Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-12-29
DIAz'S RURALES
FORMER BANDITS
Now Constitute Flower Of Mex
lean Republics Army.


Costume 10 Distinctive and Pietur-
ssqus-Present Head Of Aztec Land
Recruited His constabuIary From
Among Fresbooters Who Had Har-
asssd Travellers and Laughed at l. aw.
In Mexico the ruraleS" have long
been the terror of malcontents and
one OF the pillars Of Diaz's power, and
their strength was felt during the re-
cent uprising
The rurales!' When this warning
Is given, and, in the majority of cases
1t Is a perfectly false alarm, all per-
sons engaged in Illegal acts. such as
knitting each other, burning haystacks
or discussing ways of OyerthrOwing
the present regime, sober up and flee
hotsetessIy. Witnesses to the affray
remember some pressing business de-
manding their presence n mile or so
away
should the rough looking riders in
their immense Sombreros swoop down
on the crowd before everything had
quences might follow The ringleader
responsible for the disturbance might
be soon singled out and led away. At
"A little distance from the village the
rurales might very negligently give
him an occasion to escape. While TAX
ing to his heels he would hear a shot
and fall face downward. his back
broken. hole two feet deep II little
mound OF sandy earth. two pieces of
board nailed rNsswise. and the chief
of the detachment would report that
disorderiy man was killed In accord
ance' to the ley fuga," the fugitive
law.
FrssboOtsrs Formerly Ruled.
Riots and uprisings In all parts of
Mexico made the country during the
last years Of President Juarez's life
storm center as Insecure for the
traveller as some unfrequented dis
tTicts of Albania. Bands of highway.
men plundered villages, raided large
towns and. mounted on swift horses,
carried Off the spoil to their mountain
haunts. Troops sent against them
made little progress, for in Mexico as
elsewhere, the bandit soon assumes a
legendary, semi-heroic character, and
the villages prefer to court his favor
rather than invite his vengeance.
The army itself was made up at that
time of unOrganiZed, independent, un-
reliable guerrilla bands. almost as dan
Serous for the population as the out
laws themselves.
After President JaareZ breathed his
last, in 1872, his successor, Diaz, de-
cided to restore the prestige of Mexico
in the eyes of foreign nations by doing
away entirely with all the freebooters
Calling the veterans of his campaign
together, he intrusted them with the
task.
They were to trail the bandits sys-
nesses, taking no prisoners. giving no
quarter After several months thou
sands of crosses dotted the land, mark
ing the spots where justice had been
dealt summarily to captured brigands
In the northern hills q town had to be
besieged, for group of fourteen free
hooters had taken possession of ii,
armed and pressed the citizens into
their service. After terrible slaugh-
ter it became necessary to erect crosses
over an area of a square mile beyond
the walls. The town lost It's name,
which was for shame replaced by Ca
torce lin Spanish fourteen), in memory
n ri inh q
Diaz Solves Problem.
Then II was that Diaz conceived an
excellent idea of utilizing the daring
and energy Of those predatory bands
and at the same time putting an end to
that heartrending civil war He offered
a truce and invited. after giving hos
tages. some of the guerrilla chiefs to
confer with him.
They returned to the mountains bear
ing the message that the republic
would respect their haunts, leave them
their arms and horses and pay them
a regular salary IL they consented to
make their peace. An occupation
would be found for them which would
not interfere with their free, adventur-
Gus life. They were to police the
mountain regions and act as emergency
troops when quick and energetic action
was required. The half starved bands,
weary Of the struggle, made their sub
mission. Up to the present day they
have constituted the rurales, the crack
regiment Of the Mexican arny.
Like the Russian Cossacks, they
have retained their picturesque cos
tune. While the rest OF the Mexican
army is uniformed after the fashion OF
the French troops, the rurales wear
clothes which greatly resemble the at
tire Of melodrama cowboys immense
Spanish or Moorish saddles. from
which hang all kinds OF arms or camp
ing implements; leather incased stir
runs- Mexican trousers slit on the side