St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-05-23

most an impossibility. Down in the
purlieus of this city, in the thieves re-
sort, L am told, the banker sits at the
monte table with a long Catalan knife,
pointed as a needle and keen as a razor,
and warns the eager crowd that, if any
cavaliero pretends to mistake the bank
for his stake, he will pin his hand to the
board. Crimes which in any other
country would form the subject of COM
ment for weeks here pass comparatively
unnoticed, and as often go wholly un-
punished. Innumerable are the stories
OF robberies which one hears, some of
thrilling interest and romantic charac-
ter.
1t is not so long ago as to have pass
ed from memory that considerable
town in the interior became the scene
of robbery which has, in all the essen
tlai characteristics, been repeated in
other parts of the country AS the
inhabitants of the place were about
their morning work large band of
horsemen rode into plaza. The party
presented the usual appearance of in
censed patriots whose rights had been
ttsT9pled upon by the temporary gov
esbP,apt, against which they were about
to tissue a prOnunciamento. So the
tOwnsfOlk simply shrugged their shoul-
ders and said it was none of their affairs.
In less than quarter of an hour, how
ever, the aspect of things changed. A
line of pickets was thrown about tire
town, preventing ingress, while the dis
mounted patriots began Systematically
to plumber the place. Nothing escaped
them; private houses and stores came
all alike to the bandits, and the pillage
continued so long as anything of value
remained. Then collecting their boot,
they mounted and rode off in the regu-
lar order in which they come. Whence
they came no one knew; whittier they
went remains a mystery to this day.
The robbery of a specie-laden train
on the Vera Cruz railway, net long
since was conducted in the same high
handed manner.
, The low-caste Mexican is peculiarly
fitted for the trade of an assassin and
IL rObber. A few dollars is Il fortune to
; him, and stab is small matter. 1t
is easier to kill his victim and despOil
him at his leisure than to take the
: chances of attacking man who may
perhaps offer successful resistance.
Almost certain of absOlutiOn from his
priest, who ranks but little higher in
: the scale of civilization than himself, he
is always willing to barter his ready
= steel for the sake of the few dollars that
will enable him to give free rein to his
sensuality or to WOO the tickle goddess
at the monte table. "El cuchillo no
, serena nj truena" (the knife makes no
noise,) he says. Living upon little,
: breakfastiug on Il sunbeam and dining on
a paper cigar, to borrow an expression,
the leperO is constantly tempted by his
2 want and laziness to the commission of
crime. The very sight of pulque
1 shop, of whose tempting beverages he
2 lack the means to partake, or the
= fragrant aroma of the market frying
4 pans, whose contents are not for him,
5 are sufficient incentives to a robbery,
for which the lonely roads offer a safe
t opportunity. The Mexican stage coach
and the long, unfrequented highways,
s abounding in secure hiding places, seem
D designed for the especial benefit of the
ks-ights of the road. A carriage halted,
D the passengers are requested in the
S polltest manner to alight. The Iberian
never tOrgets his manners even when
acting in the capacity of solicitor upon
S the public highway. The customary
= order, "Cava en- terra" face to the
5 ground,) is then given, to which the un-
| willing victim is expected promptly to
9 respond, while the robber searches his
t person. If a priest be of the party,
f however, the bandit generally deviates
: from his customary routine. Instead of
5 ordering him to the ground, he ap-
l proaches the holy man, and, bending in
: mock humility before him, asks for
l aims request which the priest un-
derstands to be equivalent to a demand
, for his purse and valuabes Priests
are a favorite prey with the Mexican
robber. Non-cOmbatants, the bandit
l is pretty certain to escape fight, which
he is only too anxious to avoid be-
r sides, the holy man generally travels
with full purse, or at the very least
can give his blessing. So well is this
f fact known that if several priests take
passage i'll the same coach it is almost
r impossible to get any one else to ride
in it. ''The coach will certainly he
, robbed" they say. After the passen-
gers have been searched the baggage is
ransacked, when, if no resistance has
; been offered, the coach is permitted to
t proceed upon its way. Natives of the
} country, probably accustomed to being
. despoiled from infancy, seldom offer
J resistance generally, preferring to pay
a gratuity to the first band of robbers
encountered, which exempts them from
: further demands on the road On this
account ''Indians," they say, care bad 4;
but robbers are not dangerous, for if
| you give them what they ask they don't
even beat you !" The Mexican bandit,
f wisely calculating that some one may
be killed, and not knowing but that one
may be himself, seldom attacks coach
: containing foreigners known to be
armed. There is something so terribly
certain about the aim of an American
especially, that he generally waits for
an easier prey. When the stage stops
for the night, or at some station to
, change horses, the baggage isexamined,
L and if it gives promise of itch booty,
and the passengers have the appear
) once of soft customers, they are certain
+ to be attacked as soon as the first chap
f paral is reached. But well-armed trav-
f elers, with that steady look of resistance
so easily read, may travel anywhere.
, To the ineficiency of the Mexican
troops may fairly be attributed the gen.
eral prevalence of robbery and crime
throughout the country.
He Would have Her.