The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-06-01
THE WIDOW TALAMANTES.
Picturesque Figure in Mexican Re.
bellion Kills Colonel.

had been shot as rebels by command
Of Col. Chiapas, says Douglas, (Ari-
zona) correspondence Of the New
York American, won her revenge in
full measure, it became known here
to-day, when the man on whose head
she had set the price of $4,000 in
gold rode into an ambush in her
camp.
'Don't shoot to kill" command
ed the woman. Remember, he's
my prisoner
The aim of the soldiers was good.
They brought Col. Chiapas down
from the sadie of his galloping horse
with q bullet wound in the neck, and
another in the arm. Chiapas rolled
over in pain, and then looked up and
straight into the eyes of the Widow
Talamantes, which blazed like those
Of a tigress met in the dark.
Chiapas took no account of his in
juries after that. He read his doom
as plainly as any could who faces
certain death. He lay bleeding on
the sand, pleading look in his eyes,
but his lips asking no favors, while
the Widow Talamantes, resting on
her rife, stood over him in contem-
plation. No one in her command
dared touch the wounded Chiapas
until she gave the order.
Finally she leaned over and whis-
pered in the wounded mans ear
only few words. His pale face
blanched whittier still, and his lips
compressed into a thinner line, but
he gave no other syn that he had
heard.
The Widow Talamantes signaled
to her men and turned away. Col.
Chiapas was picked up and carried to
a tent.
Just as the red rim of sun ap-
peared over the eastern horizon
woman's voice gave a sharp COM
mand. There was the quick roll OF
fire from dozen rifles, and totter-
ing figure, standing on the edge OF
newly made grave, crumpled up,
quivered and then lay motionless on
the edge of the trench.
One of the men of the firing squad
advanced and turned the body over
with his foot, saw that at least ten
of the bullets had found their mark,
and then tumbled it over into the
grave. Sand was thrown quickly in
to the level and cross made Of two
pieces of rough board, driven down
with a rifle butt at the head of the
grave.
So the Widow Talamantes took re-
venge for the Staying of her husband
and two sons by Col. Chiapas of the
Federal army!
The pursuit, capture and shooting
of Col. Chiapas is the most dramatic
incident in the Mexican revolution.
The Talamantes, father and two
SONS, were suspected of revolution
ary Ieanings at the beginning Of the
disturbances. They were rich, employ
ed "a large number of laborers and
welded great influence in the State
of Sonora. They were captured on
a federal raid by Chiapas, who then
was in command of the Sonora dis
Srict. Father and sons were within
sight of their hacienda.
The wife and mother pleaded
vainly with Chiapas to spare their
lives. Her appeals were met with
sneering replies, and the woman
soon found she was dealing with a
man brutalized by drink, but still
holding the authority Of life and
death. Later she heard the shots
that announced the death of the
three persons she loved best in the
world.
From that moment Col. Chiapas
was a marked man.
The widow published broadcast an
offer of $4,000 gold for the cap
ture and giving into her hands Of
Chiapas, but none could penetrate
the guard of Federal soldiers that
Chiapas kept about him.
Then the widow took the field at
the head of a revolutionary force
made up of her employees and
friends, and commanded it with the
skill of a veteran in several battles
and skirmishes.
Her force grew to be one of the
largest revolutionary bands in Sono-
"a, and all the time it was drawing
nearer and nearer to the command
Of Col. Chiapas.
But the widow feared her oppor-
tunity might not come in open bat
tie, and laid more subtle plan. She
.rnn,iod mon with mOney TO go into