Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/646

626 Muñoz, taking upon himself control of the case, ordered the rearrest of those the viceroy had released on bail, and doubled the guards. Any suspicion, however slight, against any person would insure incarceration. To save themselves from possible accusation many turned informers. The infamous old man became rabid on the subject, and as he moved from place to place he saw conspirators everywhere. The jails becoming insufficient, he had some dungeons built, damp dark horrible places for human beings, and which still existed and bore his hated name in the seventeenth century.

The criminal trials were prosecuted with activity. Every circumstance, however trifling, was brought to bear heavily against the victims. The time allowed them for defence was short. The result of it was that the prisoners deemed it useless to attempt a defence, and an unjust sentence and its execution usually ended the case. On the 7th of January, 1568, were sentenced to be hanged and quartered for treason and attempted rebellion Juan Gomez de Victoria, Gonzalo Nuñez, and Cristóbal de Oñate, the last named being the one taken to and brought back from Spain. It was believed that the other two were innocent. On the 8th the three were executed, Nuñez and Victoria confessing their guilt, and Oñate retracting the falsehoods he had uttered in Madrid under fear of torture. He declared just before his