The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-07
-br---------'----------
THE INN WAS A DEATH TRAP.
Swift Dealing with Bandits by a Mex
lean officer.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
"a Mexican army officer did good turn
for me very cleverly once and it cured me
of the idea that n military commander of
his race cannot do his duty except with dec
lamation and prOnunciamentos, said l.. M.
Poston, OF Zacatecas, who is visiting friends
in this city. Il am not likely to forget the
circumstance, for without doubt it saved me
from having my throat cut. 1t was in Zcat-
ecas some twenty years ago that, dining
with the COmmandante, Col. Enrique Duran,
| mentioned that l should start on horse
back for San Rafael next morning.
suppose, Senory you are aware that
the route you are to take has bad name
for brigandage, he said. Shall | provide
you with an escort?
II had heard of the bandits that infested
the San Rafael trail. and of at least dozen
rObberies with murder that had been COM
mitted by them since had come to Zacate-
cas-, two years before. But [ had reason
for going to San Rafael as privately as pos
sible There was a scheme on foot, backed
by an English syndicate, to buy the Flores
group of mines. / was TO examine them
as soon as | could, and II my report was
favorable the deal would go through at once.
Until q decision was made it was desirable
that everything should be kept quiet. So |
told the comandante that l thought | could
get there all right without the escort.
" The trip is too long to be made in day.
You will stop at Fonda de la Nenadlta for
the night, he said. Senior, can | not per-
suade you to postpone your journey for a
day or two? I speak with reasons.
There was something anxious and warn
again to remain at Zacatecas l half prom
ised not to start on the morrow. The ban
dit chief, Estefano Camargo, VINO had been
hunted from the San Rafael mountains the
year before by the federal cavalry, had re-
turned to his old haunts with his band, 1t
was said, and was robbing wagon trains
and travellers on the trails that led through
the range, and one of these tralls was the
one / intended to take. / thought these
things over, but decided that my stake IN
the mine was worth the risk. and made my
QaXbreak ~
mile or so beyond the outskirts or the city
| met government courier gaiioplng INTO
town. His horse was tired ana the man
was covered with dust showing that he
had come a long distance. IT had known
the message he was bringing TO Colonel
Duran / should have taken that officer s
advice about staying in Zacatecas day or
two longer AS it was. l went on, ana
after my ride came to Venadlta at night
fall.
1.-The place was not town or village; only
a great house or corral The house, OF one
story, built about a court, had once oeen
ranch house and afterWard mad been
changed to a sort of fonda or inn. The
landlord, swarthy suIlen-looklng Mexican;
met me at the gate of the courtyard, ana
one of his men. as ill-looklng as the mas
ter, took my horse to the corral. | followed
the man to make sure my horse was rubbed
down and got his feed of barry ana alfalfa,
ard then came back into the mousse Tor my
while l was eating my tortillas and
beans with cEili, a traveller that mad seen
oeIhnd me On the road arrived anu Jplllsu
eyed Mexican, who, by his dress. might
be a ranchman We bowed, after the fash
ion of people who met at d Mexican hotel
table, and i noticed that he tried to catch
my eye. While the girl that served US
stepped from the room a minute he passed
a note to me under the table, signaling with
his eyes that | was not to read 1t there.
Having finished my supper l strolled back
to my room and opened the note. 1t was
signed Duran and read: The bearer, Man
uel Pardo, is sent by me. You can trust
him fully.
1T occurred to me that while the Next
can was finishing his supper would go out
in the corral there had been only two other
animals there besides him. a horse and a
mule. I had heard no sound of people ar
horses there, all freshly unsaddled and
bearing the signs Of hard riding. As came
back into tile courtyard l saw through the
open doors that the people or the house