Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28

the hne to Vera Cruz and runs to the
Isthmus OF Tehuantepec, passengers had an
exhibition Of Mexican justice recently. The
conductor was an American and there were
g. dozen Americans on the train Most Of
the passengers were armed the Mexicans
carrying revolvers in plain sight, while the
American preference seemed to be for
concealed weapons. The train stopped at
a water tank a mile or two above the town.
Every train is provided with two rurales
armed to the teeth, dressed in q rather ar
tstic but plain costume of dark blue with
out brass buttons, with the broad and
peaked sombrero, the national hat. One of
the rurales had been left and the guard was
not as strong as usual. A Mexican insist
ed On getting on the engine After the en-
gineer had put him off once or twice the
rurales was called The Mexican attempted
to take a revolver from the rurales, who
shot him at once, the ball entering the left
lung and passing through the body. The
class car filed with Mexicans, who gave
him no attention
When the station was reached he was
placed upon the platform, where he attract
ed no notice, and 1t was said he would be
left to die without assistance or medical at
tendance from his countrymen, and that
1t was doubtful If they would bury him.
The town. however, was an exception in this
respect, and was considered the worst vii
lage In southern Mexico. It was Sunday,
and the people, two or three hundred, had
gathered from the surrounding country and
were consuming large quantities Of aguard-
tente. They were in various stages OF In
toxtcadon.
The Jefe Politico Acts.
The Jefe Pohtico was stirred up by one
Of the companions of the wounded man and
decided to act. He appeared at the first
class car, where the rurales was, with a
crowd Of excited followers. He was tall
and erect, bareheaded and barefooted. His
hair was short, black and unkempt. A
short, unframed and uncut beard added
fierceness to his fierce features. His right
hand hung at his side, grasping a long six
shooter, pointing toward the ground. The
rurales claimed that the wounded man was
a violator Of the law; that his purpose
might have been to hold up the train; that
he acted within his authority. The con-
ductor refused to give him up, claiming
that the Jefe had no authority over the
case and could not remove q guard from a
train in any event. He advised the Amer
leans to look to their arms, as an attempt
would likely be made to detain the en-
gineer and himself. thus holding the train,
with trouble likely to follow before special
force Of rurales could get there and capture
situation became interesting. The Jefe,
followed by several Of his adherents, came
into the car, talking excitedly. BY an un-
expected movement the weapons OF the ru-
ering over him. The conductor finally ad-
vised him to surrender and sent a tele-
gram for an order for his release The
train was allowed to depart.
The Rurales' Fate Unknown.
There was a doubt in the minds OF the
Americans as to the ultimate fate of the
rurales. It was one of the unusual con-
f1cts of authority. The rurales was Mex
lean and 1t was said he would be protected
until orders came from higher authority.
The Americans had their doubts. The In
cident was probably not important. 1t
seemed so to strangers in strange land.
On the other hand, there are no train
robberies In Mexico as in the United States,
and Americans are probably not in posi-
ton to criticise The entire party Of Amer
leans later Travelled thirty miles on work
train, in a new country, slept in a doorless
shack. in a construction camp of hun
dred or more Of poems, where the cantira
was running all night and Mexican faro
was dealt over a soap box. and slept calm
and peacefully, save for the ever vigilant
flea, which in these tropical countries vies
with the ant in attending to business.