The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-03-30
THE FLACELLANTS.
Annual Carnival Of thi. vioiou. New Mex
lean Sect.


DENVER, March 24.-The Hermanus peni-
tents are a fanatical religious sect number
ing about two thousand members In the
Territory Of New Mexico, who believe In
the periodical atonement for sin by infict-
ing on their bodies agonizing tortures. They
were originally within the Roman Catholic
Church, but Archbishop LamY, shocked BY
the barbarous cruelties, promulgated de-
cree banishing them from the communion.
The members have thinned greatly since,
and they are now Inhabitants principally Ut
but four counties In the Territory. Great
care Is taken to prevent the discovery OF
their Identity by spectators, and all are
masked during the conducting of the annu-.
al pensnce. Devotees often travel hun.
dreds Of miles to undergo the prescribed
torture. Los 7Gringos. q small Mexican
village near Albuquerque, boasts a body Of
penitents, place known only by the brutal
ceremonies takifg place there every year.
This morning the ceremonies were inaugu
rated by an Introductory procession COLI
tanning about thirty men and women. The
process of publication by torture began. At
10 O'Clock five men naked TO the waist,
barefooted, wearing black robes, hoods com.
pletely concealing their identity, we're seen
TO issue from an adobe lodge house Of the
sect, led by the master Of ceremonies, carry
lug..a veritable cato nine tails. Two huge
wooden crosses weighing $50 pounds each
were placed on the naked shoulders Of two
Of the self torturers, the sharp edges cutting
into the naked flesh, causing the blood 10
. sharp CAD which he thrust INTO the fi.si VI
his fellow Sufferers from time 10 time. while
the procession inored up I'll" street =" " lid
gibberish chant in Spanish, h4"in., appvi,s
raw hide whips mercIlsss!r, ",r'l al"w Ixk
ing off the skin and bits Of fish The pro
cession took its way u. in- gal. a half q
mile away. During 'h- MARIA n"i grosi
was heard nor word spike ba, just he
fore the goa! was reacheI.a small u hobs hui,
an ordeal was encountered I" Try the nerve.
of the boldest. For some distance before h.
door cacti plants bad bs-li strswn thickly or
the ground, and a. the barefJored peniteni,
approached it one hrsitsted; instantly half ;
dozen whips desceuded on his bare shoulder
aud with bound he spIaIis INT" the cAcli
His every step aud That of his followers Wa,
marked with blood. As the tDIturs grew
more terrible, The chant grew louder aud tn,
thongs fell with more visor. Reaching til,
door Of the house they were lost sight of
sentinels guarding the entrance; and onI,
broken whips and pools Of blood bear wit
nesses of what TRANSFERRED Within. IssninI
from the house, the procession reformed AND
returned to the house Of worship. And 81
the horrifying exercises continued, one batcl
Of pentents succeeding another tiif night
when grand procession AMI chant woun'
up the exercises for the day. During thes
marches 10 and from the house Of refuge u,
scene at times was too sickening for de-
scription. Powerful men submitted thei
bodies to the most mercless haxellarbon I'll
In some instances the bare muscles could b
seen quivering at every blow. The Who'll
proceeding was q savage attempt to homo
the Easter season. Hitherto the law la
made no attempt to check the wild rxprci~
although once penitent, who threw arm H.
bearing q cross, into the river near San Jus
and drowned him, was lynched by the inf
rated witnesses.