Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-09-19
Brigandage in Mexico.

VHE 2Sth OF June, at about half-paSt
eleven O'Clock in the evening, wealthy
gentleman of the city of Mexico, Don
Juan Cervantes, left the principal theater
of the city, where they had been playing
a new comedy, and turned his steps to-
ward st. Joseph street, in which he lives.
The weather was superb, and, as conse
quence, there were more than the usual
number of people in the streets at that
When Don Juan passed the Cafe de la
Concorde, he noticed four men, tolerably
well dressed, in conversation on the mar
row sidewalk-the sidewalks are all mar
row in Mexico. These individuals sepa-
rated to let him go by; as he passed be-
tween them he raised his hat, as every
weil-bred Spaniard and Frenchman would
have done. He was about to continue ON
his way, when one of the four spoke to
him /:
eve have been waiting for you, Don
Juan"
Indeed and why ?" inquired Senor
Cervantes, turning toward his inter
locutor.
He had hardly asked the question when
the four men seized him, gagged and
tied him, and thrust him into a carriage
that stood near at hand. The driver i'm
mediately applied the lash to the mules,
and drove at rapid pace for full hour,
without halting. Arrived at the place of
their destination, the four brigands, after
receiving a 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.
The house they entered was an old,
tumble-down hovel. 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 a 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, filled 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 eight days.
| During this time the wretches gave him
nothing to eat but two eggs, piece of
bread, and 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
| Of fha III Thou
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
a manner that he could not move without
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 plst-two
Spaniards, who kept a low doggery in the
city, and a aMexican-were arrested, tried,
and condemned to death.
The sentence was approved by Presi.
dent Juarez, and, although Senior Cervan.
tes, with rare generosity, interceded fol
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 belonged to numerous
band of cut-throats, whose organization
extends to all the towns ofany 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 Senor Cervantes' cap
tors, three more of the association have
fallen into Montiel's hands, and been shot
-Appleton's Journal.
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