Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-15
nn,aANpAan IN romro moo.

Iirigands used 20 be the pest OF Porto
Rico before the advent OF the American
troops into the island last summer.
Now few " any remain. There are m
Indications OF their existence. The only
band that made any Efforts to con.
,lnuc In business after the arrival Of
bur troops suffered an experience that
probably was leeson for the whole lot
then In tho island. The brigandu had no
'ooncr begun operations than word was
-cnt TO the military post nj Arccibo
about them. a squad OF sharpshoo,crs
from the forty.scventh New York vol.
untecrs was Immediately detailed 10
look after them. Tho soldiers soon
came up with them and opened fre.
The hrigrndn were far In advance NJ
the time and were mounted on the swift
footed little mountain ponies which
Porto Rico produces. They Therefore
Escaped. but tho incident opened their
yes TO the fact that American troops
have different and far more unpichs-
ant way Of dealing with such things
than the old Spanish oivil guard.
Prior TO this. from the beginning Of
the American occupation. there had
been few and poorly organized raids
indeed. n long ago became evident that
The great leaders or captains ~ the
bandits OF Porto Rico had forraken tho
'aiilng. The overthrow of spanish SOY.
sreignty was sufficient TO rid the island
II them. AZ the coming OF the Amcfl-
can troops they dug up their gold and
silver and other valuablcH and lied from
the island. There are holes TO be seen
In the ground and mounds where holes
have been dug and then rcfilled near
some OF the caves In the Ponce district.
tho former hotbcd OF Porto Rican
briEandage. and the country people ray
that nt these spots was hidden the
plumber OF these outlaws prior to the
American invasion.
They were brlranda In every sense %
the word. not merely petty maiefaotofr.
hut robbers. kidnaperr. cutthroata and
footpndr They wayiaid travellers. lev.
led blackmnli on planters. piiiaEei
homes. KILLED for pay and even nads
deaccnts upon villages for booty. Come
~ them made n speciality Of removing
hated persons. receiving for their ncry-
lees sums ranging from 500 TO $500, ac-
cording TO the financial ability OF the
person hiring them and the prominence
Of the Intended victim or his fighting
ability. The people OF Porto Rico tell
today with certain pride that these
cutthroats never betrayed a patron. The
two most famous leaders In the buAl-
ness up TO the time Of the American
capture OF the island were Pan nianoo.
or white Bread" and Aguila Blanca.
or white Eagle" when the city u
Ponce fell into the hands OF the Amer
lean troops. Pan Blaneo fed Inconti.
nently. His record was no bad that he
could expect no mercy. AEuila Blanca
stood his ground ana decided 20 SEQ
what the Americans were like. The re-
suit OF the scrutiny was favorable. 20
he came into the city. said he wanted
20 lead u better life and would reform.
n the Americans would permit him. and
asked for and received a sort OF safe
conduct.
when Pan Blanco fed. he took hls
entire band with him. II II variously
estimated that thus the island was ria
Of from 10 10 Is rascAla. Pan Blanoo
took them 10 the Island OF santo Do'
/ mlngo,