O OF ESTANCIA AND THE UNDOING
SS N C IOF DIABLO AMARITULO. TrEi
•BULION BANDII'
Miguel Lopez was a spendthrift,
who made the resorts of the Federal
Dictrict ring with his escapades. He
was scattering with lavish hand the
fortune left to him by his father, un
til he met Teresa Alvarado, to whom
he paid court, after the Spanish
fashion.
When sbe took air in the plaza in
the cool of the evening, he did like
wise, and counter-marched, lifting his
bat each time he passed, to show his
admiration. On these occasions no
sign of encouragement came from the
senorita, ,for she was accompanied bby
a chaperone. All seek the plazas in
the evenings, to hear the music, to see
their friends. The fair sex walk
around the square, keeping well to the
inner side of the park-the senors
passing in an opposite direction, keep
to the outside of the walk, and thus
they pass, face to face, at each turn
of the square. 'Every time around
your senor lifts his hat and the senor
ita turns her head. Should she nod
in reply to the ,salutation, he would
instantly join her.
After the concerts he sent the or
chestra to her home, and she had
thrown back the Iblinds to signify that
she heard; but she did not appear at
the window.
One night be presented himself it
the window where she was seated, so
quietly that she was for the moment
startled by his sudden appearance.
After that he visited her many tilmes,
and through the grating that barred
the 'window he poured the story of his
love. When pressed for an answer,
she told him to consult thep'adre.
Then Miguel knew that he had
reached a critical point and through a
friend, whom he could trust, he must
seek her father, Juan Alvarado. The
friend went, and after several confer
ences, Miguel was admitted to the
casa and talked with the padre, a ven
erable man, who had fouglht the
French with Juarez. A soldier of
fame who was well known and hon
ored, he talked frankly with Miguel.
For was not the young man known to
have been the leader of a ribald
crowd? Had he not caroused and
gambled and dissipated and squan
dered 'much of his father's fortune?
For Alvarado head known him, and he
was familiar with the struggle he had
made in the dark days of the repub
lic. when patriots were tried in fire
and Miguel's sire had never been I
found lacking in fervor of the kind 1
that resulted in the execution of Maxi
milian and the triumph of the Indian
'presidente.
"But," said Alvarado, "my au'ghter
favors your suit and I look not un
kindly upon it, but you must do some
thing to prove yourself worthy of such
a treasure. It is not enough that you
have riches and to spare. You must
do something to redeem the reputation
of your parde. You must make the
Federal District forget your life of dis
sipation by singing your praise. Beau
tiful women are won by bold deeds
by daring men who risk their lives
for their country, for it is a trait in
the blood of Castile, which flows
t'hrough the veins of nearly every be
ing in IMexico. You must divorce
yourself from evil associates. You
must suppress some of the creatures
who are made by men 'who lead the
life of the companions with whom you
have fraternized. 'Listen:
"Several years ago my son went into
the Western Sierras. He engaged in
mining. Much I gave him by way of
educational advantages, for it was the
least I could do. Through misfortune
I have lost much. Through the failure
of several enterprises my fortune was
swept away and I found myself strait
ened in circumstances. I acquainted
my son with my condition, and
he plunged into the unknown. Ah,
yes; it is with money that he has sent
that we have kept up appearances and
entertained so lavishly. Butt it takes
a brave man to live there. Much he
has made-and much has he lost, for
he is in that section of the world
where Diable Amarillo 'and his ban
dits loot and murder and terrorize.
Gold and silver bar has been taken
from the very mills that have pro
duced them, the pack trains have been
attacked on the trails and robbed,
after the conductor and the mtozos
have been murdered. You have heard
the story---everybody in Mexico has.
Were it not that his mining interests
are so great, he would turn hunter
and 'track them down, but he is not an
officer. He offers, however, 25,000
pesos for the body of the brigand,
dead or alive, for he has lost much
more than that by the depredations of
this. The district in which Diablo
Amarillo has wrought such ruin is in
a remote presidente and just now the
c.ffice is vacant.
