Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-25
THE WORLDS CHAMPION LIAR
AS A NEW MEXICAN MINER

Col Joe AIulhattan. the famous nseu-
biologist, with his beaming visage bronEed
almost to the color OF a Digger Indians
from his exposure 10 the New Mexico sun
IS still a conspicuous figure on Main street
Louisville, where during the past two weeks
he has been Hitting about with the same
energy that characterized him when he
was a hardware drummer. The fact that
he has become a goldmlnd owner and pro-
moter has neither affected his hnstllng
qualities nor made him one whit prouder
than be was. The frst statement is fully
attested by his having even IN these times
OF almost unprecedented stringeney. been
able to dispose Of one Of bis gold mines to
4 Louisville syndicate. aud the other Il
amply sustained by bis hearty hand shake
and cordial manner which bespeak the
some "old Joe.
As to the details OF the mlno TRANSACTION
Colonel Mnibattan said the other parties
10 the trade desired the matter 10 be
treated US confidential Oh account Of the
disposition of people generally 10 give
those the laugh WHO take aurh u long
shot Oh fortune aa to lnVeat Ia a sold mine.
The colonel has been TOO busy Of late
= maintain his fgue as a fabrieatar, the
Money Dsvl having absorbed his energies
and lime.
IT takes a lot q study to make good
artlsilc liar said the colonel. ESPECIALLY
10 ny case, where The predisposliiOn 70
slick 20 the truth j. 50 strong. Even after
THIS natural inclination has been Overcome
the victory Is b. no means easy Now
aud then I have yearning to repeat some
Of those 0ld-tme achievements OF mine
70 newspaper nction, but on account OF
the changed condition the ambition Is not
q moving one Nv stories deal With nat
urL aud scieitihe phenomena and require
more lApqr than can now give to thom,
T.
onto me, 20 Il Is best that j should iip low
~ ume. but ] expect TO again stnrue
t tnv ' ySIs Det9Fe permanently regire
During hs brief but brilliant career as
a scinanccr Colonel Aiulhatfnu issued to
the world SONS. thstIlns tales under the
while furnishing entertainment for MANY
they never resulted Ia anything worse
5ha an, 70 Start some scieutinc Investigator On
The Colonel considers as his most sue.
Sessiuh yarn 'sIhe Fallen Meteor" pub
llshed IN The Gazette. He located II in
Western Texas. and sent forth he sfaie
inent mat It covered several acre; and siz
zled In the moist earth baking the gr1uud
I9I fsa4us OF half mile The matter
that II took AZ once. and. without itttemp.
Ing 10 secure a confirmation Of the story.
many Interested persons from q scienfi6e
polat Of view started on a DtlgrliAage 10
Texas. Some travelled thousands Of niles
and only discovered that they had been
sold after reaching Brownwood
y | were in the humor," sal1 Colonel Mini.
hfai,sn 70 z Times man Tits morning, ''but
stranger than fiction. Down In the nsdeh.
Dorhoot o. my mines, Ahlqulu New Mex.
leo, there is sect called Penitentles They
along the shnma river. Alblnuin Is Tie
center Of the sect and the main iernnie
Is there. The followers are Nieylcans. half.
breeds and some Indians. to whose savage
Instincts the rites appPal strongly. Az
the name Indicates, These ppople belidye
IN pm nee IS a saving grace. Their road
cannot help contrasting Il With lie easy
means means OF salvation offered by the Christian
THE .Penltente faith Is about 200 years
old. and was founded by deposed Spanish
priest II hasn't grown much IN that time
but ny astonlshment Is that II should have
which ] witnessed during holy week. Then
the faithful proceed to mortify The dash In
manner that tests To the utmost their
ployed 70 purget themselves ~ mo devil
DAILY tim run barefoOied over cactus. which
prlcks IKE needles, aud as II this were moi
body with the same stun Thls IL kent
up with religious frenzy which seems
,yi,en XIV, gsa .i, pain. and Is only stopped
The, rites culmlnate on Good Friday
when the person who has been most mcrii
ucd the flesh during the week Is selected
for cruchSion. This is an honor which
~ striy for as the acme OF human desire
The victim Is strung up on Il cross with big
body scarined and bleeding from seif.in
Melted wounds made by shlrp-poInted enc.
Jus and even knifes, aud Is kept there FOR
stfetAl hours: The torture inflicted stops
sn0rt only OF mailing the subject 10 IN
cross, While he Is thus strung M the fol
lowers dance around and whip themselves
During the first ceremony I Witnessed
winch was about three years ago, tha INN,
ofed victim died on the cross / am fold
Innt about nfty have met a similar fate
curing the 200 years that the rltes have |
been observed. Death under such clrenn,- |
sst a u accepted rs full Assurance Of |
There Is no attempt Mt legal interior. |
ence with these rites. but lthe Catholic |
church. which Is dominant In that saefion-
Il II doing gu u can 10 discontinue te prac. |
ices. Bnt the followers are deeply rooted |
N me ralth, as they must necessarily be 10 |
follow rs teachings, and the minds OF such |
hfe proof against outside Influences nnd |
i Will be only through checking recrnits |
from the young that the sect win be broken \
w. me people belonging TO 1t are. az |
course OF low intelligence but they MAKE |
fairy good citizens. such as you fnd in |
mat section OF the country,
And this stronghold Of the Peniteptes
'nlhd you, Is not down near the MeNirdn
border, but, within forty miles Of the col. |