, 1874-01-25
OUR MEXICAN CITIZENS.
Their Repulsiee Religious Rites, and Their
Devotion 10 the Art Of Stealing.
characteristics Of the "Greasers y SOS
How They Marry and Are
Buried.


sp<efa. Correspondence Of The ch:eaoo Tribune.
CANON c1rH, Col, Jan. Is, 1874
Scattered all through portions Of Southern
Colorado and New Mexico, and extending even
into Arizona alad Utah, arc members Of queer
religioud sect known as
PES1rESTEs.
These fellows act upon the theory that all
moral sins, no matter how hideous, can be atoned
by physical suffering; aud accordingly, ut GER
tain ecasons Of the year, generally in the fall.
they castigate themselves into condition Of
godlness, mud then commence tho battle Of Life
anow. In Colorado aud New Mexico the order
numbers 10, 600 souls, who are all under the con-
troll Of, and yield implicit obedience to, the
High Priest, Romero Miguel, who resides
at Taos. Tradition AYERS that the Miguel
aforesaid is direct descendant OF Monte
yuma; and such ia the fifth reposcd In
him, and so strong the conviction OF his DlFlne
origin, that any ono Of his 10000 ignorant sub
iccts would gladly immolato themselves upon
the altar if told that Miguel desired it. He lives
in great state at Taos; ia surrounded By
numerous retinuo Of servants and humble peors,
and religious1y
E1AcTs oSE-T1r1RD
Of whatever is produced by his subjects no mat
ter whether it be grain, wood. gold, or silver.
A neglect or refuHal to comply with this ordl-
nance subjects the offender to accommodation
at 1east and. in aggravated cases, to death.
H. limo ~ ,,,1;c, ia odontod secrecy
-1'., 80 s,,.,,i7 ;,,,,;r, ,o ,nada tho
IL opse1seu* anu' ono"'1 An'!u''1 ~ t ~
Priest gives bus lnterrobatof TO uhceTstauo tna'
the obnoxious party las im1ngrated TO another
conntrv It in certain. however. that the
,,.,,. hsofr and If the
s'.'..' 80, - .,;,d ona
EelatlVes afe OF an 4t''lt@' u 'n1
fnd their kinsman buried under ple OF rocks
in The immediate vicinity Of Taos. Miguel of
:" - s. :.-.. h,,t III. s,,,,;a,+s
eoa4se pAo1'01.1 u'oa,.o... .,, ~
oeouee neanhs Hull - Anote1AoA AosA M ~,
Golfers of the Priest are filled with commeudable
,,rnmntnnss. One or two samples OF this kind
alv,ra hov, tina desired effect vhile it affords
~, .uat;a,, ,1,s+r.t;o, ~ tim fart
=. 10 y r. - ,,,,,t ,,o+ ha in.
that tne1 ff1ese ~ HAL M "ao n4u7' noS ~ A-1A
posod unon or tri1ed with.
1t,a paniteptes though doubtless spripgiug
-. 49,. 7..,,;4 x,;so;onnr;a. hora mn nravnrs
-4o.1 ,1',,- .,.~ -..,;1;.. tor,,s ~ a,ors,,;r
OF AafolY any VI lno A"4!Al'"1 'o.n10 ~ -
borne upon thoir backs, aud consists OF
SCARS AND wELTs
;.,a;,tad ,no, thcn,aa1rea in
"n'ea ~. s:.taa N,,na+r.r ,vt,+
aeohe1nent ZOE Bills cotali1steo. NJ A'"S'o4 "As.
the sin may be, whether the1t or murder, II
the penisento castiratcs himself enough LIE can
,,o ,a.r and outer into That Heayen preparcd for
~ o,,;orr,a,t If hIossed ponitentes. These
sa.ot;o3o} o~orciaaa ora confined To no particu-
a. 5av ~ aoeson. Int az before remarked, tley
1.aro~o,iv tata nlaco in the fall. Tho bauk OF .
$50 ~ ..v,.Itcr stream is selected and at
49,, ;,S,1a1 tn pon;tentea rcnajr Ia the snot
T.; n;.1 +f?- v,..o. ond cLildrer and nrocaei to
,...,a+'n 1r,,a mai. ,narher. nf thu fock strip
s.'',..a ror,,a IN circle hnmn,inr y low. uaouo-
+os,oue choTt vhila tha women and children
..,.nta mt n ona aide and put
~ +ha ann|anse By degrees tho
- n;ro,aa ~ s,;na aTo,,nI fastor. yhilc tho chant
cIs '.si1%s ,apiJa- ,rLa an;rit haa comnnncetl tn
sNeil7 t ~ r,r,,la- ;o,roo ~ enthusiasm
~ ~. ha.n raochnd . st,anso and oftimes re-
,rlr;x,a ucono takcs pIace EACH ono Of those
pusise sGeo Is; p11;ti, VII, c;nh hnncl Of
ss,.,e ~ ;r,ei,,nont of tnrtura Of snnoe kind
&hi''1 .ars;. su1s 1s.T r.cErArE EACH OTHER.
rivaIry snrincs IN ID to which ono cau en-
dura tho oreatasL amount OF torture. Blood
49,. o,,, t1,a;r h,ci-y in streams thorus aro
nTcssej into tho auiyering flesh while othora,
ft;11 1,oro onthnsiasti, ait down and literally
1900 tbarn.a1voa t,nfora q s}nw fra If uno
+o;mta thro,,o, nhyscai exhaustion, lie is brought
~ 1;fa ayai3 hy pouring over him bucket Of live
oo.1a Others hear inameuso crosses about the
conntry. until they sink down beneath the
hyyr,1a lon.
in..as rut and re1nain Ior hours exposed to the
H,aa y, t1,o bread rnvs of the s,1n All this and
aii -,o-e +l,o Pc,,;toutes parform in the name
~ t1,e;r re;einn The orgies continue about a
@raal. Psn;fepte who nat1not lash himself in
~ n'e1 stoto ~ ocd,cnca Jurinr that time is con
| sH sderad IA ;ncorr;riblo. and
oAoo' r1cTrn orr or THE ORDER;
vb;1a MI ,s worldly goods aud substance, should
he he 50 fortnnato as to have any, are forfeited
to tho Chief Priest. Il Often lnupeus, too, that
anita M nun number Of the deluded fellows punish
themselves so severely that recovery is inposs-
ee,,tn dez from soli-nticted stripes, but little
fuss fuss or W ceremony is made over it, and he is
wnifn i1;s relations and friends console them
sa1raa With the belief tint the bruised departed
hoa haen ratl,ered home to the bosom OF Monte
au1 a,,1,,u uooA
,rha panitentes belong to the Mexican race,
| ana n harmony wiz their religious rites,
nnas T,nsseaa thu lowest ard most brutal passions
RSEso RSson nh enonrel in whipping themselves OF
nrr,,c their ,so1,1,ds tnev conilne their atten-
t;ons strictly to
''@A'' o'At' STEALING;
and their many exploits in this lino often excite
tho n3ruiration Of their friends aud allies, the