Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-04-10
FOUR TIMES IN A DAY.
The General Relates Some Expe.
riences with Bandits in Mexico.

EYES," said the general, at is per-
fectly true. was robbed four times
in one day. This is the story:
Il was going from the City of Mexico
to Spain, and fortunately for me sent
various sums to Vera Cruz and to Spain
i'll advance by means of bills of eS-
change; so that when | took my seat
in the coach at Pueblo on the way to
Vera Cruz, had little of value about
me except half a dozen onZas and a
gold watch. 1t was about three a. m.
when we started, and in the two hours
before the commencement of daylight
we should get SO short distance from
the city that we thought ourselves Sc
cure from molestation. There were
four inside passengers beside myself,
all too sleepy to talk; so we alternate
ly dozed and smoked cigarettes for
about an hour, when all at once we
heard q trampling of horses on both
sides of the coach, and to our horror
we were halted. was trying to put
my head out of the window to see what
WIGS the matter, when was prevented
from doing SO by the effectual method
of having the muzzle of pistol thrust
into my face. Then we were all ordered
out; though found time first to slip
my watch into my boot. Day was just
dawning, and we could distinguish the
figures of about 20 men grouped round
the coach. They were all on horseback,
except those who had dismounted in
order to turn out the baggage or to
guard us. Our pockets were promptly
searched, and their contents vanished
as if by magic, while our portmanteaux
were being torn open and hastily rum
mayed. OF course whatever arms we
had upon us were appropriated at once;
but the search was not so complete
as 1t might have been had our early
callers not seemed pressed for time.
GAS it was, within ten minutes, and
with scarcely sentence spoken on
either side, the bandits were all in the
saddle again and riding Off at gallop
toward the wooden base of Malinche,
leaving us with our rifled belongings
strewn about the dusty road, as we
stood helplessly gazing at each other.
The whole thing was so quickly over
that it seemed like dream. The driver
alone was as composed as ever and re-
moved his cigar from his lips to remark
that they must be good people, because
they had not harmed the coach by so
much as bullet hole; though, he add
cd, they might have been afraid of the
patrol hearing shots. Well. we re-
packed our clothing and continued our
journey, cursing both the bandits and
the government that permitted them.
''The next few hours passed peaceful
ly, until at about II o'coocls we were
just beginning the rapid descent into
the valley of Orizaba, when, for the Sec
ond time, we were halted; moreover,
it was not by mounted men in q hurry
now, but was very deliberately done.
AT sharp turn we found felled tree
lying across the road, and, looking
round, we saw that we were in trap.
Fifteen or twenty men were lounging
toward us from the cover of some rocks
80 yards behind, while half dozen
more, who seemed to have arisen from
the earth, were advancing with rifles
at the ready Alongside the coach,
sitting on rock smoking n cigarette.
was most gentlemanly looking man,
evidently the captain of the band.
and some distance up the mountains
side were more men, with quite a troop
of horses and mules.
Good morning, senores,' said the
captain, politely. I am sorry to be
obliged TO go through some formalitie,
with you; but 1t Is the fortune of war.
and my men are greatly in need of a
rev necessaries, as their pay is in ar
rears. So must trouble you to a.ight.'
II ventured to remark that the re-
greet was mutual, as requ,sition had
already been made upon US shortly
after leaving Puehla.
"'Still,' persisted the captain. 4
should like to show you some of the
beauties of this part of the country
and he led us off 10 a clump Of pines
beautifully situated on the edge of
cliff overlooking the valley 5000 feet
below. "A lovely v:ew.' said our captor,
softly, and splendid trees. Well,
senores, now we will have no more fool
ing. Doubtless when you were at
tackled this morning you had time to
secrete several trifes that we NAV find
useful. Kindly hand them over at
once; and if, when you are afterwards
searched, my men find that you have
concealed anything, those trees shall
bear fruit, for you will all be banged
upon them within ten minutes!'
I'VE could see that the scoundrel
was in dead earnest, and confess that
l dshed my watch out Of my boots at
once, at the same time handing over
o couple OF onzas had slipped into the
lining Of my hat. One Of my fellow
passengers began to clutch despairing-
~ at his throat, and / thought at first
that he was going to have ct. But he
was only taking out of his neck-cloth
bank bills for $4,000. Another passen-
ger ruefully explained that under the
cushion of his seat in the coach would
be found bag containing 20 onzas.
The captain took over our effects.
thanking us politely; but the outside
passengers. who only contributed few
odd dollars, received no thanks ut all.
In the meanwhile our baggage was be-
ing searched, and everything of value
annexed. Finally the shirts worn by
myself and another passenger were
borrowed by the lieutenant and SER
geant, who remarked that they were
going to a function that night, and
would require clean linen, the latter
part of which statement was palpably
true.