New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-08
,rue aNANIGOS" IN CUBA.
oreArE BANDS SWORN TO MURDER
AND VENGEANCE
orrctS OF THE SOCIETIES AND HOW
WHITES BECAME MEMsERS-coA-
PIIcIrY OF THE JUDGES.

-ua,a oeople speak IL with something OF
u" ,as- Americans who have not been long
-. are impressed by the dread which 1t
The officials who have to do with policing
are interested in hearing what is said
arc also impressed by the feeling which
-. community shows.
~. Nahigos are banded criminals. They
-, o-eanized crime in Cuba General
r,.,oo before he resigned his office as Captain
c-..,al turned them loose on the island They
- hardened and allowed to come back from
-. prisons on the Isle of Pines and the penal
'.,,.rrerts II Africa One vessel brought three
,.,s,ss Of them from Chaffarinos and Fernan-
a. Do The pardOned political prisoners had
= SOD means Of transportation themselves. The
s..,ish Government provided transportation
Gar the Nahieos-
When they landed in Cuba no steps we're
,.tsn 10 place them under restraint. They were
ANGRY and homeless Outcasts. Without munic-
nsl authority 70 watch them. 1t was certain
,hsy would return 10 their old practices That
has happened The societies. "juegos." OF
Ns6icos have been formed under their old
ranization The number of these 'juegos" may
NJ exaggerated yet they are numerous enough
10 be a menace 10 good order. They are not po-
Htcal societies When the wholesale deporta-
Hon was begun the Spanish authorities took ad-
vantage OF il 20 send 10 the pena! settlements
hundreds Of Cubans who were suspected OF sym
,athizng with the instruction. Most of these
political exiles have returned. and there is no
danger IF confusing them with the criminals
WHITE MEMBERSHIP.
The majority Of the Nahigos are blacks New
.rtheless the white membership is much larger
than is commonly known. The whites. under
standing the methods Of Spanish justice, man
aged 10 keep from going 10 the penal settle
ments The excuse given by the authorities
vas thai with the negroes and muiattoes de-
ported there was no danger from the other
class SO the whites remained and the officials
we're richer Whether the white Naiigos will
resume their old associations Is one OF the Ques-
tons that the American authorities are trying
to find out. Being criminals, the probability is
that they will. The only uncertainty is whether
he blacks will take them back The complaint
has always been that the Caucasians betrayed
the secrets Of the order. The blacks, having suf-
iered deportation naturally believe that they
xsre batrayed By those who escaped the penal
yttlements.
The history OF the Nahigos is an interesting
spdy The first society. or 'jueso,' was formed
BY slaves nearly three-quarters Of century
ago II was 4 grotesque organization or Att
cans with a basis of superstition and ignorance
but without criminal purpose or instincts
Originally negroes born in Cuba were not ad-
mtted to its membership. Only those who had
been brought from Africa could join it, They
called their country the native carabali." and
I'M
The chief cahildo was called Apapa Epi These
terms are still used. and puzzle people who seek
their meaning In the Castilian language. These
and several hundred other words and phrases
are purely African. Some Of the terms nave
no CORE spending meaning in Spanish and for
that reason have survived
Ultimately blacks born in Cuba. or negros
criOrlos." were admitted into the membership OF
the Nahgos They were not allowed TO become
members OF the ''juegOs'' composed OF pure Airi-
cans but were permitted to form lodges by
themselves with twenty-five members as the
basia In this manner they were taken on pro-
baton and were baptized" with genuine Afri-
can rites These rites have survived. with some
additions and some changes. to the present day.
MYSTERIOUS RITES OF IMITATION
The initiation Of a new member into "juego
Naiigos as II was learned by the Havana
secret police few years ago. consisted In
humber Of mysterious ceremonies. the purpose
Of which was to test the applicant. The live
roOster was always feature Its head vas strick-
% on and the applicant made to drink the warm
aood II has been stated that at some OF the
ceremonies human blood was drunk. After the
preliminary initiation the applicant put his hand
N globe in which wore white. black and yellow
marbles Whatever color he drew out marked
victim for him. either a white man. black
ohe or mulatto. To enttle him to full mem
sership he had 10 stab. shoot or rob some one.
Inc degree 10 which this initiation was carried
WI mas been doubted. yet the regularity OF the
wines and tho similarity ~ the methods seem