Daily Republican., 1883-03-27
RELIGIOUS FANATICIsM.
Aea h u q In America-l1Orribl e
Torture Under keligiOWS Pre-.

DENVER, March W.--There are in the
Territory Of New Mexico about 1000
persons belonging to the Hermanos
Penitents, fanatical religious sect
who believe in tho periodical atonement
of sin by inhicting on their bodies
agoniZing tortnrrs. They were origin
ally connected with the Roman Catholic
Church, but Archbishop Laney, shock
ed by their barbarous cruelties, prOmul-
gated a decree banishing them from
that communion. Its membership has
greatly decreased since, and those now
belonging to the order reside principal
ly in only four Counties OF the Terri.
tory. Great care is taken TO prevent
the discovery Of their identity, all being
masked while conducting their annual
penance. The devotees often travel
hundreds of miles to undergo the pre-
scribed torture.
Los Griegos, small Mexican village
near Albuquerque, boasts of the great
body Of the penitents. Yesterday
morning their ceremonies were begun
by an Introductory procession contain
ing about thirty men and women. The
process OF publication by torture began
at 10 O'clock Five men, naked to the
waist, harefooted, and wearing black
rsbes and hood that completely conceal
ed their identity, were seen to issue
above the lodge-house Of the sect, led
by the master Of ceremonies, who car
ried a genuine cat-O'-nine-tails. Two
huge wooden crosses, weighing go
pounds each, were placed on the shOn-
ders of two of the self tOrturers. The
sharp edges cut into the naked flesh,
causing The blood to spurt out and drop
to the ground. One pcnitent produced
a sharp goad, which he thrust into the
flesh of his fellow sufferers from time to
time while the procession moved up the
street, the persons constituting il sing
ing wild chant in Spanish. Hating
once, the crosses We're transferred to the
shoulders of others, the attendants
meanwhile applying their raw-hdc
whips mcrcileSNly, each blow taking off
skin and bits of flesh The procession
again started and took its way to the
goal, half a mile away
During the march, not "A groan was
heard nor WAS word spoken. hut jus,
before reaching the goal, a small adobe
hut, an ordeal was encountered which
tried the nerves of the boldeSt. For
some distance before the door cactus
plants had been thickly strewn upon
the ground, and rs the barefOoted cross
bearers approached it one hesitated
Instantly half "A dozen whips descended
upon his bare shoulders, and with
bound he sprang into the thorny plants,
his every step and the footsteps of his
f,ll Ia, ...l 1,l Az
the torture grew more terrible the chant
grew louder and the thongs fell with
more vigor. Reaching the door Of the
house the procession was lost sight of, a
sentinel guarding the entrance, and
only broken whips and poles and bloc d
bear witness of what transpired within.
Issuing from the house, the procession
reformed and returned 10 their house of
worship, and SO the horritying exercises
continued, one band of peniten,s sue
cceding another until night, when !.
grand procession and chant wound up
the exercises for the day. During these
marches to and from the house OF refuge
the scene at times was too sickrning for
descriptions. Powerful men submitted
their bodies to IN. rriess hagnllaiion I'M
iii in some instances the bare muscle
was seen quivcriuG ut every blow. The
whole proceeding was n savage attempt
to honor the Easter season. Hitherto
The law has iuA,lr no attempt to check
these wild exercises, although once Il
prIi;cnt who threw another bearing "a
cross into the river near San Juan and
drowned him, was lynched by the III
furiated witnesses.