The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-16
BURNING At THE STAKE.
Thrilling News from the Mexi-
can Republic.
Witches Executed for the Prnc-
tice Of Diab0iism.
SATAN ALL POWERFUL

SA AN ALL ~ w T. NI ~ IL
MEXICO, May g. 1874.
wisrus, the celebrated demonographer of the
sixteenth century, in hts ''Pseudomonarchia Dae-
monum,n gave no place in his organization OF the
Court OF Hell 10 ambassadors nom North America
or Mexico England had hers, called Mammon;
Russia hers, Rimmon: Italy hers, Rutgin; France
hers Belphigor, &c. but for the now Republics or
the North American Continent none were assigned.
Whether because they were new in the category OF
peoples or because he was disposed TO consider us
generously and kindly does not appear. Had he
lived during the last or the present century
no might nave been less lenicnt. Did
Paracelsus really mean 1t when he said,
"the air is not SO iull OF Ties IN
the summer as II is at all times OF invisi.
BILE DEVILS" Was II so when, during the
reign OF Francis l., more than 100000 witches
were put to deaths or during the last century,
when, in the Commonwealth OF New England in .
single year twenty were executed through the in
stigauion OF Cotton Mather and his reverend asso-
caress Is Mexico to-day any better or any worse
OF The reader can Judge. The example set by
the distinguished lights at Salem. Mass, has It's
followers in Mexico, although the difference In the
results may become marked. Cotton Mather was
not executed Tor his persecution Of the old women
and children witches while his lmitators In Mexico
country imposed upon murder.
WITCHES EXECUTED BY BURNING-oFrIcrAL Ac-
COUNT OF THE PUNISHMENT.
The following TRANSACTIONS OF the Official commu.
uications to their superiors from the officials of the
Mexican village OF Concordia, State OF Sinaloa,
viii certainly astonish the reading public OF this
day and age, as they are the government nara
rions OF the arrest and burning OF two unfortunate
creatures accused OF being witches. 1t Is but just
TO say that the educated people OF this country
are horrifed at the occurrence and that the State
and federal authorities have arrested the guilty
parties and are now trying them for the crime OF
murder. How fortunate Tor Cotton Mather and
hts tanatcal companions that they did not live
day. and In Mexicoi
ORDER OF ARREST.
sUPKK1OR COURT OF JAcOBo:-
INFORM your Prefecture that this afternoon
ordered TO be arrested as witches Joseph n.
bonla and Diego Lugo who for SIX months past
have oewirched Sylvester Zacarias.
Yesterday the citizen Martin PorraS, IN order 70
drive the devil out OF his body gave to the be-
witched three drinks OF holy water. The under.
stsned In union with the people OF this place, ieel
that they should be arrested and burned alive,
winch execution will take place at ten O'Clock to-
Independence and liberty
JAcoso, April 4, ASIA.
REPORT OF TIE EXECUTION.
ST. JOHN or JAcoBo, April 10, 1874
On the morning Of the 18th OF this month the
aps ana s son t pos
failed 70 cure the witcied sylvester Zacaras as
they had compromised themselves to do.
They were TO have oeen executed on the night
Of the 9Th. The execution was ordered at ten
O'Clock at night. the witches being placed in the
OF sixty men, armed with Mexican knives. the
place itself was then encircled, when 1t was or
ed
was ooue immediately.
soon after the IRE had commenced to blaze the
witches cried out, ''Mr Judge, put out the fire
md we Will give up idos.H An order was
gwen and immediately carried out to extngulsn
the ire and loosen the witches; whereupon the
multitude present commissioned Mr.. Damian
Lerma TO proceed with the witches TO their house
and receive the idos which they offered to give
mp which was done, the latter handing over u
little poUch-shapec loadstone and the stones from
the sea, enveloptd In cotton and paper, which
deposited in the Court. At the same time
the witches denounced as accomplices Joseph NJ.
Rafael Mendoza. The people, indignant at such
acts, asked that
-HE EXECUTION OF THE WITCHES AND THE BURNING
OF THE IDOLS
they had presented should be carried out, which
was done as have already announced.
CONDUCT OF THE CONDEMNED.
In the moment OF his burning the witch
Geronimo Porras told his mother 10 give up the
other three idols, shaped ike monkeys which she
had Dlega would not give them ND. but looked
nownDgly upon her son ior having done this. He
then denounced the daughter Dionisia, calling
Cpon her 10 give up the Idols but she refused.
The witch Joseph n. boniia was held III order that
ne might cure the Dewitcbed Sylvester Zacarias
De having onered TO bring medicines to cure sucn
evils
l send the burned Idols to your gefatura (ofiice)
tor your examination. In regard TO the cure vi
the oewitchad WIN advise you in due time. The
case was very sad one, II. Project, but necessary
in order to restrain the evils which being COM
United from time TO time; lor Notwithstanding the
execution | learned yesterday that the accused,
Joseph NJ Mendoza, said that sooner or later We
would pay Tor all tnisn 80 you see, M. Project,
the scorfng OF such persons; but In the meantime
have taken my precautions
The accused MendoZas fed from fear. Why have
they 1ed. If not on account OF their evil dongs ,
Because the rope which is clean does MT need any
soap.
This is the manner in which have passed the
morning mentioned, ana OF which placed you IN
knowledge.
independence ana liberty, April 10, 1874.
To the Citizen Project OF the District OF Concorda
THE MCRDgRERs on TRIAL.
AS already stated, the superior authorities hav e
arrested, and are now trying, these murderous
fanatics.
The words OF DR.. Joseph Workman, in q paper
read before the Association OF Medical Supern
tendents OF Insane Hospitals IN Toronto, in June,
1871 and published in the October number of the
american Journal N Insanity, are applicable
That II is not TO be expected that the foolish
doctrine OF belief IN dldoollc possession, which,
less than tMo centuries ago peryaded the whole OF
Clrlstenuom ana was preached from every
pulpit IN our own and mother countries
bnd proclaimed from every bench OF justice,
could utterly dic out among the uncultured masses
u a very short lapse OF time, That he has met
Win persons, not Insane, who have avowed their
belief IN the present existence and relates The
case Of Clergyman, VINO lied rom the room
where au insane woman was suffering from ycan-
tnropia, ana when he recovered ms mental equillb
rum, SAID, "oh, Doctor, that woman possessed ~
SAD RESULTS or DIABoLIsM
According 10 Dr. workman it has been calcu-
lated that, from 1903 to 1885, the total number OF
socaed witches put to death by regular legal
process alone was about 10000, and If, in the ten
Years OF exclusion OF the Stuarts from the British