MASSACRED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 21 April 1906, Page 13

MASSACRED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO.

News reached ILos Angeles on March 23ri of the murder of five members of the faultily of Pedro Sleza, Presidente of La Bura, fn Sonora. Mexico, were massacred by Indians within a few miles ft their homes, and bodies left in the roadway between Ortiz and La Dura until a sufficient number of Mexican troopG could be sent to overawe ttae raiding ourla-ws and bring - in their victims.

Three members of the Mfeza family survive. They are the baby son of Pedro Meza, named after his father, and two young daughters. These ■children had been left at home in La Dura when the rest of the family drove in carriage to Gnaymaa. Returning, the party attfpped at Ortiz. Here, it is said, they learned of the presence of a band of ugiy Yaquis in the Los Otates mountains, and near Otates pass, through which they wauid have to travel to reach Iα Dura, and the mining camp. The worst of the soi'ge was passed, and they had entered the wider valley when, from every ledge and mound of debris, came the crack of rifles and spurts , af flame and smake.

The men charged desperately up the slopes, calling upon their heads a rain of lead to «Irv«rt the fire from those tSey were bounds to proteei. There- they fell, with feheir tacea to taieir unseen; foe; The last desperate stand of the survivora was made in the shelter of the vjvertnrned cansagee, and they fought back, dying, but stilt fighting- to tne Tast, knowing- that tftere was na mercy for their dear; ones, except death.

Then followed" stillness, while front first « pack, tttaa tftm a"-«tfavfce,'er from a pile of rußblsh, rose a . redskin, who rushed from eotec ittte the valley to seize ■with, I cites «t triumph .th* bloodstain** robes