A TOWN GONE MAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10571, 18 January 1896, Page 6

A TOWN GONE MAD.

Tho New York World publishes intelligence from Pachucha, Mexico, stating that at a email town named Texacapa 10 persons have been burned as heretics by the order of the auxiliary town jtidge, who claims that he was Rctipg according to the will of God manifested ia a vision. As soon sb the news reached Mollango, ths principal town in the district, the municipal president and minor officials, with an escort of 60 men, armed with rifles, proceeded to Texacapa, where they found everybody in fae public, square executing grotesque dances aroimd the ruins of the gaol in honour of tho Virgin of Guadalupo. The judge related tha dstai's of hia actiou with great sang-froid, aad naid that he w;is nnaware of haviug done any wrong. He claimed that God had worked miracles to confkin what a saint had told him in a vision, and had ordered him to execute tile heretics. " I obeyed the Divine command,"he continued, " and ordered out tho alguaciles (constables). They took the sinners fr«u their beds, and dragged them in tfce darkceas, weeping and wailing, to the gaol. Thera they were locked in security, and I gave' orders that the aiguaciles should set the building on fire. The heretics were filled with fear, and shouted for mercy, but Heaven's will had to bs done, and they were consumed to the bones, and ths vengeance of Heaven was averted from our community." Twenty-one arrests were mids in connection with the affiir, and although a fanatic mob threatened dsath to the authorities, the prisoners were securely bound aad marched to 23ollaugo, where a judicial investigation was hold. The entire papulatign of Tcxacapa appears to be under tha influence of unreasoning and insane excitement, for all the inhabitants believe that the auxiliary judge was commissioned by the Almighty aud saints to destroy the evildoers. In support of thi3 contention they point to the pile of bones on which they profess to see the forms of saiuts miraculously traced ia outline.