Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-30
THE CURE OF SANTA CRUZ.

From the Chicago Tribune.l
The Cure of Santa Cruz, who has for
so many years been prominent and
almost the central figure in the various
Carlist uprisings in Spain, has been
placed, If the dispatches can be trusted,
nnder the ban as a rebel by Don Carlos
himself, and, fleeing from Spain, has
gone to Rome to ask forgiveness of the
Holy Father, with the intention of once
more assuming the clerical robe aud lay
ing down the sword. Like all the fanat-
ical monks and friars who have tempo
rarily renounced their profession and
espoused the cause of war, his life has
been full of romantic adventure. He
was born in Guipuzcoa in l842, and re-
ceived orders at the usual canonical
age In 1868 he was appointed Cure Of
the Parish of Hernialde. As student,
he led a quiet blameess, even austere
life, but during his student days he had
studied the history Of Zumalacarreguy,
the famous Carlist champion in former
wars, of the friars OF Saragossa, and the
valiant deeds of the Cure of Merino, and
these had such an effect upon him that,
when the attempt was made in favor of
Don Carlos, in 1870, he determined that
it was his duty to take arms both in de-
tense of religion and of legitimate mon.
archy against the enemies Of both. After
a long deliberation in Paris, it was deter
mined that the proclamation of Don Car
los as King OF Spain should be made
simultaneously in the four northern
provinces, Navarro, Guipuzcoa, Biscay
and Alva, in each of which depots of arms
were established. Santa Cruz volun-
teered to care for stand Of arms in the
village of HernialJe; but young woman
informed the alcalde where they were
hidden and who had charge of them.
Orders were given for his arrest, and,
although the soldiers surprised him in his
own house, he managed by an adroit
maneuver, to escape them. For the
next twelve months he wandered among
the mountains, holding frequent inter
views with the Carlist chiefs, rousing the
apathetic, collecting money, and other
wise working for the cause. He was
denounced to the Madrid Government
as one of the NEST dangerous men in
Spain, and police and spies are CON
stantly upon his track. Al San Jean de
Luz he was finally arrested by two gen.
darmes, by whom he was conducted to
the citadel Of Bayonne, and thence sent
on under escort to Nantes. Scarcely
had Don Carlos made his second appeal
to the Spanish people, in 1872, when he
once more appeared in the mountains as
chaplain of about four hundred Guipuz-
coans, commanded by one Reoindo. The
disastrous combats of 0nate and Mana
ria, and the Convention of Amorovieta,
ruined the Carlist attempt and Santa
Cruz escaped into France; but knowing
that the struggle was still carried on, he
returned to Spain, and as before, proffer-
cd his services as chaplain. In one of
the Carlists forays Santa Cruz was cut
off from the party to which he was at
taobed and made prisoner. He was at
once condemned to death, and was lock-
ed mn in room in the upper part OF a
house, which was guarded. The news
spread like wild6re, and Santa CRUZ
soon found that he was among friends.
The tired soldiers slept on their guard,
and, while they we're sleeping, he let him
self down from the window by means OF
a rope made Of his sheet and found him
self among his friends. Halt an hour
afterwards the sergeant OF the guard
discovered that his prisoner had escap-
ed. Every house in the neighborhood
was searched, and the country was
secured for miles, but without avail.
Santa Cruz had oil this iwe been in
swamp, covered over with reeds Rnd
bushes, up 20 the neck in water. When
tbe coast was clear be emerged from his
unpleasant bath, and quietly made his
vav across the frontier 10 the village Of
Cambo. in the Basque country. On the
LAT of December be suddenly disappear
ed and while the government police
were watching for him in Bayonne and
San Jean de Luz, he appeared in Gitl-
puzcea. preaching the holy war. de
vent from town to town and from house
fo house. encouraging and exhorting,
and harangued the people IN Their
churches. He threw Oh the cassoek,
and putting himself at the head OF i've
hundred men, commenced stopping
trains and levying contributions. de
soon had q compact, well drilled band,
organized, armed and equipped out OF
resources raised BY himself in France
and Spain. A narrative Of his life in
Blackwood's Magazine, from which we
nave condensed these particulars, gives
he following graphic description Of him.
"In person be is under the middle
st.ture. bis features dark and irregular,
and rather commonplace; but bis small
black eyes. deep set glow from sui thick
evebro9s. and indicste the hery energy
that burns within. when BE- took me
fsld as a chief Of Psriisans be a. has
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