Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-30
MExIco's "n-vIL TREE"
Death for All VIII Rest Within Its
Fateful Shadow.

Fateful Shadow.
Because of the many fatal acct
dents that have occurred under huge
tree that grows in the Hacientiita
ranch, in the Iamora district, Michon-
can, peasants of the region arc grow
ing more and more .supcrstitious about
It's supposed fatal omen, any they be-
gin to call 1t "arbol maldito" (curscd
trcc).
The tree is supposed to be over sew.
enty-fVe years old, and is said to have
been planted by man who, because
OF his enormous crimes and his for.
getfulness of the divine law, was
swallowed up by tho earth The man
never went to mass, never confessed
did not have the image of q saint in
his house, did not carry rosary
around his neck. and never made the
sign OF the cross. There was not a
beggar i'll the town who had ever re,
ccived "t.dco chiuuito" told coins
equivalent To x cents) from him. He
never gave anything for the church
ami never took off his hat when he
met "padrccito" on the street
IL was rumorcd that he was rcspons-
ibic Tor many murders and other afro.
cious crimes, but he was never in jail,
neither could he be incarccratcd be.
cause he had Il compact with the devil.
and whenever he invoked his satanic
majesty the latter rendered him either
invisible 10 human eyes or smaller
than al ant, SO that he could easily
escape danger. He had no friends nor
relatives, because he was summed
by all.
Two things he loved, birds and trees
lie planted numerous trees and fed
big flocks of birds that knew him and
came to his home every morning to
pick the crumbs Of bread which he
threw in the patio
Many years ago, and this is well
remembered by the peasants, IT, was
Good Friday. Everybody In town had
attended the religious services of the
morning and they were going to their
homes when Il terrific noise was heard
They rushed to the street where ii
came from, to find out what il was.
and saw how the earth had opened I'M
der the cursed mans feet. He was
cnvelopcd by thick flames and smoke,
and disappeared beneath the surface
of the earth. This was considered a
most deserved punishment.
While the faithful were in the
church the cursed man was loafing
around, and having seen n big crucifix
upon al altar erected on the street
as was done in those days, he placed
burning cigarette in the lips of the
image. Scarcely had he made eight or
ten steps, when he was engulfcd by
the inferno.
That day all the trees no planted
except 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 droppcd
dead upon stopping upon the shadow
OF its foliage. The mans body had to
be left there TO he eaten up by crows,
because nobody had the courage to ap-
preach and remove it.
Since that day numerous persons
have met n tragic death under that
tree. pedestrian who went under 1t
for shade OH hot summer day was
bitten by n snake and died in two
hours. Three men, on different occa-
sions, sought shelter from rain under
It's branches, and were struck by light.
ming. A 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, ana that was never seen
again. Two years ago little boy who
was riding burro, innocently led his
animal to the tree. The burro threw
him off and kicked him to DEATH The
last victim of this fatal tree was man
named Mclquiadcs Arcvalo who, three
or four days ago, during heavy rain
storm, ran under the tree for shelter:
like his predecessors OH such occa-
sions. he was struck by lightning
Mexican Herald.