Death in Old Mexico
The 1789 Dongo Murders and How They Shaped the History of a Nation

An evocative history of colonial Mexico's 'crime of the century' and its lasting impact on the new Mexican nation in the nineteenth century.

Nicole von Germeten (Author)

9781009261500, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 9 March 2023

286 pages
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.8 cm, 0.46 kg

'One of the best recent additions to a growing number of microhistories of crime in colonial Latin America, [this book] stands out for its page-turning narrative flow, the extensive research behind it, and the evocative sense of Mexico City that readers will discover within its pages.' Mark W. Lentz, Hispanic American Historical Review

In a Mexico City mansion on October 23, 1789, Don Joaquín Dongo and ten of his employees were brutally murdered by three killers armed with machetes. Investigators worked tirelessly to find the perpetrators, who were publicly executed two weeks later. Labelled the 'crime of the century,' these events and their aftermath have intrigued writers of fiction and nonfiction for over two centuries. Using a vast range of sources, Nicole von Germeten recreates a paper trail of Enlightenment-era greed and savagery, and highlights how the violence of the Mexican judiciary echoed the acts of the murderers. The Spanish government conducted dozens of executions in Mexico City's central square in this era, revealing how European imperialism in the Americas influenced perceptions of violence and how it was tolerated, encouraged, or suppressed. An evocative history, Death in Old Mexico provides a compelling new perspective on late colonial Mexico City.

Introduction
Part I. Murder: 1. The scene of the crime
2. The Dongo house
3. October 23, 1789
Part II. Context: 4. The setting
5. The viceroys
6. The judiciary
Part III. Justice: 7. Investigations
8. The drop of blood
9. Confessions
Part IV. Characters: 10. Dongo
11. Rogue lives
12. Motive: honor
Part V. Consequences: 13. Ceremonies of death
14. Punishment
15. Law enforcement reform
Part VI. Interpretations: 16. Violent city
17. Omens
18. Artifacts
Part VII. Texts: 19. The anonymous account
20. The Dongo massacre in texts
21. Two Dongo novels
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Legal history [LAZ], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], History of the Americas [HBJK]