Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-06-27
MExlCO'S SIBERIA.
How the Mexican Government Dispose
OF Political Criminals.

OF Political Criminals.
For many years Yucatan has been
the Siberia of Mexico. whittier are ex-
lied the offenders whom the Govern
ment does not know what to do with
since the amended constitution of the
liberal party practically does away
with capital punishment It is handy
in case of political prisoners. and
troublesome people generally-who
might turn up again if banished else
where-for from that bourne none has
ever returned. It has been the fashion
to conduct such obnoxious persons
under military guard 10 the frontier
of Yucatan civilization, or to some
out of-the-way landing place along
the coast, and simply let them 60.
What becomes of them none can
tell The interior is known to
DO populated by a war-like PEG.
pie, who have towns and cities and
a certain de gree of semi-barbaric civ
ilization. Whether they enslave new.
Corners or naturalize and make citi-
zens OF them, or put them to death is
food for conjecture. Probably the
mystery of it adds to the punishment
its greatest terrors However,. it is a
well-known truth that among the UNI
fortunates condemned to Yucatan few
reach their destin alton, the soldiers in
charge having secret orders to give
the prisoners opportunities to escape
and to shoot them down the instant
the seeming chance is acted upon.
Especially dangerous is the eastern
shore of Yucatan, and should any
traveller be 50 mad as to land there it
would rs 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 10 the Mexican
Go vernment, the latter having even
less control. The chief tribe OF
Eastern Yucatan Indians are
known as the Chan Santa Cruz.
having a city of that name in the
southern 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 90 to
trade with British Honduras via the
Hondo river
Recently they determined to free
themselves. once for all. from Spanish
Mexican control. They named their
stronghold Chan Santa Cruz (':Littlc
Holy Grossly, and chose its site be-
cause near a spring of clear, cold
water they found a great tree upon the
bark of which a small cross had been
carved. The leader of the revolters,
priest-wise, induced the others to be-
lieve that the cross was of Heavenly
origin. cut by an angel who had
descended for the express purpose
of guiding them in their con-
tinuation of hostilities against the
Mexicans. Being so fortunate as
to discover a ventriloquist among
his followers. the cunning leader took
him into confidence. A big church
was built, great cross set up within
l" anu tno VentrllOQOlSC instructed to
throw his voice so that it would sound
as coming from the wood thereof urg.
ing the people on to bloody deeds
against the Mexicans. Believing that
the mandates issued vertically from
the cross. and must therefore. be Of
Divine origin. the people blindly obey
ed them.
But in the very next battle the
ventriloquist was killed. aud for long
time the cross was speeches.. Finally
another fellow was taken into con-
tidence. and. being no ventriloquist
he disguised his voice in sharp,
squeaky tones. and spoke only at
night when the church was in COM
plete darkness. 80 that none could see
man standing near 1.-THE holy speak.
ing cross" The deception was kept
up many years. and tho mysterious
voice was worshiped and obcyed-so
little does it require to start a new
religious sect. -PhNadelphia Record.