"Now, I propose that you serve my
family, gain 'the reward and win he
hand of 'my daughter, for Diablo
Amarillo may some time, not content
with the bullion stolen from my son
and on the trails, attack the very Imine
that produces the treasure. This will
test your mettle-will show me
whether you 'will be a worthy husband
for so fair a daughter of Mexico--a
lineal descendant of a mighty Aztec
prince. U'pon the result of your ex
ploit depends your own future. Tram
ple Diablo Amarillo under foot and
Teresa you may ,wed; fail, and you
need not return, for the door of my
case will be open to you no more.'
Estancia is a small town on the
western slope of the Sierra Madre.
It is located on the banks of the Rio
Mayo. Its buildings are huddled, one
against the other, after the fashion of
Mexican dwellings, the thick adobe
walls of each 'house 'being joined to
its neighbor, and in the center of each
is a court, or patio, as it is called in
Spanish. The front door opens on
one street, the rear on another. All
the windows are barred, as is general
ig quartz is sent .down by means of
suspended cable, which swings from
steel towers above the forest, and
over the great gulch, 1,600 feet deep
:the last span being nearly 2,000 feet
S. ; . ".' . ". long. The loaded buckets going down
ý1 on one side bring the empties up on
plant. Orders' from London required
" " 'an extra dividend for Christmas dis
tribution, and in order to accomplish
Sthe case throughout that tit the bullion had to leave the mine
he cs btrou d a s on the next day at noon to reach the
[he city is 'built around a plaza -with o mint In eme for assay t ng sale, to be
flagstaff in the center at the foot cf converted into sterling exchange an
,nhich there is a bronze bust of Juarez. sena on inw triplicate to London.
1. cathedral faces the east. Its two o 'nclceo would reanh the plant at 11
owers reach more than 100 feet from tra lre fe and with asual
nented adobe, erected by the Jesutts tra large force and twice the usual
w. centuries ago. Facing the west his own weapons. It may be my turn number of pack animals. The rumor
Sthe residence oft ed the pesidente, and next. Quien sabe? Don Miguel will that the reduction works were to be
n either side those of the alcalde and - ` listen to another plan? looted had reched the manager, and
he jefe politico. The other buildings "Go out among the people of Es- fast as the molten metal was poured
onstitute either the finer residences tancia. Ask them the name of an into the moulds and cooled it was
dr stores, which are portions of grand hombre witn whom Don Ygnacio has placed in the sump of the mill-the
>ld casaes, and in the rear of and. over ever broken his word. Ask them the last la tha a one would think
hich the family or the owner lives. / name of a man or woman to whom he of lookng for ity. Then, if Dihblok
Che town recedes from the plaza. Al- has ever related a secret. Ask them Amarillo attacked and overpowered
geer t a p e of quite 2,00 tne name of one, priest or other, t them before the arrival of the bullion
Six times a month bullicn trains with a mask-he was unknown to any- one person' to another. Ask the Jesuit find the metal, for 'he 'had been told
ith armed attendants of indians -n- one. - , fathers whether Don Ygnacio has ever in advance
er the city and stop for the night. Among those who listened to the made confession to them-or to any
'hese trains come with precious metal new presidente was Ygnaco Hernan- one. Ask all of these questions, and
tom he mines, which is conveye as dez who was conductor of the Rio back, hime a Mayo Indian wi t hen, f you find you can trust me, The terminal tender in the little
har east as San 'Rosario, where t Mayo was onductr of the Rc- btair himself Mayo Indian, with a your word is my law. I can and will house on' top of the mill was watch
urned over to WPLi-n . Mayo bullion train. He alone ac- strain of the blood of Castile and of aid vmou. Th aovernment nledres you ing a flock of wild parrots slowly wing
n 1 the case throughout that section.
d The city is 'built around a plaza -with
1- a flagstaff in the center at the foot of
n which there is a bronze bust of Juarez.
A cathedral faces the east. Its two
r towers reach more than 100 feet from
t- the ground, a great building of ce
mented adobe, erected by the Jesuits
h two centuries ago. Facing the west
u is the residence of the presidente, and
at on either side those of the alcalde and
n the jefe politico. The other buildings
e constitute either the finer residences
;- or stores, which are portions of grand
r- old casas, and In the rear of and over
- which the family or the owner lives.
s The town recedes from the plaza. Al
n together it is a place of quite 2,000
s people.
