The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23
BRAZILIAN JOAN OF ARC
GIRL NAD WITH RELIGIOUS ENTHU-
SLASH LEADS THE REBELS.
One Town After Another Taken by In
mitted to Brutal Torture.


New York Journal
From the dark interior of the turbulent
republic of Brazil comes the most amazing
story of a woman's fanaticism and fefocious
courage that the world has heard in many
long years 1t is the story OF Joan of Arc
ali over again-alI save the high animating
principle. The deeds of personal valor, the
fights and the bloody scenes are the same
as those that filed the life of the Maid of
Orleans. The newspapers have told from
time to time of a religious insurrection
which has arisen in the interior of Brazil.
The government had deprived the clergy
of many of their privileges and the ardent
supporters of the church are up in arms
against what they consider an attack on
their religion.
About six weeks ago, while the inhabit-
ants of a small village a few miles from
Bonn Jardin were assembled for public wor-
ship there resounded a piercing Shrek
which startled all who heard it. A half
breed girl young and good looking, whose
name was Maria Barbosa, had been seized
with commissions and was writing upon the
ground in intense agony. In the midst of
the excitement that ensued she suddenly
became calm. They questioned her, but she
gave no answer. Then they observed that
her eyes were fixed in a dull, vacant stare
looking straight ahead, yet seeming to see
nothing Slowly she raised her arm and
stretched it out Her lips moved, and al
though those near her crowded closely
around they heard no sound. With low
moan the girl suddenly recovered con-
seriousness and then, as if exhausted by
what she had passed through, sank YEARLY
To the ground. When her strength returned
she told a strange story.
She said she had beheld vision from
heaven A dim figure had appeared before
her, she said, and had commanded her to
lead the people against the enemies of the
church They questioned her closely, but
she could tell nothing further. The figure,
she said, was so dim that she could not
discern it's outlines clearly. She heard the
command plainly she insisted, ana could
not possibly have mistaken its purport Inc
worshpers became greatly excited me
priests tried to calm them, and maintained
that the girl was suffering from haliucl-
nation. They said that the girl had peeh
preparing to enter Il convent, ana that con
slant praying had unsettled her MIND; II lS
only fair to add that IN all mat IotloW ~
the clergy gave no ENCOURAGEMENT 10 the
girl but did all in their power to cheek tne
doings of her followers. What happened
after that reads like a page from the his
tory of the Middle Ages. The nina fecoiIs
from the thought that such Things coulu NC
at the close of this nineteenth century.
FANATICS FIRST BATTLE.
The next morning the townspeople gath
cred at the home of Maria and prayed.
Their PRAYERS took the form of wild invo-
cations TO the Deity to destroy the enemies
of the church Soon the worshippers had
prayed themselves into a state OF frenzy,
and then it was suggested that Maria Bar
bosa lead them to the town of BON jar
din. A shout of delight hailed this Idea
The girl. Selling a crucifix, held it aloft and
cried to all who loved the church to follow
her. A moment more and eight hundred
frantic men and women with this young
Amazon at their head were moving rapluly
along the road to Bonn Jardin
There were very few soldiers IN the
vicinity, and this remarkable pilgrimage
met with no serious resistance. me au-
thorities at Bonn Jard1n lied When tISy
heard that q mob was approaching, ana tne
followers of Maria Barbosa easily captured
the municipal offices and then attacked and
demolished the residences OF the pubic ON
Gals and of leading citizens known 10 De
supporters of the republic.
One resident. an earnest advocate of re-
publican Institutions, and regarded with
account of his coldneSs toward the church,
was captured by the insurgents, and Sc
zerely scourged and tortured to death. He
was tied to mule and dragged along the
rough ground, over rocks and through
thickets until life was extinct his BODY
was then suspended from a tree the
highway between Bonn Jardin and Cratic.
The body hung there for two weeks, before
some relatives of the dead man dared TO
Their easy success at Bonn Jardin en-
couraged the fanatics, and they proceeded
with ever swelling numbers TO san Jose de
Principe a considerable town, something
over one hundred miles from Bonn Jardin:
There about five hundred soldiers and
harmed civilians had been hastily gathered
20 oppose the march or the insurgents, VINO
had now grown to nearly two thousand in
number The soldiers were armed with
1nuskets and rifles, and the civilians with
lall sorts of weapons, While the insurgents
lhad very few firearms and carried large
knives and other rude instruments Of their
semibarbarous mode of life.
some hastily formed intrenchments on the
outskirts of San Joao de Principe. The in
surgents dashed forward in disorderly
manner, and were received with a scat
tering fuslade, so poorly aimed however,
that only two or three of their number fell.
Then the half-breed girl, who had started
the Instruction, rushed to the front, bran
dishing a knife in her hand and crying
out that she saw an angel reckoning them
on to victory. Her followers thus Animal
ed regained their courage and they charged
upon the troops with terrific ardor The
latter fired few shots and fled into the
town, with the insurgents at their heels.
NO MERCY FOR VICTIMS.
The victors had no mercy. cutting down
every one whom they overlook and soon
gaining possession of the place. About
one hundred soldiers persisted in this short
battle. The capture of San Joao de Principe
was followed by an attack on Campo Ma
jor, one of the principal towns of the prov
ince of Ceara. The authorities were too de-
moralized to make a stand, and Campo Ma
jor fell into the hands of the revolutionists
with but a show of opposition. The fanatics
were now in possession of a considerable
tract of country and several important
towns, and the movement began to attract
serious attention on the part of the central
and provincial governments, while the in
1uential element, which favors a restora-
tion of the monarchy, discerned a ray of
hope for a cause that had long seemed
hopeless.
Encouraged in her success, Maria has
marched at the head of a mob to Carin-
henha. There she met with no resistance
the officials taking to fight upon hearing
of her approach. At Carinhenha the ANA
ION leader has established a camp, to which
hundreds are flocking from the adjoining
districts 1T is reported that the camp is
conducted on strictly religious lines the
brate mass two or three times a day Maria
and her followers attending on every coca
sion
Maria spends much of her time in fasting
and prayer and is said to have had a num-
Der of visions pointing TO the overthrow
of the republic and her own triumphant
entry into Rio Janeiro the deliverer and
champion of the church. She is believed
10 be preparing for the role Of Joan of
Are, and the authorities regard her as one
of the most dangerous figures in the fanati-
cal insurrection
Several weeks ago an expedition started
for Carinhenha to surprise and capture her
but it, has not made much progress owing
NO TEN s1aA NJ he ef,.xv