The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-31

& 0QyEEuMEuN lu1Aub&AA v FASDSAs
towards tho free and nntrammeled" pres'
Of this republic, 1t 10 not wholly improba
bic that the entire independent contingent
OF the newspaper fraternity here will spend
the approaching holidays behind prison
bars. Already q number are in jail, and tps
search for the remainder is suggestive o
those periodical "roundups'' at which q
ranchero gathers into one great fold all his
oattlo that have scattered themselves oyel
the country. The authorities in this coun'
try are very solicitous for the welfare OF
nsvsps Dor editors. Their greatest care il to
see that thsy do not overwork themselves.
and 10 this end they relieve them from the
trouble Of editing their papers. frequently
tho authorities prepare the article for pub
LEGATION, and the editor must not think Of
complaining.
The freedom of the press wonld be highly
amusing il it wore not really tragic. Many
OF the best newspaper men have spent the
greater part Of their professional career in
prison and seem fated to die there. The
mention Of a name in anything but = SOM
plimsntary style may mean six months i'm
~prisonmsnt should the person mentioned
happen to bs . friend Or merely IN ac-
quaintancs Of any Of tho political ''bossss."
Senior Gregorio Cruz, editor of the Faro
vsracruzana, . daily paper published in
Vera Cruz. has just found this out to his
sorrow. A few days ago his paper con
tanned an article which did not speak in
the highest terms of = friend of n OF the
political leaders OF Vera Cruz. He was ar
rested and his paper was suppressed. A
long period in jail will probably be his fate.
Senor Daniel Cabrera is another newspa-
rer man Of the inderendsnt class who has
received attention from the government.
His paper. IN illustrated s~atirical one. con-
tanned a caricature of President Diaz in an
issue about six months ago. Since then he
has been in Jail serving an indefinite SEN
tence. The editor Of the Mexican Home
journal is also in jail, and has for company
q number of his associates.
One of the most brutal of i,npromptu
duels. so common among the lawless
classes here, was fought last night within
the portals of the cathedral at Cordoba
and was witnessed by hund, eds Of people,
who had assembled in the editics to do
honor to tho feast of Santa Marie de Gaud-
alupe. The weapons were long knives. The
combatants were young men, sons Of two
of the waalthiest and best known
families in the state Of Vera Cruz. Oae OF
them, Gomez, was the son of an extensive
Wholesale butcher and owner of the plaza
whesein the weekly bull fghts are con
tbs son of a retired merchant. Both men
were in love with the same girl, the former
seeming to be the. favorits. He and the
girf attandad part of the service at the ca
thadral and were leaving the ediice when
met by Martinez, who immediately at
lupted while tho Two men fought. their
cries of agony mingling with thu sacred
music of the choristers. Martinez was com
pletely disembowsled. He died immeai-
ately. Gomez head was almost severed from
his body, bat no fingered for several hours.
Tha noise of the fight attracted O crowd of
several hundred PERSONS. who stood watch
ing the battle, no one interfering until the
two men lay diving. The city prison and
the mayors Office were but a single block
away across the park. but the police psr-
mitted the fight to continue to the end.
Both men were extremely popular in the
city.
The famine among the poor in the inter
Tor districts continues, but as yet no stops
have been taken by the government to re-
isve the distress. The governments of the
state OF Chihuahua has appropriated $10,-
coo and appointed a commission to invest
the amount in seeds to retail at cost price
to the poor. so that the next crop may be
provided for. senor Carlos Zuloago of
chihuahua, has given IS, 600 to be invested
in corn for free distribution among the
starving.
The grip is raging in the capital and in
the large cities of neighboring states. At
Oaxaca several deaths have occurred, and
all stspa to check the spread of the malady
have been futile. The health authorities
are nonplussed and don't know how to act,
Private letters from Mexico received by
New York merchants with Mexican connec-
tions state that the extent of the famine
throughout Mexico has been undares-
timatsd. The condition of the poor is de-
plorable. There is not enough food in the
country to give one meal in two days to the
starving peasants. The wealthy men of the
country have gathered in all tho available
stores and are holding them for their own
use. To add to the horror of the situation, |
yellow fever has broken out in Vera Cruz
and Cordoba. The weather is warm and
the condition of the streets bad,