Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-02


payments have been the price of pro-
lection. not only against the men who
receive the money. but others who
cherish malice or would like to be
paid in the same way. Plantation
managers have been accustomed to re-
ceive requests for loans OF stated sun
from disreputable Adventures in the
neighborhood. II is well understood
that such loans will not be repaid. but
II the requests are not granted the
cane fields are likely to be burned,
and 1t is almost impossible to prove
the guilt of any person accused OF
cane-burning.
This blackmail system has cost plan
tation owners large sums Of money
annually which are charged to the
regular expense account. The custom
is so universal that people have ceased
to discuss it. In every community GER
tain men are recognized as profess
sional blackmailers who live off the
plantation owners in their neighbor
hood. Most of them are professional
patriots and have been continuously
engaged in instructions against the
government. This was particulars
rue during Spanish domination, when
the insurgent forces were made up
very largely of cane-buiners and ban
| dltti Under the republic the practice
was continued by politicians Wo
| found it profitable to maintain organi-
cations of ignorant and irresponsible
| negroes who would carry ont their
orders and burn the cane of planters
| who belonged to the opposite party or
| who refused to contribute to the funds
of the organization to which they be
| longed. Since the American occupa-
ton, however, there has been very lit
lie cane-burning for political reasons.
Several cases have been investigated
by the authorities who have found that
the fires were either accidental or
were caused by the animosity of dis
charged employees or other malicious
persons.
There are three familiar methods of
setting fire to cane fields. The fire
md most rare Is in imitation of Sam
son. Malicious persons sometimes tie
burning fagots to the tails OF rats.
release them in the cane fields of their
anemies.
A safer way is by lighted candles.
An incenGiary will enter cane field
lfter dark with one or more candles,
ind having selected favorable place
rom which the wind can carry the
name will SET his candle in the ground.
surrounded with heaps of dry leaves,
light it and creep away. 1t will re-
luire an hour or so for the tallow tc
burn Gown to the level of the leave.
and by that time the culprit is miles
distant, and the fire will spread rapid
ly in every direction. Neither the
,lame nor the smoke can be seen from.
plantation headquarters, where every
body is asleSS.b, and the destruction is
completed almost before it is discov.
Grad.
Another popular method is by Il {
employment of pure phosphorus, which
can be purchased at the native drug
stores in sticks about the size and ap-
pearance of an ordinary candle. II is
'nflammable at a temperature of 81
degrees, and when placed in tn .-e.s
lie of cane iield, where the 49,
the sun can reach 1t, will cause nc
that cannot be detected until ii tas
gained r,iderable headway. Malici-
Gus persoLs creep into field at night,
place sticks of phosphorus upon piles
: Of dry leaves. and. then sneak away,
leaving the tropic sun to finish their
work.
1t is very difficult to detect ami I'M
possible to prevent such attempts at
arson, bees 'se the guilty person has
plenty of time to leave the scene and
reach mis- home or other places where
he can establish an alibi The larger
: number of fires, however, are caused
by lighted cigars and cigarettes, care
lessly thrown into dry leavesc.
armed guards are employed to patrol
all the large plantations night and
day but no system could be devised
that would furnish complete protec-
ton, and few arrests are ever made
for cane burning. When fire occnSs
suspicion is at once directed toward
dissatisfied employees, and If they are
guilty they clear out of the neighbOr-
hood as rapidly as possible. Profes-
sional blackmailers are always under
surveillance by the police. seldom ",
the act themselves. They employ ig-
norant satellites to place, the candles
or the PHOSPHORUS for them. rhe
payment OF blaickmail as a rule is eli
fective in securing protection, becance
the men who accept 1t naturally do not
want any rivals in the field 1t is r9r
their interest to discover and Suppress
competition, and therefore they punish
and run OUT of the country all in
cendiaries who do not belong to their
own bands. All planters and mana
gers of large estates also have anna
teur detectives among their employ
who are on the lookout for trouble,
report disaffection among men and an
ticipate, SO far as they can, any at
tempts to do damage.
Rural guards patrol the roads in the