The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-11-03
Electricity
And Dynamite.



They called him the BLACK Death"
ana they had good cause to. Ii there
Vas ever a fiead in human form it was
BGmiIeZ the SpaniHrd. He had come
ashore on the coast of Chile with the
wreck OF e Spanish vessel. and Witha
Il fortnight he had committed robbery
and murder and had been obliged to
fee to the mountains. There he got
little band together and killed and
robbed as y trade. After the officers
of the law had tailed to kill or capture
| the man he was pursued hy the sol
1ierS and finally driven into Peru.
When the war broke out there We're
hundreds Of adventurous Who would
have gladly joined Ramirez. but after
would take no more.
Up among the mountains, just over
the Peruvian line. the American Min
ing and Sneltin" company had been
developing the Humboldt silver mine.
| 1t was 4 rich mine and had paid Il
goody sum for its concession. Rami-
| rez had come within five miles of it on
but had then hesitatcd and turned
back 1t was guarded Iy over hun
dred government troops. and the poems
who did the mining had been armed
! by the company. The war called the
troops away. 1t was then that the
poems were drilled ana told that they
must defend themselves. They entered
~,
two weeks. but Chen an event hap
pened that caused all but about TWEEN
ty OF them 10 desert, Ramirez paid Il
visit TO the mine in person. He ap
peared one afternoon uaaccOmpanicd.
/ He was dressed in Il white duck suit,
carried cane and wore Il new som
brero. and the manager AT first took
him for some prosperous resident Of
the valley The BLACK Death" entered
the Office rs any gentleman would,
and. taking the prnffercd chair, he
quietly said:
Il am Ramirez. You may possibly
have heard Of me-
Not Ramirez. tiIe-the bandit" ex-
claimed the manager
"Thc same. if YOU wish to apply the
term. | have called on Il little matter
Of business. | have not hitherto dis
turbed YOU because YOU are -Amer-
cans and are taking no part in this
war. but | am now in want Of money.
have assessed you ut $4,000 in
gold
but. NY dear sir began the as
tonished manager.
''There are no butts with Ramirez.
sir | want 100000 in gold. packed on
mule. without unnecessary delay
The managers first feeling of awe
and fear fled away as he looked ut
the man before him. Clean shaved
and well dressed the dread Spaniard
did not look ferocous or formidable.
His eyes and mouth betrayed inherent
cruelty, but here he was all alone.
and the manager had 800 men at his
! back The fellow seemed to know
whar was passing in the others mind.
for presently he laughed in sneer-'
ing way and said:
&c, ahead and try it if you wish
Il shall not pay you the money"
was the firm reply.
"Ah. l see! You will depend upon
your poems. Very We'll Let us make
one single experiment. You there. |
want You in the office moment
1t was summer time, and the win
dows were open. He had called to
half a dozen men outside who were
moving q piece of machinery. They
came into the office and stood with
their hats in their hands while he
looked them over with grim smile
and querjed:
did any of YOU ever see Ramirez?'
Holy mother. but you are the man..
shouted one as he turned and fled, fol
lowed by his companions, spreading
the news as they fed.
You see" said the BLACK Death"
rs he turned to the manager, your
ransom is now $4,000"
''I'll never pay cent of it, never, |
ought to have you arrested as you
stand"
Just as you will. You refuse to
pay. Take the results"
With that he turned on his heel and
walked out Of the office and fingered
for a couple of minutes that the men
might see him and be duly impressed
That evening there were only fifteen
men out of 300 left at the mine. The
rest had run away with the fear of
death upon them. The fifteen labored
all night with pick ard spade 1t was
only at noon the next day that their
labors were completed. Then the only
approach TO the mine had been trench
ed and mined and electric wires car
ried into the Office building. RamireZ
had threatened there wouid be results.
The manager was ready to face them
That day went by without alarm. So
did the two following. Ramirez had
twenty-five miles to go and return
He had 10 call in his raiding parties
and hit them out.
At il o'clock on the morning OF the
fourth day he appeared 1T the head Of
his hundred men They lost no time III