Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-19
MEXICAN TERRORISM.
Particulars of the Killing of Bandit
Bernal, The Notorious Mexican
HIghWayman.
Mexico the Home OF Outlaws and
MurdererS.

Particulars of Eraclio Bernal contain
ed IN Official dispatches are interesting.
It seems that a man named Crispin Gar
cia, who lives at Rancho Viego in Sinaloa,
went with his uncle, George Alton, to the
mine of Nuestra Sonora, and asked for
Lieutenant Fernandez. This officer, who
had retired for the night, was in charge
of the corporars guard of soldiers of the
Fifth Regiment, which the Government
had furnished for protection. He was
aroused, and permitted Garcia and Alton
TO private interview They informed
him that the terrible highwayman and q
few Of his band were encamped on the
mountain known as GEL Pelon," near
Rancho Viego.
Garcia and Aijon offered to capture
BeTual if the Lieutenant would furnish
arms and men. Fernandez armed eight
cen miners and soldiers, and with Garcia
and AijOn as guides, sailed forth at the
dead of night. On their way they reused
up the Inhabitants of hamlet called San
Antonio del Rio, organized small body
and placed them under the orders of Mr..
Eue Jbio Hurrea. The assailants then di-
yided their force, and in three small de-
tachments, commanded respectively by
Fernandez, Garcia and Hurrea, surround
ed the mountain which held the robber
chief and cautiously turned up its steep
sides. Just at o'clock in the morning
the crack of rifle announced that the
tiger was at bay. The miners, led by
Garcia, had found him. The bandits
fought like desperadoes, and Bernal
headed the charge they made against the
miners, but the latter held their ground
bravely, and the robbers reiterated, with
the exception Of Bernal. He found him
self face to face with Garcia. His re-
V0lver was empty, and before he could
reload Garcia shot him three times The
first bullet passed through his leg, the
second through his breast, and the third
through his forehead. The Terror of the
Occident, as Be-nal was, called on the
Pacific coast, fell dead in his Cracks.
Just then Lieutenant Fernandez and Mr..
Hurrea arrived with their men. They
holly pursued the remaining highway
men, who had fled in every direction.
The pursuers, VINO exhausted by the
night march, were successful il capturing
but one man, Angel Navarro, and the mis-
tress Of Bernal, q handsome woman
named Lucia Garcia.
The $4,000 reward offered for the
chieftain's head was claimed by Crispin
Garcia, and it will be promptly paid him
by the State of Sinaloa. A courier was
dis patched TO the Project Coz4la to an
nounce the glad tidIngs. The 'Prefect
Immediately requested Lieutenent Fer
nandez TO send the body of the robber
chief and prisoners to Cozala, SO they
might DO identified. The request was
complied with, bu5 on the way the pris-
oner attempted to escape and was shot
/ dead, and the body was carried along
with that of Bernal into COzala on
q stretcher. There many hundreds
Of people focked from all the
country around TO view the remains of
the dead chief. The Judge in the first
instance took the charge of the bodies,
held an inquest and examined the actors
IN the affair in accordance with the for
malities of law. Numerous witnesses
were also found to affirm their instant
recognition of the face of Bernal. Now
that there was no longer any doubt upon
the matter, telegram proclalming the
good news was sent 30 Governor Candle
do at Culiacan, and imme diately for
warded by him to the Secretary of war.
The rejoicing in Sinaloa over the sue
| cessful termination of the long and
weary campaign against the bandit chief
is great.