'Six times a month bu!llin trains
e with armed attendants of indians dun
u ter the city and stop for the night.
s These trains come with precious metal
e from 'the mines, ,which is conveyed as
u far east as San Rosario, where it is
turned over to Wells-Fargo y Cia, for
o delivery to the mint. Different sec
n tions are traversed by the various
)f trains, which visit the mines, and col
e lecting the 'bars of gold and silver
e metal, bring them out under guard,
'e the 'mine and mill owners 'being pro
s tected from loss through the conductor
of the train by a heavy bond.
d The bullion is strapped, two bars to
d the mule. Each bar weighs 75 pounds.
1, Sometimes there are as many as three
it trains in the place at one time.
These guards are necessary, for the
country at the time this story deals
with was infested with outlaws. Bul
d lion trains had been attacked, the
guards murdered, the treasure stolen,
by Diablo 'Amarillo. Presidente after
presidente had resigned or *been de
posed, ana Diablo Amarillo reigned
in terror, gathering his loot and mar
keting it in some mysterious manner
that puzzled the officials not a little,
d since every known avenue was closed
against (him.
s Once it was possible to ascertain
,r the manner in which he disposed of
n the 'bullion he had stolen, it was easy
o0 to apprehend him. It was so simple.
,No one had thought of that before.
h But that is what the new 'presidente
) said he would do-at least that was
0 the word brought in by an Indian run
n ner, who came to announce that Mig
5 uel Lopez had agreed to accept the
office, without recompense. When
y Miguel came all Estancia bowed po
e litely and laughed in its sleeve. For
o Miguel, be it understood, was under
it sized and nervous. He listened much,
n talked little. He rarely left the official
.e residence. He set himself to the task
11 of ascertaining as much of the dis
e triot as possible, of possessing him
d self of all the knowledge of Diablo
a Amarillo.
c Then Teresa's brother, Jose, visited
x- him, and other mine owners, for he
a- was spokesman for a delegation, and
d pledged him their ,best efforts to track
u down the outlaw who had 'but the
y night before appeared in a neighbor
ing town and attended a public dance.
Miguel had ideas of his own. They
se were crude, perhaps, but he would de
e. vote his time to ascertaining the man
0o ner in which the bandit disposed of his
le bullion, and once he obtained that
f Iknowledge, would track him to his
se quarters and with overpowering force
.o either capture or slay him. It was all
h very simple, but the mine owners
n tnought it was impossible. and frank
n ly, but politely, told' him so, particu
11 larly in ,view of the fact that Diablo
Il- Amarillo had never been seen except
with a mask--he was unknown to any
one.
Among those who listened to the
new presidente was Ygnacio Hernan
dez, who was conductor of the Rio
Mayo bullion train. He alone ac
quiesced in the plan of the presidente.
People stood in awe of Don Ygnacio,
as he ,was affectionately called. Of
all the bullion trains that came into
EBstancia, his was the only one that
had not been looted. It had been at
tacked long years before Diablo Ama
rillo appeared on the trails, but the
Migh'waymen had been killed in the
conflict. Diablo Amarillo had attack
ed every other train, some of the
mines and the mills, always at widely
different points, never twice at the
same place, and not once under cir
cumstances similar to any preceding
robbery, except that he always ap
peared in 'the broad light of day to
fight his battles. He was daring, suc
cessful. But Ygnacio had answered
this by doubling his guard of Mayo
Indians, and threatening to shoot the
first one who -altered in the event of
attack.
When the visitors filed out of the
ossa Ygnacio remained. A fine man
was he, tall, straight as a reed, almost
Fashionable Woman
Mysteriously Shot
Wife of a Manufacturer Found in Her
Bedroom, Dead, Sister-In-Law
Unconscious Nearby.
1 CHICAGO, Sept. 16.-Mrs. Julius
Tripp was shot and killed this after
noon in an apartment at 146 Prairie
avenue, a fashionable residence sec
tion, and another woman, believed to
be her sister-in-law, was seriously
I wounded. It is reported that the
shooting of the women was the result
I of a quarrel.
k Neighbors heard sounds of a quar
rel in the apartment followed by
shots. The police found the rooms of
Mrs. Tripp in disorder. Mrs. Tripp,
fashionably dressed, was found ly
ing dead in a bed room. She had
been shot in the mouth. Across the
-hall the other woman was found on
tthe floor, unconscious in a pool of
blood. She was shot in the breast.
e Mrs. Tripp was the wife of the su
1 perintendent of a manufacturing com
spany.
