Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-24

precipice, away up In the Andes. With
infinite labor and expense, the solid
rock upon which the miraculous cary.
ing appeared was cut away from the
peak and carried to Bogota. where
church was erected IN It's honor, OF
course there are herties who hint that
the priesthood, desiring money 10 build
another church. took this method of
getting II out OF the poverty-stricken
people by imposing upon their credu-
lily; but the faithful firmly believed
in the divine origin Of the stone lady,
and prove II by numberless miracles
she has performed.
The other day We visited the barracks
whose lofty blank walls line the outside
of pretty plaza. Among the curios-
tiles. we were shown some old bronze
carronades, one of which Is highly
priced for It's history-an inscription on
the breech showing that II was captur-
ed by the Spaniards from the French
at the battle Of Palra. The artillery
of the Colombian guard are furnished
with Armstrong mountain guns and
few Gatlings. Among the latter is one
whose vicissltudes deserve more than
passing mention. During the revou-
civil war lately concluded, but the gen.
eral overturnlng, some years ago
which included the church element and
was opposed 10 the so-called Liberal"
government, the Conservatives received
information that o Calling gun, which
the government had bought long before
the revolution began, had arrived at
Barranquila aud was about to be
shipped up the river to Honda. The
insurgents We're woefully short Of mum
itions Of warfare and had almost moth
ing for use in the interior; therefore
they determined TO possess themselves
Of that heaven-sent gum But how to
do II was the question-especial as It
must come through Honda, which al
that time was the main stronghold OF
the government forces. Finally they
hit upon n plan, which never could
have been carried out except In n coun-
try like this, where mems minds are
densely clouded by superstition. The
revolutionists sent secrt~ dispatches 10
their sympathlzers on the coast; and
these, having received the gun from
the ocean steamer transferred Il by
night from its original case 10 another
big box Of different shape, which they
labelled as containing the image Of a
saint designed for church then IN
process OF construction az Manzanares.
Thus they shipped II up the Magdalena.
On It's arrival at Honda other unsus-
pected rebel agents received II with
solemn ceremonies and carried Il
through the streets to the cathedral,
where they deposited II In front OF the
altar There II lay all day. and was
publicly blessed and sprinkled with
holy water in the presence Of an assem-.
bled multitude, including q battalion of
government troops. Twelve strong men
took the box on their shoulders, Usten-
sbly TO carry ii over the hills tc the
new church. They bore II in pious tri-
umph a little way up the central cor
dillsra in the direction Of Manzanillo.
but soon turned off toward the Con,
servatlve camp, and shortly afterwards
the gun did terrible execution at the
battle OF Garapata. OF course the ruse
could never have succeeded had not the
priesthood been in collision with the
insurgents, Had anybody demanded
the opening OF the box, so that the
supposed sanity figure might be
sprlnkled as well as the case, there
would have been another scene of
slaughter that day in the Plaza de los
Martios, whore so many political exc
cutions have taken place,
A little way from the barracks is one
Of the most lJteresting structures In
old convent OF San
Diego, which Is now used as n charity
hospital san Diego, San Jago, Santa
go are all one name, you know, and
Spanish for Saint James This ancient
pile was the headquarters OF the army
which defended Bogota in the war OF
1860. II was finally captured by Gen.
Mosquera, after great slaughter. In
the cenyent garden is an old stone
clucitiX which-so says tradltlon-was
used by the cruel Spanish conquerors
as whipping post for the subjugated
Indians For any fault real or imdgin-
airy, the victim was compelled TO kneel
~ the foot OF the cross and clasp his
arms around II, when his hands were
securely tied on the other side. Lash
es were then administered on his bare
back; and in the intervals Of the nun
ishment, when his tormentors stopped
70 rest he was compelled TO repeat the
creed and number OF prayers after
which the whipping recommended A
me way OF inspiring love OF the cross
ana what II represents! Many mlser-
able wretches were tortured TO death in
this manner and the stones around the
place have been slippery with human
blood. The most dismal ghost stories
pertain to the locality and among the
lower classes twho avoid the place as
II II were ue-haunted). a belief
prevails that shrieks, cries and groans
are heard at night, mingled with tho
rafting OF chains, A Protestant school
now occupies part OF the huge convent
and what was once the monks garden
"A space $50 yards square-is used for
market place.