The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-26
HELD UP AN AUDIENCE.
Peruvian Robber Band Expects q
Brilliant Coup.

PERUVIAN RoDber Band EXPECTS a
Brilliant Coup.
One of the most daring feats of
wholesale robbery on record was re-
Gently performed in the town Of HUI
achiro. near Lima, Peru, when Carlos
Maduro. a noted bandit of the noun
tains round about Huachiro. came down
for the purpose of gathering to him
self treasure. This was not the first
trip of the rObber to HuachirO, though
his previous dealings there have been
as nothing compared with his latest.
The Plaza opera house of HuachirO
was filed with richly dressed men and
women when MadurO rode into town
With his bold and bad men he sought
out the fashionable place Of amuse-
ment, for he knew that there he would
find more treasure than the express
car Of a railroad train ever contained
1t was during the fiesta week at Hua-
chiro, and the bandit knew well enough
where to look for the riches he had
come down from the hills to secure
Jewels blazed from ears, necks and
fingers of the women, who chatted mer-
rily, waiting for the curtain to rise.
Men walked about in the lobbies and
dreamed not of the thrilling drama in
which they would shortly be forced to
play a part.
Presently the curtain rose, and there
before the audience stood seven masked
men, armed with rifles, which were
pointed straight at the people in the
chairs before the stage For the mo-
ment there was no fear or excitement,
as everyone supposed it to be a part
Of the play. until another man came
on and stood before the men with the
rifles Said this later arrival: Ladies
and gentlemen, I shall send among you
two of my most valued assistants to
take up a collection. do not expect
any excitement but should any arise
1 am prepared to quickly quiet it.
At the conclusion of this speech two
of the masked men quickly jumped
from the stage, each with his hat IN
one hand and a revolver in the other
Money and jewels fell into the hats in
profusiOn, the audience sitting still,
afraid to stir or cry out.
After the collection" was taken the
curtain was rUng down and the bandit
leader and his men beat a hasty- retreat
by the stage entrance.
When the victims of this daring
"hold-up" performance finally recov-
cred their wits there was rush made
for the doors to call for police assist
ance, but all the entrances and exits
were found to be barred. The doors
were quickly broken down, but this
slight delay gave MaduTO and his men
the very chance they had planned for
their escape.
The opera was forgotten and the peo-
pie returned to their homes, murmuT-
ing anything but blessings upon the
heads of the men who had robbed them
not only of their evenings pleasure,
but their valuables as well.
The police of HuachirO were indig
nant that under their very eyes one of
IL
successfully committed, and every eff
fort was made to capture the bandit
and his bold band, but the mountains
afford a safe hiding place for bandits
as well in these days as they did CEN
turtles ago
1t is said that MadUro never robs the
common people, always making GER
tain that his victims are wealthy and
of the aFistocracy. For this reason the
poor people defend him, and are sus-
pected of aiding him to escape when
holly pursued.
The stories of Maduro's schemes in
slipping away from the clutches of the
police would furnish good material for
stirring scenes in a drama.
Upon one occasion, when he visited
Huachiro, the police suspected that he
was in hiding in the home of a wealthy
widow. This house was carefully
watched. and one night the woman was
seen approaching her residence escort
ed by a Well dressed man, who wore
large sOmbrerO, which completely hid
his features. The house was quickly
surrounded and the chief of police went
to the door and knocked. He pushed
aside the servant who responded and
forced his way to the parlOr door.
There he was met by the widow, who
asked him to explain the intrusion.
This was done promptly enough. 1.-THE
ndit-MadurO-here!" she exclaimed.
Impossible, senorl".
o 90
But as the officer was talking with
the woman, just behind him in the hall
there was the gathering of armor, and
the bandit dashed from the house clad
in a suit of metal. Mounting a horse,
he tore through the streets, the people
looking after him in wonder and terror.
Another time, it is related, when Ma
duro was on the eve of capture by the
police, he darted into a house, rushed
through it and over a, roof until he
came to the Union club, a resort for
foreigners in HuachirO. There, accord
ing to report, he knocked down the
waiter, dragged him into a, pantry and
stripped him of his clothes, dOnning
the garments himself while che waiter
lay PROSTATE before him. By the time
the police got 10 the club house door
the bandit was ready to play the role
of waiter and was ordered to run
around the corner and inform the rest
of the police that the fleeing bandit
had been seen to enter the house. Ma
duro was not slow in following this
order, and, of course, did not return.