The suburban citizen., 1901-06-15


once centred our interest on the stall
wart figure of a man who came run
ming toward the little group, in the
centre Of which stood the Datto and
myself. AS the approaching figure
drew near noticed with surprise that
1t was the fierce-looking. surly Moro
whose plain-handled kris 1 had en-.
deavored to purchase from him earlier
in the day. The weapon. unshathed,
was in his right hand as he ran rapid
ly toward us, and we could see blood
upon his sleeve and upper garments.
When the Datto heard the clamor and
saw the man running toward him
with the naked weapon he supposed
that the participant, or possibly the
survivor Of some Moro alteration was
coming to him, either in search Of jus
tice at Baqul's hands or else protection
from his enemies.
If such was the suppositlon that the
Datto placed upon the case he was
soon proved wofully in error. The
Moro had been engaged in alteration,
true enough. but, as we subsequently
learned, he had little thought Of seek.
ing for justice or protection. The
events which had transplred a few mo-
ments before were of such a nature
that the Moro knew his part in them
deserved little else than death. More
over, he knew that it was his fate that
his life should be forfeited should his
townsmen be able to take it before he
escaped from their midst. For the
Moro had the blood of two women Of
his family on the kris with the plain
handle, and by the Moro law Of an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth his
life was already declared forfeited to
the members of the family Of the dead
women.
The commencement Of the trouble
and it's cause will ever remain un-
known-as is often the case in an
"amok." The Moro became enraged
with his wife for some reason known
only to themselves, and in the heat Of
his anger adopted a course not uncom-
mon in MOro-land He attacked his
spouse with his keen kris, and, driving
her before him to the front part Of the
house, finally overlook and killed her.
They were alone in the house at the
time, and as the building was some
what isolated several minutes elapsed
before those who heard her screams
arrived on the scene. BY that time
her cries had ceased and her troubles
were over. That her struggles must
have been frantic in the extreme was
proved by the condition of the dwell
ing.
Leaving her mangled form, the Moro
ran towards the stairway at the rear
of the house, and met another woman
of his family as she was ascending the
stairs, attracted by the screams Of her
neighbor BY that time the vcnge2ul
blood-lust which filed the maddened
Moros mind had gained complete coz
troll of him.
Swinging his kris over his head he
cut his second victim from the shoul-
der-blade to the waist, leaving her in
her death-agonies whore he had struck
her down. BY this time half-a-dozen
people were at the foot Of the stair
way, but the murderer jumped down
the steps and ran by them so swiftly
that they had no opportunity Of learn
ing the extent Of his crime before he
had passed around the corner OF the
Il 81
it. In an instant, however, two or
three Of his townsmen discovered the
mangled form at the top Of the stair
way, and started off on the trail of the
fugitive, crying, 'El Moro, cl Moro"'-
words whose significance were that
someone had run amok"-and calling
upon anyone who had the opportunity
to assist in capturing or killing him.
AS the Moro, now become q renegade,
passed the first house on his way tow
ards the centre Of the iowa several
lances were hurled at his retreatng
figure, though none Of them found
their mark.
1t might seem peculiar that tlc rene
gade should make for the GENRE Ct the
town but thac was his shortest route
to the shore o: the bay, where he could
oOCain a beat and soon place himself
in the hands Of rival Datto on the
opposite shore O few miles distant.
This was no doubt bis intention.
As Datyo BaQui stepped from out the
crowd about him, and walked toward
the approaching Moro, he put up his
hand as if to stop him, at the same
time inqulrlng the cause OF the dlstur.
bance. In answer, however, the nalf
crazed man swung his kris at full
arms length around his head. and
without doubt, had the weapon landed
where the Moro intended, It would
have severed the old chiefs head from
his body But Uttamama Baqul was q
Moro himself, and won his way tC
power In Moro-land us much by thC
Strength OF his good right arm as by