Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-17
THE EBA ".
The Burmese DespOt Who Was Re.
ported Dead a Few Days Ago, hut
Has Since Proved to be Alive.
York Tines>l

The Burmese DespOt Who Was Re-
ported Dead a Few Days Ago, hut
Has Since Proved to be Alive.
New York Times
A cable dispatch announced that on Thurs
day that the King of Burmah "a country In the
southeast OF ASIA between India and China
and south OF Thibet had died OF smallpox. ami
the usual tribute to departed worth is now 10
justice to the memory OF this incOnceivabie
brute as the usual sources OF information are
completely silent about him. but few facts
from various sources or information Between
his birth, about 1858. and the death OF his
l End M NJ DO ,a Min In 1873 hothing is
his accession to the throne exactly known,
ior the reason that at the time of his
fathers last illness proclamation was made that
whoever said the King was dead should have
his tongue cut out. Approximately, the date of
Mlndone Minis death Is the middle OF Septem-
Der, 1875: He left behind him a Ministry who
ana 10 nominate the King themselves. Their
candidate was the subject of this sketch. and.
Id me name OF their deceased King. they issued
a mandate declaring him Ain Shay Mid or
DWeller In the Eastern House. which being in
terpreted means heir apparent. His 1ualiIica-
llons We're set forth In the statement that he
dynasty, which is connected IinealIy With the
ThagiWan race, which had it's origin In King
lk1a Mokha, OF the most .puissanG Maha Tha-
mazda line, the real offspring of the SUI" and
that he had finished his .'edIcatiOn and passed
three tirst-class examinations. with degrees OF
honor In the three Pltagats, thereby gaining ard
temp and spiritual, rendering him replete
Win WISDOM manly power. and mental ability"
win much more to The same effect.
~ was not till oct g. 1878, tina the ,e willy
the Theebaw (or.Thebau Prince as he has
been generally called, then became Thathira-
mahaopamma-ra "a. b Most Glorious Excellent
Majesty Lord OF the Ishaddan. King of Ele-
plants, Master OF Many White Elephants Lord
OIL the Mines of Gold, Silver, Rubies. Amber,
and the Noble Serpentine, Sovereign OF the EN-
other Great Empires and Countries. and of all
the Cmbrella-Wea.ing Its the Supporter of
Religion. the Sun Descended Monarch, Arbiter
o: Life. and Grt at Righteous King, King OF
Kings, and PosSeSsOr of BouncieSS DominiOns
and.Supreme Wisdom.
Al that time he was a tall, we'll built, person.
able young man, OF smooth. olive complexion
with good forehead, clear. steady bright black
eyes, firm but pleasant mouth a full. sensual
chln, and VIII all his own OF this last charac-
calling him for short-speedily gave unms-
taxable proofs. The ministers who had ad-
vahced him. among the youngest of Mindone
MIN. INNS sons over his elder brothers were within
three months imprisoned in the Royal stables,
there to mediate upon the facts that cOnstitu.
t1onal reform Is a tickliSh and risky UNDER
taking when all the traditions OF the tn one
are I'D sc OF abSolutlSm, and that q very slight
taste or power Is sufficient under such circllm-
stances, to transform beardesS, pltable boy
into the worst type of an absolute monarch.
Instead OF these advisers OF his father he sur
rounded himself with men, or boys. OF his O n
age and tastes. and the palace became the scene
OF orgies conducted absolutely without restraint
Another or TheeoaW'S acts immedi tey after
his acct SSlo1 was to secure himself against pal-
acepiotS by the simple process of killing all his
relatives. A better idea OF what this means can
be gained by considering that the CAV Old mon
arCn had ti1ty-three wives and 40 children OF
whom thirty seven wives and fifty-nine children
survived him. IL is Impossible to say how many
oI tEeSe plotntrS sisters. ana Step-motherS-So
TO speah-Were killed, but eighty is a fair com
promise estimate. Ii must not be imagined that
they were disposed of with any sentimental
tenderness AT first the victims were led from
their cells Ia tWoS and thrceS to Shehh0 to the
King: then their heads were tied to their reSpec-
tive pairs OF uncleS, and blows with heavy
club on the backs OF their necks ended their
misery. But this soon proved too mild a Specta-
Gle for The fendiSh malgnity OF TheebaW One
OF his elder brothers protested utter scOrn for
what could be done to him. and was logged 10
death. Another, who had looked upon foreign
erS as the dirt beneath his feet. and as utterly
unworthy to crawl between heaven and earth.
was tainted and driven to madness before re,
ctiv1Dg half-fatal blow and his writing body
was then thrown into the gigantic trench dug
TO receive the dead. A former governor of Ran,
goon had his nose and mouth filled with gun
powder, match was applied, and he was also
lung into the trench to be stined by the sue
ceedlpg bodies. One young girl OF Is was
pitched into the same heaving grave after hav-
ing suffered every outrage which could be de-
vised by eight soldiers of the guard. One preg-
nant princess was cut in two, and her husband
was called to see his wife and child before he
died. The massacre was carried on in this lei
surely fashion until Theebaw and the execu-
TONERS wearied OF the sport; then the women
wee simply battered over the head, and the
CHILDREN were swung against the palace walls
AT last the victims were all killed, and the re-
VClt1ng spectacle was over, but TheebaW's
plan-one not unusual In Burmah-WaS not
successful. for the reason that at least three OF
his blood escaped. and one OF them will prob
ably succeed him. lie Is even possible that in
ste ad OF dying natural death he has, after all
fallen victim TO the plots of half-brother,
In few months Theebaw'S appearance gave
urmistaka6ie evidence that the passions can
lot be freed from restraint with impunty, His
face became pulled and bloated hiseyes seemed
sunken and dead. and his physiOgnomy gen
orally repulslve and unwholeSome seemed to
give unmlstakable prophecy OF his early de-
cease. What kind OF an administration his was
may De imagined from the fact that his last de.
wee Tor ralslng money was a system OF lotteries
aha bis Ministers We're received into favor in
proportion TO their success as managers This
Investments. and the community became so
deMOraliZed that trade stopped, drawings were
L6lC even On Tie CObJhdyS Or Old fashioned
sacred days, and DamayOna-a place OF worship
and pray er-wt.S selected and used as a lottery
cf1lce by one OF the WOordOnkS. Strangely
enough, Theebaw's taste in dress was USUALLY
simple, sometimes consisting merely OF a robe
1alliIg 10 the feet, yellow putSoc or kilt-iike
WalSt-cloth, and White linen Jacket. Fixed
into his young, or topknot in which the Bur-
mese tie their hair he liked 10 wear a ragnifi
cent spray OF diamonds. and one OF his sapphire
rings Is spoken or as worth a Kings RANSOM,
The area or Burmah is 1872 900 square miles and
lis population 3,50OO 600. The revenue OF thp
King IS CISCO zoe, with perquiSitS enough to m lkn
out the even million.