In 1909 I went to Puebla, to take charge of a large contract there, and came in contact with another kind of governor from our old friend Don Miguel Ahumada. He also was an old-time soldier (friend and supporter of Diaz), General Mucio Martinez, but as different from Colonel Don Miguel Ahumada as night is from day. Puebla was the most misgoverned state in the country, and the barefaced robbery and oppression openly carried on was a revelation to me. All the butcher business, public coaches, the best of the liquor business, and the theatre were in the hands of a clique headed by the governor. The _Jefe Politico_ had bought from the state the right to all fines. The effect of this was twofold; habitual offenders, drunks, thieves, ladies of the Vida Alegro, &c., were turned loose as soon as their friends paid the fines, and never got jail sentences because they were such a profitable source of revenue. They would soon err again, be rearrested, and fined once more. I was told that any policeman who did not make a certain number of arrests in the month lost his job. On the other hand, the casual offenders (more especially those with a trade) always got jail sentences, which they worked out on private jobs or contracts of the _Jefe Politico_. This man made a fortune in less than six years, and skipped for France when the revolution broke out. The _Jefe’s_ assistant, Colonel Cabrera, was the chief of police till killed by one of the members of the Serdan family at the outbreak of the revolution. I found this was the man who could either be of much assistance or annoyance to me on the contract, and I went to call on him to find out what could be arranged. I told him, in the course of conversation, that I needed three watchmen on the job, and he at once offered to get them for me. He asked as to pay, &c., and then sent me three of the city’s secret-service men, and, I presume, pocketed their pay, as he was more than friendly to me during the time I was there. On one occasion a man of some importance in the city walked across the fresh asphalt and one of my men spoke rather rudely to him about his lack of brains and culture. He promptly had my foreman arrested, and in the argument that followed two or three more of the men got arrested for taking the foreman’s part. As I was riding down the street I met them all on the way to the commissaria, and had the matter explained to me. I rode on ahead, and went to see Colonel Cabrera. When I had finished explaining the matter to him he called an assistant and told him to go down and tell the judge to turn my men loose as soon as they arrived without further investigation. I thanked him and went down to see the order carried out. When we arrived in the court-room the complainant was in the middle of his speech, and the assistant, instead of going up and whispering the order in the judge’s ear, said, in a loud voice, "Colonel Cabrera’s compliments, and you are to turn these men loose without