The Greeley tribune., 1908-05-14
THRILLING STORY BY YOUNG
y GREELEY MAN
Jesse Nusbaum Sees What but
Few White Men Have Ever
Witnessed in Territory
of New Mexico

The following letter received from
Mr.. and Mrs E. n Nusbaum frorl
their son, Jesse, now head of the
manual training department of the
New Mexico Normal University at
Las Vegas, gives thrilling descrip-
tiOn of visit made by the young
man to the Penitente settlements in
northern New Mexico. Very few
Americans have ever been privileged
to see the ceremonies of these fana-
tics, and so far as is known this Is
the first time Greeley people have had
an opportunity to read of the pecu-
liar people to be found in the south
ern parts of this state and northern
parts of New Mexico. The letter fol.
lows:
East Las Vegas, N. M, Apr. 20 'OS.
My Dear Folks
We'll, | am back from my Peni-
tente trip into northern New Mexico,
and contrary to the warnings of LAS
Vegas people did not have the least
bit of trouble with any of the people.
although they have the reputation OF
being the most treacherous of all the
Mexicans. / will admit that several
times we made quick moves when We
saw guards approaching
with a middle aged man from Las
Vegas who is considered an authorl-
ty on their ceremonies, we made the
trip ON the motor cycle, up through
Sapello, twelve miles north where our
first Morado or Penitente Lodge was
sights1 in = sanEen. this side d
town. but as 1t was very early In tht
morning, we pushed on toward Mora
thirty three miles north. About three
miles above Sapello. we saw a pro
cession of five crossed the raod IN
front and so we passed them and
stopped They stopped also and gave
us one of the wickedest looks that
have ever had and we decided that
we had better pull out while we had
the chance as we could gain nothing
there by waiting. From here the
roads were over rather high noun
tains, and were rocky and muddy
but at last we arrived at high di
vide, on the other side of which was
the prettiest mountain valley imagln
able, about twelve miles long and
| one-half to two miles wide. RocladO
Gascon and Penasco Blanco all peni
tente settlements are located III TINS
valley but IS cur chances at Mora
we're better than at Rociada and 'tas
con, we rode up through the valley
past the foot of 1he Mexican village
of Penasco Blanco ~ q I'o.at beyond
where crowd OF aeon oLe hundreo
people were gathered in the field Sc.
eral hundred yards eloN the Morado
which nigh say IL nearly every case
is back in mountain canyon i'll as
inaccessible a place as Dosslhle. al
the Three Large Crosses OF Calvary
| We could not set nearer than Guar
ter of mile to them on account OF
the guards who we're located on al
points from which anything OF the
ceremony could he seen and VINO III
qured as 70 our business there and
told you to mova on. Put we had
! field glasses and stopped ~ the 1irs'
places where we could bring Them into
play. and watched the crowd at the
three crosses, ard also tho seven OF
eight members who were torturing
| themselves in front of the Morado
| We could plainly see their bloody
backs from where we were located
and could count about fifteen crosses
set in the ground at intervals lead
| ing from the Morado down to the
three crosses of Calvary where the
crowd was assembled On the center
cross we could plainly see the body
or image of human tied to the
cross | was sure that it was peni
tente tied to the cross and being
crucitied, but the man that was with
me said that it was just a life sized
image of the Savior tied up. He sale
that they used to cruelty one OF theIl
members each Good Friday. the one
who had divulged the secrets OF the
order being the first choice, then II
none were traitors they asked fol
volunteers, and II no one volunteered
cne was chosen by lot TO be cruel
fed. Years ago. they were nailed t
tho cr0aa hut sfrio4 forritnrlal law