Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-02
The Recent Burning of ;, Witches in
Mexico.

The following translations of the
official communications to their superiors
from the officials of the Mexican village
of COncordia State of Sinaloa, will GER
tainly astonish the reading public of this
day and age, as they are the Government
variations 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
Mortified at the occurrence, and that the
State and Federal authorities have ar
rested the guilty parties, and are now
trying them for the crime of murder:
ORDER OF ARREST.
SUPERIOR COURT OF JACoBO.
inform your Prefecture that this afternoon
| ordered to be arrested as witches Joseph n
BOnilla and Diego LugO, who for six months
past have bewitched Sylvester Zacarias
Yesterday the citizen Martin Porras. in
order to drive the devil out of his body, gave
to the bewitched three drinks of holy water.
The undersigned, in union with the people Of
this place, feeling indignant against the
witches, has ordered that they should be ar
rested and burned alive, which execution viii
take place at ten o'clock tonight.
Independence and liberty!
To the Citizen Project of the District Concordia.
JACoBO, April A. 1874.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTION.
ST. JOHN OF JAcoBo
April 10, 1874
On the morning of the 18th of this month
the witches, Diego Lugo and his son G.
POrras, were executed in the public square of
this place, having failed to cure the be-
witched Sylvester Zacarias as they had COM
promised themselves to do.
They were to have been executed on the
night of the 9th The execution was ordered
at ten o'clock at night, the witches being
placed in the center of the BONFIRE and a
square being formed of sixty men armed
with Mexican knives The place itself was
then encircled, when it was ordered that the
persons who had at different times assisted
the witches should light the fire, which was
done Immediately.
Soon after the fire had commenced to blaze
the witches cried out, Mr.. Judge, put out
the fire and we will give up our idols" An
order was given and Immediately carried out
to eXtinguish the fire and loosen the witches;
whereupOn the multitude present commits
stoned Mr.. Damian Lerma to proceed with the
witches to their house and receive the idols
which they offered to give up which was
DONE the latter handing over little pouch
shaped lOadstOne and the stones from the sea-
envelOped in cotton and paper, which were
deposited in the court. At the same time the
witches denounced as accOmplices Joseph NJ.
Mendoza, Francisco Mendoza, and their
father, Rafael Mendoza. The people, indig-
nant at such acts, asked that the execution
of the witches and the burning Of the idols
they had presented should be carried out
which was done as | have already announced
In the moment of his burning the witch
Geronimo Porras told his mother to give up
the other three idols, shaped liked monkeys,
which she had Diego would not give them
up, but looked frowningly upon her son for
having done this. He then denounced the
daughter, Dionisia, calling upon her to give
up the idols, but she refused.
The witch Joseph y. BOnilla was held in or
der that he might cure the bewitched Sylves-
ter Zacarias, he having offered TO bring medi-
clneS to cure such evils.
/ send the burned idols to your gefatura
Office for your examination. In regard to
the cure of the beWitchcd will advise you in
due time. The case was very sad one, NJ.
Project, but necessary in order to restrain the
evils which are being committed from time to
time; for Notwithstanding the execution
learned yesterday that the accused, Joseph NJ.
Mendoza said that sooner or later we would
pay for all this" So you see, VI. Project, the
soothing of such persons; but in the meantime
have taken my precautions.
The accused Mendozas fed from fear Why
have they fed, if not on account of their evil
dOings? Because the rope which is clean does
not need any soap.
This is the manner in which I have passed
the morning mentioned, and Of which placed
you in knowledge
Independence and liberty! April 10, 1874.
J. MORENO. |
To the Citizen Project of the District of Con
cOrdia.
As already stated, the superior author |
tiles have arrested and are now trying |
these murderous fanatics.
According to DR.. Workman it has been |
calculated that, from 1903 to 1880, the |
total number Of so-called witches put to |
death by regular legal processes alone
was about 70,000.-Nerjc0 (Aay 22) Cor. |