The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-04-05
THE MAN WAS coRTINA.

quired. This man, whose purpose it
was to overthrow the existing gov
eminent, had no means. 1t was sup
posed that he had an agreement with
Cortina by which the bandit was to
furnish the required sum. In other
words, so the story goes. Cortina was
to be permitted to pillage the country
on condition that the lions share of
the plumber be turned over to the pres
idential aspirant for the purpose of
attaining his ambition.
When the revolution was accom-
plished 1t was supposed that an effort
would be made to capture Cortina and
punish him for his crimes. But the
government did not appear to be In
any hurry to do so. Cortina still swept
over the Mexican plateau. perpetrating
his lawless deeds. There came time.
however. when the people began to
murmur, and many unpleasant rea-
sons were given why the bandit was
permitted to continue his devastations.
Then at last a body of mounted sol
diers went out to where he was oper-
ating. captured him and brought him
to the capital.
Everybody was surprised at the ease
with which the capture was accom-
plished. 1t had been supposed. ex-
cept by those who pretended to know,
that the robber chief would make a
splendid fight. Instead he surrender
ed ingloriously. The wise ones looked
foov ,ff nd mkt hok
Cortina had furnished the money
which had established the existing
government there would naturally be
an understanding between him and
that government. He had permitted
himself to be captured. Would he
suffer the penalty OF his crimes :?
Those who knew most thought not
Nevertheless Cortina was tried con-
victed and sentenced to death. The
date of execution was reserved for the
government to fix. Meanwhile the
criminal was confined in prison at the
capital. Several weeks after the SEN
tence the day had not been named.
AS many months elapsed. and Cortina
was still living. Then came an order
from the government to his jailers
that he should be permitted to go out
on parole each day. After that Cor
tina went where he liked about the
city on his promise to return to prison
at evening.
There have been criminals from
time immemorial who have won the
sympathy and admiration of men. This
is due to their touching some chord
that responds to the human heart
From this point COrtina won the
sympathy Of many-6rst, from stand
ard of honor which he set up for him
self and, second. because his heart
was given to a woman. His word
was passed that he would return every
evening to his Jail. and every evening
he returned.
Was this because he respected his
promise or because he knew the gov
eminent could recapture him If he
broke his parole and would then be
likely to fix date for his execution?
1t seems more likely that the govern
ment, for reasons best known to it.
self, preferred that he should take
himself away and relieve it of the
necessity Of his execution. There
were doubtless secrets in their con
nection with the bandit that they
would not care to have him reveal and
which may account for their leniency.
But to some who knew nothing about
this Cortina was considered paradox
ically) the soul of honor.
But In the case of the bandits love
there were no such reasons for with
holding sympathy. There was no
cause for his loving-nothing to gain.
1t was simply product of nature
that pertains alike to the good and
the bad. After he had been permit
ted to go about at his pleasure for
more than a year there came to the
capital beautiful woman from the
Caribbean coast. Cortina met this
woman and, though he was convict,
a murderer and a robber, she permit
ted him to become acquainted with
her. From becoming acquainted the
two became companions. They were
frequently seen together in the streets,
and Cortina visited her in her apart
ments.
People wondered when they met the
strange couple II this were not q case