied--for, in a few hours, the terrified priest
found himself beset by inquisitive visiters, polk
ing all sorts Of questions at him, and getting all
sorts of very short answers. The rnmor became
spread throughout the city the three individuals
whom the priest had met at the door of his casa,
were sought for and could not be found; many
suspicious circumstances connected with their
leaving the city were raked up and discussed |;
the authorities began to be agitated; public
investigation was proposed by the friends Of the
orphans and the dignitaries of the legal tribunal,
which was strongly resisted by the holy father !;
and party consisting Of Senior Counje and Col.
F. Amay started off in pursuit Of the fugitives,
with full authority to arrest and bring them back
to this city.
1. !.
the authorities, with the following results:-
Priest Blanco cannot say what amount of gold
was contained in the chest, though he thinks
estimated, it is supposed the thieves got about
$4,000. Upon opening the chest to make an
examination, upwards of three thousand Spanish
doubloons and a large quantity of gold dust in
bottles were found, the whole of which was
taken by an order and placed in the hands of
his Excellency. Governor Diaz, for safe-keeping;
thus depriving the priest ola charge which, it is
alleged, he was not very scrupulous in using.
The names of the persons for whom writs
have been issued are J. Dupey, or Dupre, a
| gambler from New Orleans ;--F Foster, formerly
engaged in the mule and transportation business,
and 10 Simpson, hotel runner. These are
the three persons seen by the padre leaving his
house on the evening Of the robbery, and they
were also met by other persons in the street,
who describe them as being apparently loaded
down, with something heavy, the pockets of
their sack coats being sustained by their hands,
&C. &C. Dupey has since been seen at cruces,
and we have no doubt but that the whole party
are at Chagres, ready to take the first steamer
| for the United States.
| TWO OF THE cHAGREs mURDRRERs EXECUTED.
From the Panama Star, Jtliyl
Yesterday evening, at half past four o'clock.
Francisco Medrano and Jose Maria Radillo, two
Of the men convicted Of having committed the
recent murders on the Chagres river, paid the
! penalty affixed to their crime, by the laws OF
the country, by being shot in front of the city
Jail.
In the middle of the day two posts had been
erected in the Plaza, near the eastern wall Of the
Jail, to each of which, later In the day, was at
tached label, giving the name, place Of birth
/ and crime committed by the culprit As the
hour approached when the execution was to take
place, crowds OF people hocked 10 the Plaza, and
every balcony and other prominent place, from
which view could be obtained, was early occu.
pied. A large detachment Of the national guard
was under arms, and after marching and counter.
marching through the principal streets Of the
city, they were drawn up In very good military
style, forming three sides Of square, near the
Jail. Afterwards guard Of regular soldiers
under the ioll of muffied drum, conducted the
prisoners from their cells 10 the place Of execu
ton where the two priests heard the last con.
fessions that the condemned had TO make, and
administered to them all the earthly consolation
that mother church could give. This done, Q
white bandage was tied over the eyes Of the pri
soners, which at the same time bound their head,
10 their respective posts The officer in command
gave the words; snake ready" @aim,n and the
rafting sound OF musketry proclaimed that The
law was justified. One Of the prisoners dice
without a struggle ball having entered AT
artery, from which the blood spouted upward,
as from fountain. The other, who was leade
Of the band Of murderers, and who proclaimed
when arrested, that he was only sorry he hat
notkilled twice as many people, and who, through
out his own Imprisonment, has displayed the mos
hardened and defiant tone, was not 90 quickly
despatched, and second volley WINS instantly
discharged at him, Still he was not killed bu
another voiey sent his soul before that God VIII,
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