The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-27
IT WAS SOLID GOLD.
A Valuable Image Discovered in an Old
Mexican Church.

CHIHUAHUA, August 123.--Jp in the
mountains about thirty miles FROM this
city is all old Catholic mission. The
church is said to he one Of the oldest
on the continent, having been built
just after the subjugation Of the Aztecs.
The church is closely guarded and no
other white man than the priest has
ever been permitted 10 enter its sacred
precincts by the Indians 1t has al
ways been supposed that the cause of
this rigid exclusion was the supersti-
ton of the natives, but an adventure
some young American artist has dis
covered that Chere was method in
the apparent madness of the descen-
dants OF the MonteZumas.
4 party Of tourists went out from
Chihuahua to the old village for the
purpose of seeing the sights and taking
pictures of the Indians and old build
ings. When they were refused admis-
sion to the church they at once con-
cluded there was something there that
they ought to see. They visited the
priest and tried to induce him to let
them in. but he was obdurate and gave
! them no satisfaction.
In the party was young man from
Illinois named William Morris. He
determined at all hazards to see inside
the church, and at once set about lay
ing his plans.
He prepared himself with a camera,
with a flash light attachment and a
bottle of aqua ardienta or Mexican
whiskey, in which he placed enough
! morphine to produce sleep. He then
| seuntered along to where the old guar
dian was sitting and engaged his at
tention. The conversation was limited,
but the bottle spoke for itself and it
was not difficult to induce the old man
to take two or three drinks. Morris
then passed on, but soon returned and
| found the Indian fast asleep.
He quickly forced window and
gained entrance to the church. The
interior was very common, but upon
the altar was small statute of the
Virgin, which Morris at first supposed
to be gilt, but as it '-as the only thing
in the place that h..I the appearance
of being of value, andeas it had 4
peculiar lustre, he gave it closer ex-
animation.
The statute was about a foot high and
when he took hold of it he could barely
move it. Struck with its extraordinary
weight be lifted it and the found that
it weighed not less than one hundred
and fifty pounds. This convinced him
that it was pure gold, and he took a
flash light picture of the image and
altar an6 ,nade hie exit
He told his story to the other MEM
bers of the party and they concluded to
get the facts from Father La Dumere.
The old priest was much surprised
when asked about the golden statue OF
the Virgin, and at first refused to talk,
but when convinced that it had been
seen he said that it was pure gold and
had been made from the ornaments and
idols of the old AZtecs when they were
first converted.
They were induced to make offerings
of this kind, and when all had done so
the gold was melted and run into the
statue. Father La Dumere refused to
give an estimate of the value OF the I'M
age, but If it is as heavy as Morris
thinks it must be worth fully $50, 600.
Father La Dumere said that in many
of the churches il the interior there
were similar statues, but the Indians
were 80 jealous that it was dangerous
to attempt to penetrate the mysteries
of the churches. lie advised the party
not to let it be known that they had
seen the statue, for the Indians might
take extreme measures to prevent 1t
becoming known outside of the town.