BURNT ALIVE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 17, Issue 58, 24 July 1906, Page 2

BURNT ALIVE.

- * TRAGIC DEATH OF A FAMOUS SPANISH BEAUTY* * In the midst of the charming annual procession of El Entierro do la Sardina, in Murcia recently, the beautiful daughter of General P. Manzares do Cortojon, posing as Tlacchantc, was burned to death before the eyes o( thousands, by the explosion of the automobile on which she rode.

The sight was such a shock to the citizens of that ancient city that the procession was broken up and will probably never bo hold again. The spectacle occurred in the centre of the Plaza, from which the three main avenues extend to the three great gates in the city walls. During Lent the people of Spain got very tired of a steady diet of fishand every year on the first Wednesday after'Lent they celebrate “El Entierro de la Sardina’’ —the burial of the sardine—-with a mixture of great jubilation and solemnity. The ceremony has its religious signification, being the end of Lent as well as the joyful beginning of Spring and the end of numerous penances and irksome customs of which the fish diet is typical. Being a national holiday, not only the citizens of the town but most of the countiy folks of the valley of the Segura and miners and tradesmen from all parts of the province of Mucia crowded the sidewalks, buildings and stands of the Plaza. Although the procession is of a festive almost Bacchanalian order the Church' had its place, as in all events of any consequence in Spain. Several representatives of the Bishop of Cartagena, bearing a massive silver crucifix, were at the end of the first half of the procession, of .which, the second half was almost wholly floats. The Bishop'himself was almost in the centre of the great reviewing stand in front of the two convents beside the ancient cathedral. In front and on both sides of him were about 200 young wfmien. Many, of these were nuns from the convents : the others for the most part were about to enter them. Another stand directly opposite held as many more. These wore young girls being educated in the many convents scattered over the province, and were enjoying one of their rare glimpses of the world. '

The troops had' marched by and several bands, the fishermen, a company or two of Cervera’s veteran sailors, and a number of local organisations, followed by the silk weavers, hatters, glove makers and saltpetre workers of the city. Scattered throughout were clowns and dancers who howled and sang and joked as they passed. The spectators were in the state of joyous enthusiasm which the first hot- d&ys of their early spring usually brings to the people of Southern Spain. The people shouted and clapped until at the end of the first half of the pagent the black-robed priests •with the glittering crucifix swaying above them appeared in the square. They advanced to a spot in front of the Bishop. Then the procession halted. The priests kneeled on either side of the crucifix, and the Bishop rose from his seat and commenced prayer. The howls and catcalls quickly died away and the devout Spanish spectators bent their heads and gazed at the crucifix. The first of the floats could just be seen behind the priests. There was a commotion among the floats and a thrill of admiration among those who noticed, for the great Bacchante float was creeping to the front. THE BACCHANTE GAR.

This was the feature of the pageant and had been talked of for weeks. Most of the other floats were drawn by horses, but this massive creature was propelled by a Herman gasoline automobile. A great tower of vines, leaves, grapes and flowers, and gleaming white and green effects and tinsel, was built above and around the machine, which was completely hidden by its load of wax and paper and other inflammables. Concealed in the rear was the chaffour, who steered and manipulated the engine in crowded quarters and with but a poor view of the road. In flesh-coloured tights and a filmy, glittering robe stood the prettiest young wpman of Murcia, the Senorita Mercedes do Cortejon, posed somewhat like Macmonnics’s Bacchante. '

i That the beautiful Mercedes, daughter of Weyler’s old general *in Cuba, consented to do such a spectacular tiling was due to a general petition signed by almost everybody and presented to her stern old father. The Don agreed, for it is a great honour to be the Bacchante, who, custom demands, must be the most beautilul maiden of Murcia.

There is often difficulty in decidingjust who deserves the apple of beauty but in this case there was absolutely none. ' There is a style of beauty which every Spaniard has read about which once was quite common in Spain, but now is found only in some of the oldest of noble families, and even then but rarely. It is a blonde type, and represents the last drops of the Gothic blood which for centuries after the invasion showed forth strongly in Spain’s greatest men and most beautiful women. Now all Spaniards are UarH*. Mercedes

"was tTßrmny- womerr t>r tnir typer th Murcia, as every peasant knew. Nobody but Mercedes would have satisfied them. The float bearing this beautiful idol of the Province zig-zagged slowly from one curb to the other, advancing "nearer and nearer to the space between the stands where the priests were praying. The girl still maintained her pose, but moved her head slightly, as if to look behind her and see what was the matter with her chauffeur. The machine sputtered and shook, and was not behaving properly, as every one in the great square saw, but nobody was prepared for what followed. The driver, unable to stop or reverse his machine, tried to steer it slowly past the kneeling priests. Suddenly the machine increased its speed and smoke rolled out behind, and in the midst of it was the chauffeur, who had deserted the car. He scrambled to his feet, pointed to the car, and shouted, but his words were drowned sin an explosion. The gasoline tank under the forward part of the car blew up, and sent the flaming fluid over the street in all directions. The paper and wax formed a blazing barrier about the Bacchante, and a wall of flame from the pavement surrounded the car as it slowly came to a stop between the two stands full of terrified women and girls. The priests, with the crucifix tottering above them were driven back by the fire, and the Bishop became dumb with horror. Spanish men and women who would gladly watch death in the bull arena, fainted or turned away their heads from the death struggles of the girl. Others with wild cries leaped over one another in their rush to the rescue, for there wore plenty who were ready to risk their lives for the last of the Gothic blood in Southern Spain. But nobody was near enough The death struggle occupied only a few seconds probably, though many of the nearest of the eye-witnesses say it was several minutes. Mercedes was seen plainly running wildly about the car seeking for an opening in the envelope of flame, which was rapidly closing in on her. Apparently her presence of mind came to her quickly, and she mounted the.bulwark of burning flowers and vines with the intention of jumping to the pavement. But the filmy robe she wore over her tights caught fire and blazed up and she slipped back into the car, where she was speedily overcome by the heat.

The first of the rescuers were blinded and driven back by the roaring gasoline. Finally two miners, in Spite of many burns, succeeded in dragging out the girl’s blackened remains. The old general, fighting Ins way to the scene at this point, was restrained only with the greatest difficulty from running his sword through the chauffeur who had deserted the car. The terror among the nuns and convent girls drove many of them temporai’ily insane. All thoughts of continuing the procession or of celebrating the rest of the day’s programme was abandoned, the procession was broken up and in its stead a riot took place as the news of the chauffeur’s desertion spread. The police, howeper, succeeded in protecting the man, who was a foreigner, until the troops who had paraded were marched to the 'scene and rescued the prisoner. He ,was hastily sent out of'the province. '—“New York American.”