The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-06-26
MtxIco's WOMAN BANDIT.


Shot Dead Aner an Extraordinary Career or Crime
Her Plans OF Murder.
La Caramboda, the woman brlgand,
long terror to travellers in this region,
is dead at last, with bullet In her heart,
says Queretaro letter to the New York
Sun. Her operations extended over q
number Of years. and were Of the most
daring description. For long time the
authorities found 1t very difficult to
trace, or even TO explain the crimes
which she committed, for no one sus-
pected that woman was the guilty per-
son. No two Of her robberies were com
mitted In the same manner. Sometimes
she was passenger, and Mt other times
she was with the bandits, and took part
in the shooting If any was to be done.
A woman Of some personal charms when
appropriately dressed, she was flend
when about her business Of murder and
pillage. whom very few cared to en-
counter. Her male assistants were many
and devoted.
One of her schemes, 1t has been
learned, was to bide her in some town
until she found one or two men OF means
who were going by the diligence to
some distant point, and then to take
passage with them. II is suspected that
on more than one occasion she took the
driver into her confidence, but when this
could not be done she readily deceived
him with bullet. A perfect mistress
Of the art Of discrimination, and possess
ing soft and insinuating manner, she
had no difficulty In working herself into
the good graces Of travellers, who did
not look for Mexican bandit under her
attractive guise. In this way she easily
discovered who had money and valuables
and who had not. II she found n man
who appeared to be of some consequence,
but who did not have much money, she
betrayed him into the hands of her con-
federates, who held him for ransom.
If her victim proved TO be well supplied
with cash, he usually met n violent
death within "a hours.
Leaving town before daybreak in
company with two travellers whom she
had marked for robbery, she would
ooyly accept the customary innocent at
tentions at their hands, and perhaps
indulge In little conversation with
them. An hour later, when well on
their journey, watching her opportunity,
she would draw two revolvers, and, be-
fore they could detect her movement,
lodge bullet In the back of each OF
them. The driver, busy with his team,
and perhaps paid not to be too attentive
to what was going on behind him, would
not disturb her. With her booty secure.
she would take her own time about
leaving the stage, always waiting until
n point convenient to the fastness of
some Of her confederates was reached
1t was known that the highways were
infested by robbers, and 1t was not
thought strange that an occasional muir
der was perperrated, but the similarity
between several cases soon attracted at
and various experiments led to
the discovery that a woman, operating
first on one road and then on another,
was at the bottom of them. The
plausible stories told by the
drivers served to mystify the Off
GERS more than anything else. They
always asserted that highwaymen had
done the work, and If inquiry was made
ut one end of the route for the woman
who started, 1t was always said that she
arrived at her destination unmolested.
The absence of telegraphs and Of any
regular means of communication made 1t
possible to keep up this deception for a
long time.
When the woman found that she was
she abandoned this plan OF
operations, and, remaining with the rob-
Der band to which she was attached,
devoted the greater part of her time to
the abduction of wealthy agrioulturists.
Her plan in these cases was very much
The same as in her stage-robbery enter
prises. First winning the confidence Of
her intended victim and getting him in
volved In some intrigue, she would
betray him at the proper time into the
hands OF her associates, who would spirit
him away and presently open negotia-
lions for his return. While these were
in progress she would be busy setting
her net for n fresh victim 00miles away.
La Carambyda's latest exploit was I'M
She was lowering about the
San Juanico hacienda with the intention
Of securing the abduction of Don Civelo
Vasquez, or one of his sons, when fell
ow, who had long served in her train,
deserted, and communicated her secret
10 the authorities. They made elab-
Drate preparations to capture her entire
party, but, failing In this, they made sue
Of her, and soon had her In irons. Hear
ng Of her fate, her followers determined
On rescue. They pursued the officers
or 20 miles, and 0vertaking them at Con-
lindad, opened fire at once. The
roop returned the shots, and a
lively engagement ensued. in
he course of which three of
he bandits were killed and the others
put to flight. When the troops APP
preached their prisoner after the fight
hey found her dead, presumably from
bullet fired by her own friends. The
chains were removed from her limbs, and
'he was buried by the roadside. One Of
her captors describes her as beautiful
woman not more than 30 years old, with
clear compile xion and long and abundant
lair, but with wicked eye and cruel
ooking mouth when in repose.