The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-01-08
4 TragicaI Love Story from Siam.

The official beheading of Pra Peccha,
a prominent dignitary of Siam, as an
nounced yesterday in a dispatch from
! Singapore, says the New York Times, is
very singular proceeding and the
| causes leading to it are so remarkable
| as to be worthy of mention. The cir
cumstances, as narrated in private let
/ ters from Bangkok, are substantially
Fthese: Thomas G. Knox, until recently
| British Political Agent aud Consul-Gen-
eral, stationed at the capital, had re-
sided there for many years in an official
capacity, having married, soon after
going to IndO- China, a native woman,
who bore him two children, both
daughters. They were educated in
England. One Of them is represented
as particularly bright and attractive, and
after returning to her own country she
was greatly admired and had many
suitors Some months ago the young
woman, who had probably reached the
age of twenty or thereabOut, astOnished
or enraged- her father by elOping with
Pra Peccha, and coming back fast mar
ried according to Thai law and Buddhist
form, Consul Knox who had intended
her for the British matrimonial market
was so incensed at her husband that
he formerly complained to the native
government of Peccha's connubial mis-
demeanOr, which, in his wrath, he is
said to have pronounced violation of
international law, a heinOus political
crime, a deadly affrOnt to John Bull, as
represented IN his proper person, and a
direct assault on the British constitution.
Hyperbolical and absurd as such as
sumption was, it is not unfrequently
the method adopted by British officers
abroad when dealing with people whom
they are pleased to consider but half
civilized. The Siamese Government
seemed to regard Peccha's offense as Sc
riously as the British Consul had done.
It ordered the new husbands imme-
diate arrest and trial on the gravest
charges, high treason, we believe, being
one of them; and, in due time, he was,
to the amazement and horror of his
father-in-law and his bride, condemned
to death. This was much more than
the British Consul had bargained for
Notwithstanding his wrath, he did not
think that a runaway match deserved
capital punishment, and he swore by
his consular seal and the established
church that the sentence should not
be carried out. The Government,
however, continued firm as TO its
decision, whereupOn Knox threatened it
with the vengeance of his nation, de-
! claring that he would order up the Brit
! ish gunboats lying near the mouth of
! the Meinam River, and cause the bonn
bardment Of Bangkok unless the SEN
tence was revoked. The menace was,
as may be supposed, idle, intended
merely TO intimidate the King and his
cabinet. But they would not be intimi-
dated, aud soon after Knox was recalled
by his Government. This is the way
the story is told by the English and
Americans in Siam, but it is not at all
likely that Pra Peccha has been behead
ed simply for his elopement. He must
have been found guilty Of more mo-
mentous offenses to justify such extreme
measures. Still, as Siam is an absolute
monarchy, the Government can do what
it likes without accountability to its sub
iects The whole thing, as reported
here, is most extraordinary, and but for
its tragic termination, would read Ike
the Iibretto Of an opera bOuffe. If
man can be officially beheaded for mar
| rying a pretty girl in Siam, matrimony,
especially under romantic aspects, viii
scarcely be regarded there with encours
aging favor.