Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-09-20

He had hardly asked the question when
the four men seized him, gagged and
tied him, and thrust him into carriage
that stood near at hand. The driver i'm
mediately applied the lash to the mules.
and drove at rapid pace for a full hour,
without halting. Arrived at the place of
their destination, the four brigands, after
receiving reply to signal, alighted
with their captive, who, having removed
the gag, called for help, but was silenced
by blow that knocked out two of his
teeth. ar
The house they entered was an old,
tumble-down howell. Here Senior Ger
vantes was united, and furnished with
materials with which to write to his
brothers, informing them that his captors
demanded one hundred thousand dollars
as the price of his life and liberty. De-
spite his protestations that such sum
would never be paid, he was compelled to
obey Fifty thousand dollars were to be
placed in certain spot near cross, in
the neighborhood of Atzcapotzalco, and
the balance in another place. The letter
having been written, the brigands order
ed Don Juan to lie down on the ground.
They then bandaged his eyes, filed his
ears with wax, and, after covering him
with some boards, they spent the greater
part of the night in drinking and smok-
ing AS for their conversation, the cap
tive could not hear word of it.
In this terrible situation Senior Ger
vantes passed seven nights and eightdays.
During this time the wretches gave him
nothing to eat but two eggs, piece of
bread, and a cup of coffee, though they
had provisions in abundance.
At the expiration Of seven days, the
brigands began to be uneasy, and to
doubt the success of their enterprise A
sort of council of war was held; and it
was decided to kill their captive on the
following night, and to bury him in one
corner of the old howell. They were as
quick to act as to decide, and two of
them sat Immediately about digging his
grave. But, the wax in his ears having
partially melted, he overheard the whole
of their conversation; and in his despair he
availed himself of a moment when his
guardians were asleep, and succeeded in
loosening the cords that bound him.
Then he endeavored to open the door and
escape, but he awakened one of the brig
ands in the attempt. The cry of alarm was
given; he was seized and rebound, with
two large knives placed over him in such
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being wounded. In this position he was
allowed to remain for two days.
During all this time, Montiel, the gov
ernor and chief of police of Mexico,
used every means in his power, seconded
by Don Jesus Cervantes, one of the
brothers of Don Juan, to get some trace
of the captive. Their efforts would prob
ably have been fruitless, if one of the
bandits, alarmed at the aspect of affairs,
had not gone to Don Jesus and betrayed
his companions.
Don Juan was Immediately rescued,
and, thanks to the information furnished
the Governor by the traitorous brigand,
the three instigators of the plet-two
Spaniards, who kept a low doggery in the
city, and MeXican-were arrested, tried,
and condemned to death.
The sentence was approved by Presi-
dent Juarez, and, although Senior Cervan-
ties, with rare generosity, interceded for
their lives, they were Immediately exc
cuted. ......
The Mexican met death bravely. AS
for the Spaniards, however, they were
nearly dead with fear before the fatal
bullets reached them.
These wretches belongedto numerous
band of cut-throats, whose organization
extends to all the towns of any Importance
in the country Montiel, who is an &C
tive, energetic man, seems disposed to
make his domain too hot for them. Since
the execution of Senior Cervantes' cap
tors, three more of the association have
fallen into Montiel's hands, and been shot
Appellants Journal.