The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-03
MEXICAN DEsPERADOEs.
Murderous Villains Who Have Not Shade of
HumOr in Their Compositions.

Murderous Villains Vino Have Not a Shade of
HumOr in Their Compositions.
Matamoras better in New York Sun.
Mexican desperadoes have none Of the grim
humor of their brethren north of the line. They
rob, torture. ana kill without conjunction, and
never lntersperse their outrages with the fun for
which the American rustler is noted Their
eRmities are lasting, their revenges terrible.
Quick to take ofense they are swift to act If
circumstances are favorable, and, if unfavora
BILE, they have the capacity to treasure up
wrong and the cruelty to exact satisfaction with
great dehberation when the object of their
hatred is in their power Occasionally one meets
with brave and chivalrouS fellow who is will
ing to give and take; but for the most part,
these bandits and freebooters are a contempt
bic lot. who will fight no man squarely unless
cornered. In fact, they show more courage when
battling with each other than in any other
emergency, and some of their hand-to hand
duels are exhibitions of savagery almost incred-
IDLE. No country in the world has more tiger
like fights to the death than Mexico.
few days ago, at Sierra MajadakO, several
men, drunk on mescale, were standing in front
OF a house Quarreling. For hour or more
they wrangled, first on one topic then onanothor,
frequently coming to blows, but quoting down
again without serious casualties Finally, IN
6oaStfui mood one of the number, pointing to a
young woman just passing. observed that he was
going home with her, and offered to bet that he
would Donate Viltegas, brother of the girl.
although the relationship was unknown to the
bfaggart Louis Gerra accepted the wager with
great promptness. Gerra stepped out, accosted
the girl, and, to the surprise of everybody,
walked away with her. Tiburcio Quezada one
Of the loiterers. reviled Viltegas for his foolish
bet, and made a disparaging remark concerning
women in general High words followed but
no trouble occurred at that time
Later in the evening Nitegas met GerPa and
Quezada in the outskirts of the town, and when
they tainted him with the loss of his bet he
drew a knife and sprang upon them with the
fefoclty OF wildcat. None of the men had fire
arms, but all were we'll supplied with mufderous
knives, and these weapons were quickly in use.
At the first lunge Viltegas laid Gerra's cheek
open and inflicted an ugly wound on Quezada,
but before he could strike again he had himself
received deep cut in the neck from which the
blood poured freely For minute the combat
ants stood facing each other, knives in hand.
NItegas wavered at first, but, realizing that he
must fight or die, he made another cat like
spring on his adversaries. They closed on him
with uplifted knives. but the struggle lasted
only an instant. Gerra's knife dropped from his
hand he reeled back step or two, and fell
heavily to the ground. Quezada, freeing him
self from Niltegass grasp, sprang to one side.
tightend his grasp on his knife, and advanced
slowly. Viltegas, although bleeding from several
wounds never quailed. The men eyed each other
like wild beasts. but not word was spoken.
When an arms length apart the antagonists
closed. each striving to stay the others arm
rather than making an effort to strike. In the
struggle both fell to the ground and rolled over
and over, neither losing his hold ON his blood
stained knife. Both men were growing weak
from eXertion and loss Of blood, and the fight
could not continue much longer. In making
drive at Niltegass neck with his murdepous
blade Quezada oEerPeached himself and fell on
his face, his tightly elasped knife being driven
into the ground with his entire weight In an
instant Nlltegas upon him. Quezada
tried to rise, but his wounds were mortal and
long before Viltegas had ceased driving his
weapon into him he had breathed his last
Turning his attention TO the other inanimate
body, Nlitegas continued to hack at that until
his strength was exhausted, when, leaving his
victims where they fell, he stole away. Nothing
will be done to him unless some OF the rela
tives of the dead men conclude to resume the
controversy.
Meet me tonight on the cemetery road.
was the pufport of a message received one day
recently by Don Miguel Faster. at Mordeau,
from Melissa Naladez. Faster knew what the
invitation meant He and Faladez had quar-
relied many times eyera love affair, and once
before had come to violence. Valdez had been
in town for several days. and had frequently
boosted that he intended 10 make hash of Pas
ter. The latter. the accepted sutton communi-
Gated with his lady love, who urged him to ac-
cept the challenge and offered to accompany him
ON his errand This he at first refused to assent
to- but finding that she construed his attitude as
one of cowardice, he reluctantly agreed to call
for her After dark the man and woman, both
armed, set out on the h. hway. Near the GENE
terry gate they encountered Valdez. whose rage
at seeing his rival III possession of the object of
his affections knew no bounds There was "A
long parley as to the methods of fighting to be
adopted which the woman surmised was the
result of fear She finally became impatient
and tainted the men with biting
words expressing her opinion Of
Valadez particularly in forcible language
As her condemnation seemed TO rest with greater
weight on him than on the other, Faster also
took up the strain, and, pretending that he had
been called out by craven, took the womans
md how 20 xrffh Sl,n
turned as if to do so. when Valadez darted for
ward in frenzy of rage and buried his knife in
her back. She fell forward on her face without
so much as a groan. the blade still in her body,
and expired instantly.
The assassin stood watching her for a moment
until Faster appeared to be recovering from the
stupefaction into which he had been thrown,
then took to his heels Faster following. 1t was
lively race through the cemetery and out
again Faster shouted defiance at his fleeing
adversary, and time and again dared him to
face him. Once Naladez disappeared, and Pas
ter in his rage called on him yehemently to
come cut offering him weapons or anything he
could ask if he would but give him an Oppor
tunity TO wreak his vengeance. The only
answer was laugh. which set Faster raw
ing furiousy up and down the cemetery
and calling all the angels and devils
to witness that he was a man not afraid of any
thing human. Stumbling along heedlessly over
graves and headstones, he finally fell into a
newmade grave. The next minute Valdez
was on him The murderer, urdcr cover of the
darkness had been following Faster for some
time in the hope that he would be able to steal
upon him unawares and finish him as he had the
woman. His opportunity came sooner than he
expected. With ferocious yell which woke the
echoes for miles around Yaladez sprang into
the excavation, and before the surprised Faster
could regain his senses his adversary had him
by the throat and was dealing him murderous
blows with bludgeon which he had picked up
after losing his knife. Believing that he had
finished Faster Naladez left him in the grave
and fled to the mountains Since then nothing
has been heard from him. The next day
funeral party discovered Faster lying in the
grave unconscious, but still breathing. He was
conveyed to town, and after his wounds had
of which he told his story. 1t is not believed
that he can recover, as there are two fractures
of the skull and several of his ribs are broken