The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-28
Taken Down Dead.

UQeQ Se1ZSQ spear duQ piuDSCo ~ III
to Gopzales's side, and his face light
ed up with the beatifc smile Of a mar.
tyr.
Meanwhile the various episodes Of
the crucifxion were executed With
solemn zeal, while the victim hung
weak and bleeding on the Cross over
head. A priest approached and re-
peated the words Of ST. Luke, He
saved others; let him save himself, II
he be Crist, the chosen of God" Some
Of the brothers who took the part Of
Roman idolaters, then crowded up tt
the cross, mocking and scofing and
shouting, II thou be the King Of
the Jews, save thysslf." Finally the
inscription. written in Spanish, "Thi:
is the King OF the Jews" was aaile6
on the cross, and then Mary ard Mar
tina and the women OF Galilee Gmper'
sonated by women Of the Sect) az
preached.
This was the signal for lowering
the cross-but the smiling lips Of
Gonzales were silent forever; the eye!
upsurned to the sky were rigid II
death. The Penitentes looked at eact
other in startled surprise and sale
Gods will be done" Tue agony O.
the cross had been too much; tbs
half hour they had intended to keeE
him there had stretched to nearly two
hours; in a religious frenzy OF ]anen
tations the Penitentes carried tht
swollen, bleeding body OF Gonzales tt
tomb in the cemetery over the bill
The county authorities have made
efforts at an investigation OF thi!
Good Friday tragedy, but with little
success. The Penitentes are Mexi
cans, speaking little but Spanish, ane
they refuse any information what
ever. Toe penitential Brothers. OF
Los Hermanos PenitenteS," have
been cast out by the Roman Catholics
and have been pursued by the loca
authorities in Colorado and new Mex
ico until they have been driven to re-
mote mountain places where the
could conduct their rites without in
reference.
The writer witnessed part OF the
cerenonials OF Easter time as per
formed by the Penitentes near Clay
ton, New Mexico, last year. Starting
from Clayton, small town on the
Gulf road, ne rode all day across the
hot, dry prairies on which the only
signs Of life are herds OF cattle, plenty
OF antelope and the shrill whistline
curlew. We knew the danger OF ex
citing the Brotherhood, but we d ter
mined to see, and photograph all we
could Of the ceremonies, and to that
end had literally armed ourselves tc
the teeth-dressed like Mexicans tc
attract less attention, and hid the
camera under the writer's coat. AS
cending a bill we unexpectedly came
upon the scene Of aztion, and never
can we forget the sight. 1t was late
in the afternoon Of hot, clear day,
not q breath Of wind was stirring.
Below US stretched a small valley
whose side hills were scantily covered
with a growth Of scrub oak and pine.
The little stone chapel was at the
head OF the valley; about FIVE hundred
feet away on a small knoll, represent
ing the hill OF Calvary, was erected q
a huge wooden cross.
Grouped about this, kneeling de-
vou5ly, were perhaps ffSy people, AID
when they began to chant the Mis-
ere1e" In melancholy wall the effect
was wonderfully weird. When this
ceased, the Procession OF Cross
Bearers" left tho chapel. Men chief
ly take part in the actual ceremonits,
though women are present. The
crosses are large wooden affairs, and
weigh over two hundred pounds each.
Those doing penance frequently con
ceal their faces with black cloths, and
the officers may be known by the fl
cts on their heads. The procession is
headed by a piper. Then comes a
brother walking backward and wear
ng cruci6x. BE is followed by the
comrades, who are naked, except for
short cotton trousers, and these occa.
are lined with cacti, and
bound tight to make the suffering the
more intense, The reader OF prayers
is among their number At short In
terva!s they stop to make the sta
tlors OF the cross.
Arriving at Calvary, the cross bear
3rs lie at full Lengths with the heavy
beams on their backs while the piper
pipes and the others pray. Then the
procession returns to the chapel, the
men going ins de- for meditation, and
jhe women remaining outside. These
are kept up during the
iay and the climax Ct the tragedy oc
,urs in the afternoon, when the chief
,nters the chapel and comes with the
7lctim, who is to impzIsonate Christ.
n some places be is volunteer, and
q Others he is chosen by lot. Cal
yary has been freshly prepared Tor
lin and he walks to the spot, lies at
ull length on the now recum5ent
ross, bis back to the standard, and
lis arms outstretched.
The attend, ants take stout ropes
nd lash the arms and leSs OF the pen
tente to the cross, binding him so
lightly that the strands actually sink