The Republican., 1893-06-01
BILL COLLECTING IN MEXICO.
Some Years Ago a Rough and Ready Method
Prevailed-Scalps 500 Each.


Prevailed-Scalps 500 Each.
"You talk about bill collecting, YOU
ought to see the way the Mexicans do
that sort of business, or rather the way
they used to do it several years ago,
before their laws became little more
civilized and lawyers began framing
them so they could live themselves and
make money out of the misfortunes of
others. They didn't have much use for
lawyers then. The judge, or rather the
alcalde, attended to the entire busi-
ness. Miguel Maron would appear be-
fore the alcalde and state that Jesus
Arguilla owed him certain moneys for
services rendered. Jesus was sent for
and asked about it, and was told that
if he didn't pay he would have to go to
Jail, and he just had to take his choice
and wasn't given many minutes in
which to decide. You see, | lived for
several months among them. | was
train dispatcher down in Chihuahua.
One evening l had practical illustra-
ton of the Mexican method of doing
business. A fire broke out in the house
III WHICH, IlNcu. III ldCJ IL NdH uS-
stroyed, and | had dozen MeXicans
helping me to carry my belongings to
a place of safety. When they had
finished told them all to call around
to the Office and | would settle with
them in the morning.
They murmured a great deal and
demanded the pesos then and there. I
told them that l didn't do business
that way; didn't have a cent with me
and they would have to wait whether
they desired to or not. | was a little
mad, and, turning on my heel, | retired
to the hotel. where | was about to go
to bed, when up came half dozen
rurales mounted police, armed with
carbines and cutlasses. | didn't under
stand much of their language, but signs
sufficed to let me know that had been
sent for and that had better come
81 went, and in the short space of a
very few minutes | was before the al
calde explaining the nature of my in
debtedness to a dozen men who were
there demanding my dollars or my in
generation. | could talk pretty well
with the Judge, for he understood much
of the American language, and after
he had talked with my creditors he let
me know that according to the law, as
well as the custom | must go to Jail,
but that he had talked them into
granting sort of reprieve until the
following morning at $50 o'clock,
when | must pay or go to Jail. l
thanked him, and you may be sure
that | was in a hurry to get up
the next morning. | borrowed an
alarm clock, hired man to
come around and wake me, and
then lay awake all night for fear
would not be up in time to escape GO
ing to Jail. 1t cost me two boxes of
cigars to get the cashier of the COM
pany up to get the needed money. It's
a peculiar law, but it is very etfectual.
owed the money. and had to pay.
They don't take promises to pay. and
they don't want checks. They take
hard money, that they can spend it
right away for pulque.
Some of their other laws or customs
are just as etfectual was there dur
ing an Indian outbreak. The govern
ment offered a reward of 500 for every
Indian scalp that was brought in, and
they came. | was seated in the gov
ernor's office one day when a man came
in with thirteen scalps. They were all
fresh and some of them looked as
though they might almost be warm.
There was no delay about it. The
fellow made oath as to where he got
the scalps and that they were taken
from the heads of rebellious Indians.
That was enough. There were no
warrants issued no certificates made
out. The governor Just went down
into a sack and counted out 1900 Dobe
dollars, and the fellow went away with
load on his shoulders and before
night had a comfortable load within
himself. That much money buys lots
of mescal in that country. That re-
ward made every man in the country
an Indian hunter. dead Indian was
worth 500. The practice may have
been inhuman. but when it had been
in force short time there were very
few Indians insurrecting in that part
of the state. Seattle Press Times.