The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-22
THE BURMESE HORROR.

Last week the STATESMAN published
dispatch from LSndon reporting that
seven hundred men, women, boys and
girls had been burned at the Burmese
capital to propitiate the evil spirits. La
ter news, however, states that they were
not burned TO death, but were buried
alive. 1t seems that in that delectab.e
country that when city is built hu-
man sacrifices are offered up, and as a
new monarch has to have new capital
these sacrifices occur every time q
new man assumes control of sffairs
But King Theebau on his access
sion to the throne, neglected to
have new capital, and the cheer
fal spirits were disguised and the as
trologers declared it was necessary TO
offer up seven hundred lives - calm
their irritsted feelings, and King Thee
bau ordered the sacrifices to be made.
The scene of this fanatical outrage is
country in Burmah, country of Far
ther India. 1t is fertile and ebOunds
IN rich metals and gems. The people
are said to he quiet, industrious, and
not altogether uncultiTated, and are
remarkable in ship building, and in
carving and working all kind of metals
The prevailing religion Is Buddhs, and
the country is dotted with a great
number OF temples and pagodss. The
government is an absolute despotism,
aud the late King Mindone Min YVES
one of the most villaiuous and much
married old rep-obates that ever ruled
over people. He had half a hundred
or more wives and nearly two hundred
children, and the only good thing he
ever did for his country was when he
concluded 10 die. After his death,
Theebau, youth about twenty
years of sge, was proclaimed King,
aad on his accession to The throne
cheerfully proceeded toIorm ministry
OF his own, composed mainly OF youths
Of his own age. Recognizing, how
sEer, that he hsd no titleto the throne,
he proceeded to get rid of possible RI
ysls by the simple plan OF killing all
his relatives, which he did by having
the victims lei from their cells in twos
and threes to shsfk0 to the King; then
their heads were tied to their respec-
tive pairs of ankles. and blows with a
heavy club on the backs Of their necks
endeds their misery. But this soon
proved too mild spectacle for the
cheerful Thee5au. .Oae Of his elder
brothers professed utter seorn for what
could be done TO him, and was fl leged
TO death. Another, who had looked
upon the foreigners as the dirt beneath
his feet aud as utterly unworthy to
crawl between heaven and earth, was
tainted ard driven to madness before
receiving a haG-fated blow, aud his
writing body was then thrown
into the gigantic trensh dug to
receive the dead. A former Governor
of Rsngoon had his nose and mouth
6ned with gunpowder, mstch was app
piled, aud he was also fang into the
trench, to be stuffed BY the succeeding
bodies. one yohng girl of sixteen was
pitched INTO the same heSying grave
after having suffered every outrage
which could be devised b5 eight sol
dierz Of the guard. One princess VA
Lcat ia two. and her husband Was called
n see his wife and child before he died,
The massacre wss carried on in thu
leisurely fashion until Theebsa and th,
execunoneEs wearied of the sport thel
the women were simply battered owe
the head and the children wers swung
against ne palace walls- This accom
r'sshed. Theebau iereaely settled dow
70 resi- business and ran bis governmen