THE ATTILA OF MEXICO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1415, 16 April 1912, Page 2

THE ATTILA OF MEXICO.

ZAPATA. AX AMAZING CAREER. One day in December, 1010, there es« leral Mndt-roV camp in northern Sonora a modest-look! n<; chap by the name of Ziipata. Xeveithelcss, the sloucniness, the laziness, the stupidity and cowardice of tho average Mexican were .absent from Ill's make-up, and Madoro decided (o let hint have a try. So he pent him down south willi a f eiv of followers, and ' t' l ' , . »exl tiiorniiiß avoko to find his erstwhile caller famous. Znpata hail routed ■ (lie forces of Diaz und was oil' on » triumphant tear. Through the States of JLiiins, Guerrero, and Oasaca he darted in almost as many days, and before tho week was up Zapata was coinmonlr referred to in the Governmental as ' Ihe "Scourge" and the Attila of Mexico, And it any ono •■insurgent" was respons- ■ ible for the- resignation of Diaz, that ono, ■ says Richard Harry in "Harper's Weekly," was Zapata. Afterwards, we readi When peace; had been declared, Mndcro sent word to ZapuU to lay down his arms. Zapata's answer was to ride into (he little town of Xuatill at the head of • a band of lawless men who could never have been called anv,;inny save by the 1 euphemism of a (' "ate politician, ■ rout the small I'edera garrison, loot tin 1 stores, and kill all who opposed him, at ' well us a number of iitiiocent Mexicans who merely happened to have the ill luck to get in the path of the invaders' ■ bullets. Shortly after tin's, on May 27, Diaz, who in his prime would have known how to deal promptly and cfTcclivcly with such'a desperado, left the shores of his troubled country. A week later his successor entered the city of Mexico as a private citizen and took up an unofficial residence, from which, ostensibly, ho passively awaited tlie outcome of (lie full elections, but from which, in fact, hn issued the executive orders and made the proprietary appeals which, after his inmißurntioji, issued constantly from the Presidential palace. One of Madoro's first moves was to send for Zapatn, who promptly cumo into Hie city (o «<> him,' "Dun Pmiclio" Ya popular derivative of Mr. Francesco, which is Madero's first name) "implored —to use the phrase of his vociferous journalistic applauders—Zapata to ceaso fighting and lay down his arms, and he promised that if this were done the young leader should have a substantial place in the Government forces onco the elections were over. Zapata agreed to ail that he was "implored" to do, but, before 'ie left the city, ho induced Madero U. advance him 30,000 pesos (about 15,000 dollars). This i advance was from Madcro"s private funds, . as ot that time ho had no legal way of . reaching (lie public exchequer. Within ; a fortnight "the hordes of Zapata," as , they have ever since been cfilled by tho. Mexican yellow press, were loose again, and the "Attila of (he South" had begun ! his newer and mo'e glorious career. ■ ; The follov:;ng story was told b,v •a; I wealthy mine-o , .ner who was lucky to es- : • cape from Z> t >nte with anything'on his ; back at all As tho story runs: j He was atting one hot summer day in his office, when ho saw a group of horsc- ! men approaching up the road. By their . ragged formation he knew they were not ruralcF, and tho plentiful banderillos of cartridges'which were strung about their '. persons apprised him of their character as' bandits. He- reflected that lie was alono j with a single assistant, and rcsulved to parley with them instead of retreating to his house and .barricading himself from i within. In front of (he office the leader disi mounted and entered alone. It w'as i Zapata. In the most polite manner possible, and after the most courteous greetings, the bandit pleaded I lie poverty of his "patriotic" cause, and informed Hifl mine-owner that, as a loyal friend of the revolution, he was expected to "contribute,'six thousand pesosj..in, fact, that was • the amount • which he had been cally as possible,-called Zapivta s attention to the'fact that the revolution was over, that Mexico was supposedly at peace, and added that, aiiyway, he did not possess six thousand pesos. . Whereupon Zapata beckoned to two uf his men, who approached, dragging their rifles carelessly along tho path. Then, ignoring the remark about the alleged peaceful slate of tho country, the bandit politely inquired what sum of money the "Americano" felt he would like to "contribute." The owner replied (hut he would gladly give all that he possessed, Which was (wenty-threo hundred pesos (1150 dollars). With a smile which was half a scowl, Zapata said he would accept this "trifling" sum. The mineowner then invited him into the house, opened his safe in the presenco of the bandit, and permitted him to sec that it contained only (wentythreo hundred pesos, which were duly handed over. After carefully disposing of this on his own person, while his followers greedily watched him, Znpafa "requested" the American to mount his horse, which was tethered back of his house, and follow the baud. Knowing it was useless (o resist, . and hoping that he might yet escape by some, use of his - vits, the mine-owner accepted what had been offered as a "io-; quest," the denial of which would doubtless have meant his instant extinction. That, night tho American slept in the bandit camp, a dozen miles away in (ho hills. In tho middle of the nijht he overleard two of the bandils whispering: "What will you do with him after you kill him?" asked one. "Cut out his heart and take it: (o :ny old woman." "What for?" "She'll cook it." "Wretch," replied tho second bandit. "You are too much like a soft Gringo. Eat it raw!" The lnine-.wsipv knew that this was & commonpl.i:e und serious conversation among primitive men whose ancestors had heeii savages, and who now, in anarchical upheavU, were reverting to type. Fortunately, however, ho also know that they were children as well as siwago?, and could be diverted if he could but properly appeal to their irresponsible instincts. In the early ibiwn ho called for Zapata, and told him he possessed two marvellous lighting-cocks which he- had long boon preparing for comb it en the cominpr Sunday. Zapata instantly was eager to get tho cocks, and the immediate followers who oi-'jiiieard the conversation quickly forgot, apparently, their intention of murder, or at least postponed it. Zapata offered to have some of his men go back with tho American and get the cocks. Tliev were alwul to start, when, as an efterthought, tho American turned back to tho leader and said that he would not reveal the whereabouts of his cocks unless the bandit chief asrrecd to let him nIT with his life; and he thereupon revealed (Imt he- had overheard tho conversation of tho night befire. Tho Mexicans who overheard this laughed immoderately, rather pleased with tho "Americano's" shrewdness. Zapata put tho question to a vote rtmonerhis men, and they unanimously agreed to let (he Grinjo live if he woduced two nood game-bird*. That he had given up bis money had not mollified them, but if be was willing to give , up his fiKhting-cocks oud at tho snme lime was cli'vpr enough to demand his life in pxcliniiTp for them they weir more than picafed. ~, In fact, he returned, under eworl, with (ho cod;?, Mayel and «\i(che<l Hie cnsiiin" ficlit. in which one wns killed, and then. b?forn ho departed on his wny for the city of Mexico, Zapnt.i opened a bottle of chair,;i;u',iii> and drank his health,