The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-03
MExTCo,s BIG "DEvrL TREE."
Death for All Who Rest Within Shad'
 nv. gny Peasants.

Ow, Say Peasants.
 Because of the many fatal accidents that have occurred under a huge tree that grows In the Haciendita ranch, i nthe Zamora district, Michoacan' peasants of the region are growing more and more superstitious about It's supposed fatal omen and they begin 10 call 1t "arbol maldito" (cursed tree.)
 The tree is supposed to be more than seventy-hve years old and Is said 10 have been planted by man wno, pe- cause of his enormous crimes and ms forEetfulness of the divine law, was swallowed up by the earth. The man never went to mass, never coniesseo' did not have the Image of saint Tn his house, did not carry rosary arounu his neck and. never made the slgn oi the cross. There was not beggar In the town who had ever received "tlaco chiquito' Gold coins equivalent to 1 l-2 cents) from him. He never gave anything for the church ana new CT took off his hat when he met pa drecito" on the street.
 It was rumored that he was respon- sIble' for many murders and other atro- cious crimes, but he was never in jail; neither could he be incarcerated, De- i cause he had a compact with the devil | and whenever he invoked his satanic | ma iesty the latter rendered him either invisible to human eyes or smaller than
 an ant so that he could easily escape danger He had no friends nor rela- | lives. because he was summed by all.
 Two things he loved. birds and trees.
 He nlanted numerous trees and fed big Hocks of birds that knew him and came 1 to his home every mopning to DICK | the crumbs of bread which he threw
 in the patio
 Many years ago, and this is well re-
 membered by the peasants, 1t was Good
 Friday Everybody in town had at- 1 tended the religious services Of the
 morning and they were going to their
 homes. when a terrific noise was heard.
 They rushed to the street. where 1t | came from to find out what 1t was ana
 saw how the earth had opened under
 the cursed mans feet. He was en-
 yeloped by thick flames and smoke.
 and disappeared beneath the surface Of inc earth. This was considered most deserved punishment.
 | While the faithful were in the church the cursed man was loaf1ng around and, having seen big cruciix upon an altar erected on the streets, as was done in those days, he placed ourn- Ing cigarette in the lips Of the image
 Scarcely had he made eight or ten steps
 when he was engulfed by the inferno.
 That day all the trees he planted, ex-
 cept the cursed one, dried up, and all
 the birds he had fed died
 An attempt was made to cut down the tree that had not dried up. but the
 man who made the attempt dropped
 dead on stepping upon the shadow of
 it's foliage The mans body had to be
 left there to be eaten by crows. be-
 cause nobody had the courage to ap-
 proach and remove 1t.
 Since that day numerous persons
 have met a tragic death under that
 tree A pedestrian who went under II
 for shade on a hot summer day was
 bitten by a snake and died In two
 hours. Three men on different occa'
 sions sought shelter from rain under
 its branches and were struck by light
 ming. woman who was hanging some clothes to dry from the trunk Of the : tree was attacked and killed by billy goat that came from nobody knows where and that was never seen agah Two years ago a little boy was ridinf
 a burro and innocently led his anlma ] to the tree. The burro threw him on . and kicked him to death. The last VIC { finn of this fatal tree was man named ! Melouiades Arevalo, who short time ago. during heay rainstorm. ran un' : der the tree for shelter. Like his pred ecessors on such occasions. he wat .tr,ck by lightning.