Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-09
PRISONERS TORTURED
BY YAQU| INDIANS
Employ Modes of Punishment as
SkiIlful as Those of Ancient
Chinese; Brutal Fighters

10y Associated Press correspondence
Nogales Ariz.-Although the Yaqui
Indians of Sonora are said to have de-
clared war on the United States-at
least so far as American settlers in
their region are concerned-and United
States warships have been dispatched
to cope with the situation-informa-
tion as to the process by which this
declaration of war was made is still
lacking. 1t lie known that the tribe re-
tains a political organization. What
appears to be an almost mythical su-
preme chief reigns in the hills above
their valley and is said to direct the ac-
tions of the minor chiefs who have
taken groups of the tribe into the Mexi-
can warfare
during recent trip to the west coast
with Carranza learned this and a num-
Der Of other interesting things concern
ing the Yaquis, about whom little true
material has hitherto been published.
Although they have been In almost
constant warfare since the organization
nave been fully conquered or won over
to European civilization. But their
struggle against the advance of civilza-
tion did not assume threatening pro-
portions until the recent revolutionary
activities gave them modern war
munitions and military training Pre-
yiously this most, warlike Mexican In
dian had confined himself to guerilla
hghtin. The arming of the Yaquis to
take part in MeXico's domestic quarrel
made possible their more extensive
only the American colonists in the
faqui valley about Guaymas. but the
sovereignty of the Mexican race along
tnat rich portion OF the west coast.
Stronghold in Hills
The Yaqui region lies few miles In
land from the important California gulf
port city of Guaymas. The Indians,
years ago lost most Of their rich aagri-
strongholds are in the hill country.
from which strong positions they make
frequent raids. on the Mexican settlers
I'm the valley below. 1t only has been
recently that their assaults We're direct
ed against the American settlers in the
valley, who had given the Indians pro-
htable employment as laborers.
The Yaqui was not considered an es-
pecially dangerous neighbor until the
advent Of the Constitutionalist revolu-
tion. With the separation of the Car
ranza and villa factions struggle be-
gan between those two parties In Som
ora state. The Indians already had
been armed and enlisted as troops in
the Constitutionalist army, doing the
bulk of the desperate lighting in the
contests for the towns along the Ari-
zona-Sonora border. These Indians
Yaquis But on opportune occasions
they demanded the return of their tri-
bal lands, and only would remain in the
ises from the factional leaders. For
more than a year, however, 1t has be-
come evident that the supposedly
junctisn with his wilder brother who
had remained in the hills Arms and
ammunition in large quantities given
to the Indians enlisted in the Constitu-
tionalist army were smuggled on the
backs of Yaqui runners into the noun
tam passes and there were hidden. The
enlisted Indians would return after an
insignificant skirmish and demand
more ammunition. Their Mexican off,
GERS did not dare to refuse it.
Guilty of Cruelty
The situation became more serious
when Jose Maria Maytorena, the Villa
Yaqui troops into northern Sonora,
Previously they had been used only
against Huerta's federal troops about
GaTt Guaymas; ma ~ Maytorena's Yaquis took
garrisons at Nogales. Naco and Cananea
In former years under the Diaz admin
istration these Indians had been driven
into southern Sonora by continued
lighting along the Arizona border in
which they met the federal "rurales," :"
Mexico's rural police which was con-
the former dictator The forceful ex-
ling into southern Mexico of large
numbers of Yaqui men had failed to
break the warlike spirit of the race
The racial characteristics of the va
Gui of Mexico are similar to those OF
the Apache. who caused continued war
fare in the early development of the
southwestern United States. The va
qui is credited with direct relation
ship to the Apache. Like his northern
cousin the YaQui has been guilty of all
manner of brutality directed against his
prisoners, and is known to have EN- j.
ployed modes of torture as skillful as
those of the ancient Chinese. This has
caused a fear of the Yaqui which was
not due entirely to his military ability.
The Yaqui was the first Mexican tribe
to become fully armed with rifles and
tribes along the west coast still en-
ploy the bow and arrow for hunting
and in some cases in fighting any alien
invaders.