Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-10-06
FAMINE RIOTS.
Starving People Break Into Disorder In
Southern Mexico.

Starving People Break Into Disorder In
Southern Mexico.
New ORLEANS, Oct. 3.-The Times
Democrats San Antonio, Tex, special
says:
Homer Finlay, formerly well known
citizen of San Antonio, but who for the
past six years has been engaged in the
mercantile business in the city of Nor
liza, Mexico, arrived here yesterday and
gave a vivid account of the famine riot
which occurred in that city last Sum
day, and of which but very brief men
ton was made in the City of Mexico
dispatches.
He stated that it was one of the most
exciting and pitiable scenes ever wit
messed in that part of the republic and
that another serious outbreak of the
same kind is threatened at any time.
Morlia is the capital of the state of Mi
choacan and the residence of the arch
bishop of the diocese. It is one of the most
beautiful cities in southern Mexico, but
notwithstanding all of its attractions,
its poor people are on the verge of star
walton, owing to the total failure of the
crop for the fourth season and a search
ty of all other food supplies
when the famine was threatened
some months ago." said Finlay, ''sever-
al of the merchants of Morlia con-
tracted for large quantities of. corn
in the United States, the total ship
mentS amounting to Seventy-five
or eighty cars, which is enough to have
supplied the suffering people. These
spectators, however, put up the prices
and extorted what little money the
poor people had in short time. For
the past two months the suffering
among the poor has been intense and
many deaths from starvation have oc-
Cured. The streets became thronged
with beggars and the hungry men,
women and children made heartrend-
ing appeals for help.
''This was kept up until last Sunday
night when the starving horde Or
ganized themselves into a mob, and,
driven by desperation, began concert
ed attack upon the feed stores OF the
city. There was fully 5000 people in
the mob and the police were utterly
powerless to stop its progress. One
maiceria, or feed store, after another
was entered and as but little corn was
found the frenzy of the mob increased.
The two regiments of federal cavalry
and one of infantry stationed at Morlia
were called out to quell the riot, but
their appearance only added to the des-
peration of the starving people
1.-The commander planted the soldiers
in front of the mob. They fought their
way through, several persons being in
jured. Gen. Mercadel, the governor of
the state, by this time had made his ap-
pearance, and came near falling VIC
tim to the vengeance of the mob, who
claimed that he should have taken steps
to relieve their sufferings- The soldiers
opened fire upon the people, and one
man was killed and several wounded.
acting upon command of its leader,
| the mob started for the granaries of
Jose Martinez, one of the rich specu-
lators, in which 5000 bushels of corn
We're stored. They broke down the
doors and supplied themselves with all
each could carry away. After their
temporary wants had been supplied the
| crowd quietly dispersed. 1 left the fol-
lowing morning and will remain away
until the turbulent element quiets
doxx,r,