Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-06-01
THE SIBERIA OF MEXICO
Men Banished TO Yucatan.
How the Mexican Government Dis
poses of Political Criminals.
Phil adslnhia L cord.

Phil adelphia Il cord
For many years YGcatan has been the
Siberia of Mexico, whittier are exiled the
offenders whom the government does not
know what TO do with, since the amended
constitution of the liberal party practi-
calIy does away Wi h capital punishment.
1t is handy in case of political criminals
and troublesome people generally-who
might turn up again If banished else
where-for from that boarne none has
ever returned. 1t has been the fashion
to conduct such obnoxious persons under
military guard to the frontier of Yucatan
civilization, or tO some ont of-the- way
landing place along the coast, and simply
let them so. What becomes OF them
none cEn tell. The interior Is known to
be populated by wgrhke people, who
have towns and cities and certain degree
of semi barbaric civilization. Watcher
they enslaye newcomers, or naturalize
and make new citizens of them, or put
them to death, Is food for conf jectuIe.
Probably the mystery of it adds to the
punishment its greatest terror2. How
ever, 1t Is well-known truth that among
the unfortunates condemned to Yucltan
few reach their destination, the soldiers
in charge having secret orders to give
the prisoners opportunities to escape and
to shoot them down the instant the seem
ing chance is acted upon.
Especially dangerous is the eastern
shore of Yucatan, and should any travel
er be so mad as to land there it would
as certainly be the end of him as if he
were dropped into hades. As for redress
his friends might as we'll appeal to the
winds as to the Mexican government, the
latter having eveH less control. The
chief tribe of eastern Yucatan Indians
are known as the Chan Santa Cruz, hav-
ing city of that name IN the southeast
ern part of the peninsula, about thirty
six miles west of Ascension bay and some
sixty miles below Lake Bacalar. The
lake is about fifteen miles long, and on
its western shore the Indians have their
seaport-also named Bacalar-where they
go to trade with British Honduras via
the Hondo river.
Recently they determined to free them
selves, once for all, from Spanish Mexi-
can control. They named their strong
hold Chan Santa CRUZ Little Holy
,CrOss'') and chose its site because near
a spring of clear, cold water they found
great tree upon the bark of which a
small cross had been carved. The leader
Of the revolters, pr1est wise, induced the
others TO believe that the cross was
heavenly origin, cut by an angel who had
descended for the express purpose of
guiding them in their continuation of
hOstilities against the Mexicans. Be
ing so fortunate as to discover a ventrilo-
quist among his followers, the cunning
leader took him into confidence big
church was built, a great cross set up
within it, and the veptriloqaist instructed
to throw his voice so that it would sound
as coming from the wood thereof, urging
the peofle on to bloody deeds against the
Mexicans. Believing that the mandates
issued veritably from the cross, and must
therefore be of divine origin, the people
blindly obeyed them.
But in the very next battle the ventril-
oquist was killed, and for long time
the cross was speechless. Finally another
fellow was taken into confidence. and, be.
ing no ventriloquist he disguised his
voice in sharp squeaky tones, aud spoke
only at night when the church was in
complete darkness, so that none could
see man standing near "the holy speak
ing cross" The deception was kept up
many years, and the mysterious voice
was worshiped and obeyed-so little does
it require to start new religious sect.