St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-27
Menicnn 1Ifninn Life.
Lippincott's Magazine.

LippincOtts Magazine.
While we were standing before the black
smiths shop three or four men were led in
by policemen. 'You are going to witness a
very disagreeable sight" Don Luis said to
me-''one that | always avoid witnessing
myself If you will be SO kind as to excuse
me the boss miner will show you round and
explain things to you. It is my painful duty
| to punish these men in this seemingly barbar-
Gus manner, but they are the widest, most
| ungovernable savages, against whom | have
to defend my life. This form of punishment
has been in use here for many years, and,
although / have attemp pied to change it and
introduce a milder system, find that it can
not be done.'' He hurriedly left as a sharp
cry of pain half drowned by the sound of
heavy hammer blows arose behind US. l
looked back, and could scarcely believe my
ewes when / saw the blacksmith and his help
closing the ring of a two-inch iron bar around
a mans bare ankle. The iron was hot. and
the two men were striking 1t with eight-pound
hammers, the slightest side-blow Of which
would have broken the mans ankle. Two
policemen held the victims arms, while an
other grasped his leg. AS soon as | under
stood what was going on drew my pistol
and called out to the smith to stop; but the
boss miner, who was standing beside me,
wrenched the weapon out Of my hand and
quickly drew me away. "For the love of
God, sir, be careful, or you will be murdered
this very night. Come away from here"
understood how powcrless / was and fol-
lowed him. ''But," said /, "what crime
has this man commlttedn' 'Crimc -
echoed the old miner, Struggling his shout
ders. yesterday that boy saw friend drink
glass of mezcal and did not report him, so
he was condemned to that four-foot bar of
two-inch iron and to the 'Bartholda' for a
month"; thirty-foot drift with the contrary
incline, so that there are always six inches Of
water in it, and before the mouth of the Gov
cred shaft, so that the foulest air Of the whole
mine collects there. That is where those fell
lows sleep; they work their twelve hours shift
at sitting, or some stationary work, and at
night the policemen escort them pthcre and
lock them up. II there are many they hardly
have room 10 squat in the dirty water. Some
die In the hole; for what YOU saw is not the
worst punishment. Those large blocks Of
wood, with two holes for the ankles, and be-
tween them another pair for the wrists, are
worse than any stocks ever Invented, and
men get two months Of those in the 'Barth-
olda' for the slightest o5ense"
"But,' said !, ''this is norribIe Can not
Don Luis change this! l sbould think the
| government mine inspector would put a stop
to II -
The old man shrugged his shoulders. FIn
the first place" he said, 'Don Luis in-
vented this system himself He employs
about twenty men as spies and body-guards.
| His favorite excuse is 70 say that these men
are very wild and ungoyerDahie. That is not
I so: In all Mexico you will not find more
| steady, tim0rous, respectful, bard-wOfking
| tribe Of Indians than these are. His system
is one Of gratuitous cruelty. Any other tribe
would have found way Of killing him before
| this, in spite OF his guards and spies. AZ Tor
( the inspector, ne Is kept drunk until it is
| time for him to 90. when he suddenly re-
| members the mine and asks: All right up
therep Yes, yes; OF course. And, to spare
| you any trouble, my dear friend.I have writ
/ ten out the whole report myself. Here II is.
/ You see, We are twelve days ride from Chi
! buai1ua, the seat Of government"
| Later. Wien saw Don Luis, could not
| help saving 70 him: 81 thought you had
/ tried 10 abolish cruelty, and that it went on
| against your VIII and By order Of Jour sups-
| riorsl"
| He shrugged his shoulders. young man,
/ he answered.. IF an strong enough 10 do
this 1t cannot much matter what choose TO
/ say about II. -