The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-22
FANATICS IN BRAZIL,
The Strange Leader Who Heads
the Uprising In Bahia.

he Strange Leader Who Heads
the Uprising In Bahia.
HOW HE STIRS THE POPULACE.
Under the Guiso Of a Prophet He Arouscs
the Spirit OF Rebellion and Starts q
Formidable Insurrection = Encouraged
by the Royalists.
Just what is the significance to tho gro
tesquo figure, Antonio Conselheiro by
name, who is now stalking through tho
state of Bahia, in Brazil, is still undetcr-
mined. Whereas most people believed at
the outset that he was only semifanatic,
somimadman, the climax of whose vagaries
would be at the most only local disturb
ances here and there, this opinion has
now given way to vague apprehension of
some sacred and potent force buck of his
movements which has very definite and
very serious objects in view
Probably at the beginning Conselheiro
was nothing moro than half crazed ia
matte. He broke loose with tho broad, gen.
eral proclamation thnt he was the Saviour,
and That he had come TO lead the people
to their God. Ho had visions, cut capcrs
of tho approved catalepto prophetic kind,
wore long robe, had nothing but sandals
on his feet, and developed an astounding
condition of hair and whiskers. All this
was well up to tho standard popular con-
ception of what a miraculously gifted per-
son should be, and Antonio soon had shoals
of cranks looming up all over the horizon
and fastening to rally around his Messiah
platform. Selecting a dozen of the most
promising maniacs in the lot Inc called
them his twelve apostles" and thus
equipped he set out with his Betllamites at
his heels OH u general rayage of the coun-
try.
Now, up to this time, which was in tho
latter part of last year, there seems no
doubt that the affair was a mere casual
outbreak of the fanatical crankery which
is latent in the masses of all mankind,
whether civilized, semicivilized or savage
But the marvellous feature of the cvcnt
was the way the fanaticism spread and the
high pitch of frenzied fury to which it
brought those who were once infected with
it. From an insignificant rabble of 200 or
300 the movement was in few weeks
sweeping across the country with tho i'm
pctus of 5000 or 1000 people buck of it.
Towns and villages were swooped down
upon and captured, and whenever town
was taken the Messiah turned the munich
pal head neck and crop out of office and
put one of this IL wild eyed apostles in his
place.
Here, of course, things had come to
pass where tho Brazilian authorities at
Rio 1anciro had to do something. The
prophet and his hosts had swept away like
chatf all police forces sent against them.
The deprcdations and ravages committed
were threatening to devastate the country.
In December last n force of government
troops sent to suppress the mob, which had
gradually assumed tho proportions of an
organized rebel force, met and defeated
them at Joazciro But the victory was
won only after hard struggle and after
serious loss Of life on both sides. Tho f;,-
natics fought rs only fanatics can, and,
what was more, the startling fact that
they were well armed was revealed They
had plenty of winchester rifles and plenty
of ammunition.
This fact very broadly limited at outside
help, as the people in the prophets army
were of the poorest sort and could never
have supplied themselves with arms unless
they had very substantial lift from some
quarter.
Tho establishment of tho republic in
Brazil met with by no means universal ap-
proval. sharp rebellion, having for its
object the restoration of tho monarchy, was
suppressed with difficulty, and it left scat
tered all over the country groups of mon
archists, with whom the clergy were more
or less openly in sympathy. These mon
archists are now believed to be fomenting
the fury of the Conselheiro fanatics, sup
plying them with arms and ammunition
and swelling their ranks by enlistments Of
avOwed monarchists.
The fanatics are strongly intrenchcd in
the mountains of Bahia, WHERE they are
awaiting the attack of the IL, 900 I<-azilan
soldiers who have been sent out to subduc
them In the meantime small fires of re-
bellion have been kindled by the monarch
lists i'll the southern provinces of Brazil, So
that altogether there seems to ben prospect
ahead that the Brazilian republic may soon
have to fight for it's existence, something it
has very emphatically shown it's ability to
do.
The strange person who has brought
about ali this trouble is typical, half in
sane fanatic. He formerly lived IN Tho
town of Aracaty, in tho province of Ceara,
and for years has led u yaRabond life
While sowing tho wild oats of youth he
committed tho indiscreti0n of numbering
his mother, and this made it necessary for
him to take to the woods and live very
nnoStcn;atious life until his vilainous
decd had died out of peoples minds to
certain extent, not a very long process in
some parts of Brazil. a romantic story is
told since the man and murderer became a
snnctifled being and prophet, to the effect
that the murder was not murder but an
accidental killing, Conselheiro mlstaking
the victim for another. 1t was remorsc for
this deed, it is now said and not fear Of
the hangman, which made him fly tho
country until it was safe to break cover in
the guse Of IL prophet