-- ----
H Ida Conquist will be the leading wo
I man for Charles Richman in his play,
t "The Revellers."
black, himself a Mayo Indian, with a
strain of the blood of Castile and of
the soldierly -Montezumas.
"You agree with me?" asked Mig
uel.
"Si, Don Miguel," was the answer.
"You believe my plan 'to ascertain
the manner in which the bullion is
marketed to be the best, then?"
"I believe in your pl'an--but it is en
tirely different from that."
Ygnacio laughed as Miguel turned
on him inquiringly.
"Oh, I understand, Don Miguel,"
said Ygnacio. "You are young-you
put on-ah!-como se lama esta? si,
the bold face, in the presence of de
termined and experienced men. You
have many plans-they are all wrong.
'Si, senor, all wrong. You are, pardon,
young. The only way to put down
Diablo Amarillo is by force of arms.
Whatever his method of disposing of
the stolen beullion, that is a commer
cial pursuit; we are concerned only
wit his lawlessness, and in order to
prevent him from marketing more
stolen bullion and sacrificing more
lives, he must be met and fought 'with
Man Who Killed
Girl Is Insane
Court Orders That Cunningham, Self
Confessed Slayer of Bookkeeper,
Have His Mind Examined.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16.-When
the case of James E. Cunningham, the
confessed slayer of Miss Caroline
Brasche, bookkeeper for Gray Broth
ers, whom he killed when she refused
to adjust an alleged error in his pay
check, was called for trial in Judge
Dunne's court today, his attorney took
the stand and testified that he was
satisfied that his client was insane.
He moved, therefore, that Cuuning
ham be sent before a commission on
insanity to be examined. This was
ordered by the court, after Assistant
District Attorney Ward had with
drawn an objection.
---------+-----
HOLD-UP IN COLORADO.
LEADVILLE, Col., Sept. 16.-Den
ver & Rio Grande train No. 5 was held
up near Malta and the express car
dynamited. It is not known yet how
much plunder was secured. The men
escaped. A posse is in pursuit.
his own weapons. It 'may 'be my turn
next. Quien' sabe? Don Miguel wil
listen to another plan?
"Go out among 'the people of Es
tancia. Ask them the name of ax
hombre witn whom Don Ygnacio ha,
ever broken his word. Ask them the
name of a man or woman to whom hl
has ever related a secret. Ask thenr
tne name of one, priest or other, tc
whom he has repeated a word 'fron
one p:erson' to another. Ask the Jesull
fathers whether Don Ygnacio has eve,
made confession to them-or to any
one. Ask all of these questions, and
then, if you find you can trust me,
your word is my law. I can and will
aid you. The government pledges you
honor, promotion and recognition.
The mine owners Iwill give you riches,
but I offer you my life to do with as
you Iplease until you shall have car
ried out the proper plan. Make no
mistake. I am not flattering to gain
favor. Ask any one if I flatter. I
speak rbluntly. You are under no
obligations to trust me. Think it
over."
Miguel thought, made inquiries-and
then sent for Ygnacio.
----
Out of the very rocks seemed to
come the news that Diablo Amarillo
would loot Ia Cruz mill, which is
located six days' travel from Estan
cia, by the slow4footed 'little pack ani
mals that stagger up through the vol
canic slide rook with their burden of
gold and silver bar. The mill is lo
cated now, as then, on the north bank
of the swift-flowing 'Mayo, two miles
from the mine and one mile 'above it.
Between the mill and the mine there
is a great chasm, and the gold-bear
-- J
Offered Castles a
Block of Stock
Suicide Had an Opportunity to Obtain
Guaranty Trust Shares Before
Harriman Bought.
1 NEW YORK, Sept. 16.-John B.
1 Castles, president of the Guaranty
Trust company, who committed sui
cide at the Grand Union hotel, was
buried today.
With reference to the Guaranty
Trust company and its relations to
Mr. Castles, Charles A. Peabody,
president of the Mutual Life Insurance
company of New York, said that last
autumn this company offered to sell
to Mr. Castles half its holdings of
stock in the Guaranty Trust company
at a price Mr. Castles thought too
high.
