The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-11-28
MExICO'S RURALES.
A Sort of Police Force Somewhat Similar
to the Texas Rangers.

A Sort of Police Force Somewhat Similar
to the Texas Rangers.
We heard wailing and sobbiDg from
women as the train left Taponna the
other day, and, poking our heads out Of
the window, we saw half a dozen poems
weeping as if their hearts were broken.
The conductor tod Us that they were the
wives and daughters Of q desperate ban
dit who had been captured and placed
on tho train III charge'of ruraies. to be
taken to the adjoining state Of Chihus-
hra aud impressed into the army, wilC-e
his excessive interest in osher folks IF
fairs could be usefully applied to Indian
fighting. Just rs like as not, he said,
the prisoner would never reach Ckiilsa-
hIa. The rCraics who had him in c,,iarsa
would give him a chance 10 escape ana
then shoot him as he ran. SCch Incl
dents were continually occurring, az.
though they were less frequent CT late
than formerly because Of the energy OF
Alberto Velenzuela, chief Of the rarale5
il the state of Durango, who became
our fellow passenger at the next station
and proved a very entertaining one, fer,
like other famous men, Captain Velen-
Zuela has his social nature well devel-
oped.
The rurales Of Mexico are a sort Of
military police, like the Ffar.ons Texas
rangers, who work entirely in tho coun-
try and We're originally organized to
protect %rafchrnen, miners, stage COM
panies and the travelling public general
~ against the hiehwaymen, cattle
thieves and guerrillas that terrified
Mexico for many years. They are rough
riders, these ~rurales, and do their work
thoroughly, and their captain, like
Judge Lynch, tries, condemns and exe-
cutes his prisoners and saves the regular
courts a great deal Of trouble and ex-
pense. In the mountains Of Mexico,
where prisons and courts are few, the
captain Of the rurales is prosecuting at
torney. judge and jury all in one, and
he tries every case as soon as it reaches
him according to a code Of his OWL.
These extraordinary people have done
extraordinary work, and today Mexico
is much the more safe and peaceful for
their interference.
Our friend, Captain Velenzuela, is
said to have been a bandit in his younger
days, and q very successful one, but be-
coming tired Of the business surrender
ed himself to the authorities, obtained a
pardon and enlisted in the rurales of
Durango, where his nerve, energy and
shrewdness soon brought him to the
front and ultimately put him at the
head Of the force. He isn't a handsome
man, this ex-highwayman, but he dres s.
es with a good deal Of care, and, unlike
most Mexicans, is neat about his person.
His jacket was of the finest linen lawn,
spotless from the laundry, over a white
satin vest, and a handsome watch chain
dangled from his pocket. He wore q big
revolver anc a belt of cartridges care
lessly, his trousers and his shoes were
very tight, according to the fashion of
we'll dressed men down here, and he
posed patiently for his portrait, which
did not quite satisfy him and was pro-
nounced mo bueno," which means enc
good"
The prisoner was a picturesque per-
son, with an abundance Of bright col.
orcd flags, and looked fer all tho world
as If he had just made up for a comic
opera. His nonchalance was impressive.
He sat in tho third class car. opposite j
rura!e, with a big rife over his arm,
and smoked cigarettes calmly as curl.
people stood around and stared at
him. There was a padre on the train,
who drew up close to his side and whis-
pered few words in his ear, but he re.
ceived them with indifference and didn't
seem concerned for the welfare Of his
soul.
At other stations farther on more
prisoners We're placed on the train. sc
our bandit had company, and thev
were as desperate a lot Of villains as one
would wish to meet in the mountains
with a full pocket. Some Of them had
robbed ranches, some had stolen cattle
and sheep and horses, while the rest
had committed similar crimes, and as q
penalty they were banished to the Sierra
Madre mountains to fight Indians for
four years, which is a good deal better
than shooting the robbers. -Chicacc
Record.
We Must Sail.
l find the great thing in this world is
SO much where we stand az in xyha+