Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1914-04-22

tne condemned men. Each wore the
faded blue shirt and dirty khaki
trousers generally used by the peon
class. Cheap sandals were on their
feet, Neither wore hat. Juan, the
younger, was probably twenty-five.
The other, Ramon, was about forty.
There was nothing dramatic In their
appearance. There was nothing of
the marching straight and defiant to
their DOOM" Both shambled along,
their eyes on the ground, and showing
not the slightest emotion. They might
have been going to mass. to the bull
fight, for walk-their expression of
stolid lack Of interest would have
been the same.
No one spoke, and we marched
along steadily for about half a mile.
The buildings were becoming more
scattered. In the early light we could
see the big 12-story Mills building in
M Paso looming up.
me procession halted at a dilapi-
GATED adobe wall that surrounded a
SnInese truck garden. Two rough
coHins leaned against the wall. A
woman In rusty black dress was
waiting. She was Juan's woman" I
afterward learned. The poems don't.
usually bother with marriage cere-
monies.
Two OF the soldiers escorted the
prisoners to the wall. Their hands
were placed at their sides and they
We're bound, the rope being wound
about them breast high. The woman
was ordered away, and she shambled
OH snort distance, muttering. There
was no snap or military precision
ABOUT any Of the movements. The
whole thing was done in a slipshod
way, the captain pointing to the spot
"nere ne wanted the firing squad to
stand and the position Of the coffins.
me firing squad was lined up about
~ feet from the condemned men.
The captain fumbled in his pockets
and looked little annoyed. He be-
gan going through his pockets again
ana hnaily drew out a folded sheet of
paper from his back pocket. The SOL
olers looked on with no apparent In.
terest; the prisoners kept their eyes
On the ground as the captain read the
charge. 1t was something about plot.
ting against the government of Mex
leo; the usual thing, my friend told
me. The men were asked IL they had
anything to say. Neither made any
reply, or In fact, seemed to pay any
attention,
The captain stepped back on q line
with the firing. squad and one of the
soldiers stepped forward and tied
brightly checkered piece of cotton rag
about Ramon's head. He moved over
to Juan to do the same, but the pris-
oner shook his head and mumbled
something. There was nothing dra-
matte about the action; It seemed one
more Of petulance. The soldier stepped
back into line.
Prepare" commanded the captain.
The guns were raised. Juan looked
sullenly straight into the muzzle; Ra-
mon slightly turned and covered
against the wall. heard the woman
sobbing.
"Ffre!" came the command.
There was a ragged volley, the last
rife barking as the first ones were
being lowered. had kept my eyes on
the prisoners.
At the first report Juan jumped on
tiptoe and wrenched his arms, nearly
freeing them. He fell forward on his
side.
Ramon sagged to his knees, swayed
moment and then slid forward OF,
his face. The woman had turned her
back'to the sight and covered against
the wall holding little wooden ros.
ary and muttering. The firing squad
looked on stolidly. In three years of
newspaper work In western mining
towns, where strikes were hardly
classified az gentle pastimes, I have
seen many wounded men and some
dead ones. One gets used to the
sight, but as Ramon finally slipped
forward on his face became faint.
Two strong. healthy men in moment
turned into inert masses is not \
pleasant sight to witness
The firing squad had brought their
guns to the order and the captain
stepped forward, at the same time.
drawing his revolver TO administer the
"tiro de gracias," the act OF thanks
He placed the muzzle of the revolver
at the head OF Ramon and fired and
then stepped to the body Of Juan and
repeated the action. do not know
whether the two men were dead before
this. but think they we're.