After considering he declined to
make the purchase and subsequently
the stock was sold to Mr. Harriman
at the same price at which it had been
previously offered to Mr. Castles.
1 Prior to the sale of the stock to Mr.
lHarriman, said Mr. Peabody, Mr. Cas
: tles had advised the Mutual Life of
I his proposed resignation as president
of the Guaranty Trust company.
ing quartz is sent down by means of a
suspended cable, which swings from
steel towers above the forest, and
over the great gulch, 1,600 feet deep-
the last span being nearly 2,000 feet
long. The loaded buckets going down
on one side bring the empties up on
the other by means of their greater
weight.
The manager of the mill, a strong
boned Englishman, was forcing the
plant. Orders from London required
an extra dividend for Christmas dis
tribution, and in order to accomplish
it the bullion had to leave the mine
the next day at noon to reach the
mint in time for assay and sale, to be
converted into sterling exchange and
sent on in triplicate to London.
Ygnacio would reach the plant at 11
o'clock the next morning with an ex
tra large force and twice the usual
inumber of (pack animals. The rumor
t that the reduction works were to be
looted had reached the manager, and
all the windows were guarded, and as'
fast as the molten metal was poured
into the moulds and cooled it was
placed in the sumnp of the mill-the
last place that any one would think
of looking for it. Then, if Diablo
Amarillo attacked and overpowered
them before the arrival of the bullion
train, Ygnacio would know where to
find the metal, for he had ,been told
in advance.
The terminal tender in the little
house on top of the mill' was watch
ing a flock of wild parrots slowly wing
ing their way 'to tihe east, forming a
gigantic letter S, when-his heart
seemed to freeze. Coming down
through one of the mountain passes,
over the mass of broken porphyry, he
saw the glint of the sunlight on the
barrels of a dozen rifles, and promptly
he pressed the electric 'button seven
times.
Down in the lower part of the mill a
great gong responded. A moment
later the stamps ceased to drop. The
machinery paused. The workmen
crowded to the windows.
They all watched the armed -men
come through the ,pass and disappear
into a deep gorge. Armed, the mill
men, reinforced by the night crew,
waited for the attack. The sierras to
the west, obstructing the light of the
setting sun, cast a great shadow over
the mill when a dark figure appeared
at the 'foot of the trail and called out:
"Buenos tardes."
A shout of joy went tip and a mo
ment later Don Ygnacio was fording
the stream followed. by his horde of
half naked, fully armed Indians, with
eighty-odd pack animals. He had
come a 'day ahead of time, to protect
the ¶plant from the rumored attack
of Diablo Amarillo.
At noon the next day, with the bul
lion strapped on' the animals and the
savages trailing ahead of the train,
to the warning cries of "matcho," and
"mula." Don Ygnacio ,waved his hand
with fine gravity, and shouting from
the opposite side of the river, "adois,"
disappeared from view. Three hours
later the men in the tower of the ,mill
saw the pack train winding its way
through the pass and cross to the
other side of the mountain.
-f
It. was late in the afternoon, five
days after this incident, than an In
dian runner came into Estancia, di
rect to the house of the presidente. A
few monments later a mozo crossed to
the casa of the jefe politico, who, with
the alcalde, hurried to the 'presiden'te's
residence. All Estancia was agog.
What was the matter? This runner
was from Don Ygnacio-Guadalupe,
the son of Roberto Ahumado; indeed,
he was well known in the.village.
Then the alcalde came out and all
Estancia was ordered within doors
and instructed not to leave before
dayli'aht the next morning. All Es
tancia obeyed, and wondering, watch
ed from the rooms behind the barred
windows, until night came and the
moon rose. While the shadow was
yet on the plaza they observed several
men carrying a litter, which was
placed before the bust of Juares.
Then, after throwing a blanket over
it, they retired. Wondering eyes
stared from the windows, and through
the long hours that followed, watched
for on the litter was .the form of a
man.
In the shadows that contrasted .o
sharply with the moonlight, long after
the cathedral bells had tolled the mid
night hour, a man and a woman moved
slowly across the open mpce, and
from the darkness of the houses, all
Estancia strained curious eyes. The
couple paused at the litter. The man
drew aside the blanket and the woman
cried softly.
