Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican, Vol. 2 of 2: A Historical, Geographical, Political, Statistical and Social Account of that Country from the Period of the Invasion by the Spaniards to the Present Time.Mayer, Brantz
History
Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican, Vol. 2 of 2: A Historical, Geographical, Political, Statistical and Social Account of that Country from the Period of the Invasion by the Spaniards to the Present Time.
We will not swell these tables by specifying each of the crimes for
which these 8861 individuals were incarcerated; but will merely note the
chief violations of law and the number of the respective offenders:
Men. Women. Total.
Robbery, 1,500 470 1970
Prostitution, adultry, bigamy, sodomy and incest, 312 179 491
Quarreling, wounding, 2,129 1,140 3,233
Rioting and bearing arms, 612 444 1,056
Homicide and attempt at ditto, and robbery and
homicide, 70 17 87
Rape and incontinence, 65 21 86
Forgery, 7 1 8
Gambling, 3 0 3
----
Total, 6934
High grades of crime, 6934
Misdemeanors, 1927
----
Total, 8861
====
$4,121 were expended for salaries in the Acordada; and $30,232 for the
maintenance of the prisoners. It should be stated, moreover that a large
number of the above criminals were committed and punished for throwing
vitriol on the dress and faces of persons in the street;--that 113 dead
bodies were found;--894 individuals sent to hospitals; and 17 executed
by the _garrotte_. The culprit who is sentenced to this mode of
expiating his crime is seated in a chair on the scaffold, whilst his
neck is embraced by an iron collar which may be contracted by a screw. A
sudden and rapid turn of the lever drives a sharp point through the
spinal marrow at the moment that the band closes around the throat and
strangles the victim.
NOTE.--In confirmation of all we have said in this chapter in
regard to the administration and condition of law in Mexico, and in
relation to the army, we refer to an able pamphlet published in
that country, in 1848, entitled "_Consideraciones sobre la
Situacion Politica y Social de la Republica Mejicaen el ano 1847_,"
written, we understand, by Don Francisco Lerdo. It presents a dark
picture of the country at that epoch; but the author's purpose was
to unmask the social and political diseases of his country, and his
patriotic task was the more needed because that country was on the
brink of ruin from war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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