Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-09
ERACLIO BERNAL.
Romantic Incidents of the Life of the
Dead Bandit.

Dead Bandit.
The adventures and crimes of the Mexi-
can bandit Bernal, who is reported to have
been killed, are wild as the most extrava-
giant stories of fiction. The Examiner of
yesterday has the following
''Eraclio Bernal, the bandit reported
dead by Nogales dispatch was the worst
of all bandits" said Hilerio Maximus, q
Sonora mlne-owner, to reporter yester-
day.
did l know Bernal? Very well, in
deed. | have been robbed by him and
ought to know him. l know so much
about him, too, that can hardly believe
the dispatch. You know he has been re-
ported dead so many times, and yet of a
sudden you hear of him and his band a
hundred miles away, robbing as usual.
" Bernal is about % or 80 years old, and
was born in San Diemas, near SinolCa, in
the State of Durango. For years he has
exercised wonderful power over men.
He is born leader, born to command, and
his followers render to him a homage and
an obedience that is curious to see
Five years ago Bernal was employed in
one of the large gold mills of San Diemas.
He got TO stealing ore, and kept it up for
long while. Finally the owners detected
him and called him to account for it, but
Bernal convinced them in such a gentle
manly way that he needed all the gold that
he took, that they not only dropped the
matter, but let him continue on as usual.
He staid while longer, and finally started
out with crowd of followers to levy assess
ments, as he called them, on mine-owners.
HIS ONE AMBITION.
Bernal is highly connected and edu-
Gated. For long time he has had but one
ambition-to be Governor of Sinoloa. To
this end he calls on all the rich mining
companies for weapons and funds to carry
on the war. In every instance he gives his
note, or due bill, for the money or guns be
gets.
% In June last was employed by the Los
Palmos Milling Company at Giviolanius.
Durango. AT o'clock in the morning !
was awakened in my room by the sound
of voices and loud beating against the
door. Immediately after, half dozen
guns were brought to bear on me- and the
leader, who was Bernal, stepped forward
and asked me to deliver up the keys to the
safe below, saying he wanted 81 OOO
1" told him that | was not the manager
and had no power to grant this request that
the manager was in another room. They
made me get up and point out the ROOM
and go i'll in advance of them and get Don
y udll mdTld, the manager, out.
" Eraclio touched his hat to him politely
and repeated his request. Don Juan de-
INJURED, saying he didn't have but S., 200
anyhow. He and l and all the rest were
duly marched down, and when we were
ranged disarmed all along in front of the
buildings, we found there were Just twenty
five of BernaIs men there in ALL They
were ranged opposite US, all being well
armed.
POLITE But DEADLY IN EARNEST.
" Business was proceeded with very leis-
urely, Bernal having meantime given an
order that not drop of liquor should be
sold to any of his men while in town. Not
a drop was sold, either. He also ordered
his band to disturb nobody.
" Don Juan opened the safe, and sure
enough there wasn't but s., 200 in it. Ber-
nal, however, looked carefully over the
books to see if the cash was right, and find
ing that the entries in the books and the
cash tailed right, he let the manager off
Then he, with great deliberation, wrote his
note for the amount. | can remember the
exact wording of it now. 1t ran:
I, Eraclio Bernal, when Governor of sinaloa.
will pay to Los Palmos Milling Company, Don
Juan Maria, of Giviolanius manager So 300
God help u.s. Amen. ERACLIo BERNAL.
Before the men dispersed the little chill
dren of the town had gathered round
Give me dime one would say Let me
have some money, too another would say,
and Eraclio would dip into the bag of sill
yer money and give them all some. He
didn't miss any.
" Bernal was regular cavalier. The
pocket-book, which one of his men had
grabbed from me, he returned, saying l
needed it more than they did. He never
looked to see how much was in it when he
learned who | was.
" The mining companies are all down on
Bernal because he assessed all of them to
carry on his campaigns. have no doubt
he would have returned the money, as he
said he would, if he had not been killed,
if he really has been.
The Governors of Durango and Sinaloa
have for some months now offered a re-
ward of 1000 from each State for Bernal
dead or alive. Bernal had great many
friends in both States, among people, too,
who are in authority. Others were afraid
of him and made no attempt to stop his
depredations.
AvENGING A ROBBERY.
Z" Up deep gorge from San Diemas one
day an old man, an American, was stopped
and ordered to give up his watch and
money by lone horseman. Who are
you p asked the old man. Eraclio Bernal >
was the response. The old man didn't say
word, but handed over and went on, the
robber taking his horse also
Down the canyon he met four horse
men going up. How does it come asked
the leader, that an old man like you is
walking in these mountains?' The old
man said Bernal had just taken his horse,
watch and money. Did he say he was
Bernal ? asked the man, and erode ON up
the canyon. Pretty soon he returned with
everything.
g. There is your horse and other things
said he. The man who took them lies
dead up there. He was not Bernal. l am
Bernal.'
The old man had but SIS, and Bernal,
remarking that that was not enough to take
him through to where he was going, gave
him SIS additional.
There is no doubt that Bernal had many
noble qualities. Thousands have believed
that within a year or two he would be
Governor of Sinaloa, and, as have said, |
find it hard to believe that he is dead"