Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-29
A MILLIONAIRE BRIGAND.
Lerada. who in Love. War and G old
getting Made Things Hum.
AIta Californian.

AIta Californian.
There are many interesting incidents
related of Lerada, the remarkable Indian
who for eighteen years ruled the Tepic
part of the Mexican republic. When
boy he was engaged in herding sheep and
cattle on ranch near the town of Jalisco.
Every day there passed on her way to
and from school very pretty girl, of
good family, and an acquaintance began
between them. She always had her
books, and on her return from school
the two would retire to some quiet place,
where she would teach him to read and
give him his first ideas of arithmetic and
geography. He was exceedingly apt
in learning and anxious to acquire
knowledge, and he improved it in
such a manner that he soon be-
came recognized among other Indians
as superior to them. His master often
i'll treated him, and Lerada was often
heard to say he would revenge himself.
The acquaintance with the girl ripened
into love, which was reciprocated. He
had asked of her parents that he might
marry her, a proposition that was
scorned, the family calling hia beggar.
But he one day killed his master and
then fled to the mountains, taking
number of Indians with him. After in
creasing the number to eighty men, he
one night entered Jalisco, went to the
house of the girl, took her out, and
killed those of the family whom he
deemed had insulted him. He forced
the Cure of Jalisco to go with him to
the camp on the mountains, and, when
there, made him marry him to the
girl.
aLerada afterward took to the road as
brigand, and was terror for miles
around. Many times troops were sent
after him that never returned About
this time came the French, who, hearing
of his many exploits and influence with
the Indians, made overtures TO him to
join them, promising $50, 900 per month
to pay his men. Lerada accepted and
went, with eight thousand men. to Ma
zatlan, received the first installment,
came back to Topic, disbanded them, and
put the money in his pocket. He after
ward received the same sum regularly,
and as regularly he pocketed it. This
was the beginning of his political promi-
nence, and he rapidly made advance
ment in his endeavors for a com
plOlO COuOAOl VI IuO SON6Iuu1tHG VI
this section of the republic. He appears
to have been a terribly revengeful man,
and any one that he imagined had done
him any injury lived but a little time
after. On one occasion, at a ball in
Tepic, he observed an official of the gov
ernment in conversation with a senorita
with whom he was enamOred. He di-
rected one Of his own officers to go to
him and tell him to leave the house.
Lerada, seeing the official still conversing
with the young lady. again called his
officer and asked if he obeyed him, and
at the same time pointed to the pistol
which the officer carried, asking if he
was aware to what use such an instru-
ment was put. "Now go to that
man." he said, fand take him by
the beard and lead him from the house."
The officer, we'll knowing that if
he disobeyed his own life would be for
feited, did as he was told. On another
occasion, he sent an Indian with watch
and a sum of money from his place at
San Luis to Topic. The Indian stole
both, pawning the watch. He was ap-
pretended and shot, and so, too, were
the poor ,pawnbroker and the innocent
purchaser of the watch from the latter
both were arrested and shot by order of
Lerada. But his ambition for extended
power ruined him. HIS frequent sue
cesses had led him to believe he could
capture Guadalajara, and with eight
thousand Indians he started for that city,
when, after a well-fought battle, he was
routed and obliged to return to Tepic,
having lost the prestige he had gained in
eighteen years, as well as the confidence
of his officers. The latter event
back on him." and one 'gave him
away" receiving, it is said, a considera-
BILE sum for the information; and so at
last Lerada was captured, and soon after
was shot near the bridge crossing the
river passing this city. He begged ear
nestly for his life, one person assuring
me that he offered to liquidate the
American debt if released. But it was
of no use; his death was inevitable, and
while protesting that his actions had
been for the good of the Indians whose
Chief he was, the drums were rolled,
volley of musketry was heard, and the
career OF Lerada was at an end.
AS to his wealth during his lifetime,
there are many stories. One is that bar
rels of gold and silver were carried at his
order to the mountains and there deposit
ed by four men, who, after finishing the
work, were, of course shot, that it might
not be divulged. There is at Santiago an
old man that tells that he, in company
with another Alteiro, came to Tepic in
the night time, escorting Lerada and six
mules heavily laden with gold and silver
bars, brought from the mountains in the
vicinity of Santiago, and which were de-
posted in Lerada's house; that after their
arrival he was sent out to buy mescal,
aud as he had a weakness for the 'fvlne
celestial he drank too much, got drunk,
and did not return to the
house. In the morning the mules
were found astray. Lerada was
on his way to Guadalajara, and the
other man, his companion, never was
heard of again. His ideas OF discipline
were as severe as his ideas of many other
things 1t was his custom to review his
81, 600 Indians on the first Sunday of
every month at 8 o'clock a. M, and it
was expected that every man would be
present or with sufficient excuse. As
they had to come from many leagues
away it would not seem strange if there
were many delinquents. On one occa-
sion, at one of these reviews, when those
present were in the line, one unfortunate
arrived ten minutes late. He was called
before the chief, and, after being repri-
manded before the whole. army, was led
to a tree and shot.
The family of Lerada, his wife and
two daughters, reside at San Luis. She
is in very comfortable circumstances, and
is represented as a very lady.like and