Then, from all sides-they seemed
to emerge from the moonbeams, so
quietly did they come-men advanced,
until a dozen or more stood about the
couple, as yet unconscious of their
presence.
One, the presidente, spoke:
"You heard the drdeir?"
"What order, Don Miguel?" theman
asked.
"All have been ordered to remain
in their houses until daylight."
"I received no such order, Don
Miguel."
The presidente called to the al
calde:
"Do these people live here?" he
asked.
"SI, senor."
There was no need of further de
nial.
"Why did you come?' again asked
the presidente.
"Oh," answered the women, "it is
so sad that a young man should be
dead."
"How did you know he ,was young?"
* "I thought so, I---"
Turning to the old men he said:
"Explain."
The man was silent.
>fa To a soldier he said:
'.m "Take the man to the edge of the
and town and shoot him-take the woman
P- to prison."
et "No, no," she screamed, "he my
hwa husband, he is innocent. The boy
on he was my son. 'He was innocent.
ter He was too young to know, to under
stand. It was a mistake-my husband
ng- -he is all I have left. I will tell if
the you will save him."
red Later, in the ipresidente's officino,
die. she told the story of the plan to at
Lish tack the bullion train the day before,
ine of the battle that followed, in which
the her son lost his life, and of the flight
be in which nearly all of the band of
wd Diablo Amarillo had been wounded,
on. driven pell mell through one of the
11 gorges, and escaped.
ex- "And I know, even now, where they
are hiding, 'Don Miguel-and all, all I
nor twill tell, if you promise me my hom
bre."
'a bre."
Shortly after daylight, the house in
d which Diasblo Amarillo had taken
refuge was attacked, and the remnant
of the band stamped out by the sol
k diers, in the resistance that followed.
And all the next day tIe people of
Estancia honored Don 'Miguel.
'That night Ygnacio came.
"You have done, senor, what all the
1 officers of the law have failed to dq.
I congratulate you," said he.
"But the credit, Don Ygnacio, is due
to your strategy, your plan of luring
Diablo A(mariho by the stories your
circulated of the weakness of your
'following, the excessive bullion you
were to carry, of the manner in which
you plannet. through his own mem
bers to have the attack made at a
point of your own selection--all was
your plan, remember. I am not un
mindful. My part has been purely
administrative. I have wired my
friends my success, and to all I have
given you credit for your daring and
your skill, which is as it should be."
"In which you 'were more generous
than is usually the case of officers as
higth as you are, Don Miguel. But
even so, a wave of your hand, and you
could have stopped it all and no one
would, have blamed you. I marvel, if
you pardon me, at the sacrifice you
have made."
"Sacrifioe? Why, man, I-"
"Si, senor; you have gained wealth
and honor, and, you have lost a bride-
you sacrificed her to your duty. You
will understand that I know much,
senor, though I have said little. She
was innocent, and so her estimable
padre. They did not know that son
and brother was in fact Diablo Amar
illo himself and that the mine and the
mill he operated ,was a subterfuge
through which to market the bullion
he had stolen on the trial. That you
know, I could see the day you first
met him and I saw that you suspected
what I did, though he curled his lip
and sneered at your Iplan. I sym
pathize with you and congratulate
you, Don Miguel, for, though you have
lost a bride, for the killing of her
brother, you have ridded the Sierras
of a desperate character."
Miguel watched Ygnacio pass out of
the patio, and then he tore to pieces
a telegram he was about to send, re
signing the presidente of Estancia.
--
Ygnacio paused under the shadow
of the cathedral and laughed.
"Fool," he thought. "What if he
has sacrificed. Have I not sacrificed?
For he will be credited by the senorita
with having killed Jose, and she will
therefore lose a most estimable hus
band, and Don Juan will know, when
he hears my name, that it was I who
am responsible-and his life will be
blieihted. And I am revenged, and
that is as it should be, for I have
brought sorrow to his, house, even as
he brought sorrow to mine. But there
-vengeance belongs to the savage.
"Still," he reflected, "I am glad, for
tonight, at least, that d am a savage."
And he walked swiftly to his camp.
For Ygnacio had been one of Maxi
milian's trusted guards in the days of
the empire.