Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-01-27

black, whose only uniform was the
scant costume-or, to be more accu-
rate, want Of cOstume-of the Do
minican period, and whose most
warlike demonstration was the hurl-
ing of a volley of curses at the sail
-ors who refused to purchase from
him decayed fish at exorditant pri-
ces. My ownprivate opinion is that
Baez wanted, in the first place, to
take comfortable trip at the ex-
pense of Los Estados Unidos,' and,
in the second, to conciliate the male
population through their spouses,
as he brought some twenty boxes
Of calico and chintz dress patterns
with him, which he distributed in
our prescnce-a most ludicrous
scene, | assure you. We would
have been more warmly greeted had
he brought rum, for dress patterns
Of every kind are looked upon :es
needless extravagances in the part
of the world wherein Azua is loca-
ted.
"We were quite handsomely en-
tertained with a really elegant din
ner by General Valentine Ramerer
Baez, a brother of the President;
and the Sonora Baez, his wife, seem
ed really accomplished woman, of
French extraction, though about the
color of a baked apple.
"Since we brought back the dis
tinguishcd Black Elephant, we have
had quite an exciting time, nearly
every day being a fssta or saints
day. should think the Govern
ment must spend thrice its revenue
on ire-works and the like. The
most amusing feast is that of Santo
Andre, which is the lst of Decem-
Der. For days previous thereto, all
the eggs procurable are bought up,
their contents removed and the
shells filled with Florida and rose
water. With these every passer-
by, high and low alike, are pelted,
and a free license is given to throw
any quantity OF water on you provi
ded it is clean. Being warned in
advance, our officers put on their
oldest clothes and had jolly fun pclt-
ing the girls and being pelted in re-
turn, all of us getting drenched to
the skin with water.
y X
"Speaking of courts martial, they
do these things up brown in these
parts. While we were at Azua with
Baez. the executive officer of the
Tantic sent by overland courier a
package addressed to DR.. Ames, u.
5. Consul here, containing $50 in
gold, to pay the expenses of arrest
ing a couple of deserters. On arri-
wing in this harbor, we learned that
Senor Azocarte, a high-toned dark
cv stvling himself 'Commandante ut
Bani, had opened the package at
the time of its passage through Ba-
nj, and abStracted part Of the
cash. We reported the fact to the
President, supposing he would dis
miss the commandantc for the theft.
Not content with that, as he had been
junketing on board an American
nan-of war, and knows that his Gov
crnment depends on such support
for its existence, he summoned 4
court martial to try the offender.
1t met, convicted him in two hours,
sentenced him to death, and next
morning despite all our interces.
sions,) he was executed by the gar
rote, Spanish fashion. TWAS il hor-
rible sight. | stood it with tolera-
bic complaisance, but don't care to
90 soon again to similar show.
The affair came off, like other pub
lie spcctacles, on the plaza in front
of the cathedral, and a molly crowd
of men, women and children seem
ed to think it as good as a circus. :"