Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-07
BLOOD VENGEANCE.
LAW AND CUSTOM CONCERNING THE
elooo-FEUDs OF PERSIA
The Square Of the Gun" In Tehersn-
some Peculiaritiss Of the Law-rhs
Results Of the Time Hon.
orsd Practice.
Foreign Letter.1

In the center of the town Of Teheran-
the seat Of government Of Nussir. Deem.
the King Of hings, the Asylum Of the
Universe-is q large square; 1t is called
the Square Of the Gun. The huge piece
Of ordnance that gives its name to ths
place is very like one of the cannon which
stand behind the horse guards Clustered
round it are group of weary. looking
men. They are murderers; safe for the
time being from the law generally even
from the ayenger Of blood; the place Is
bast or sanctuary. Under the shadow or
within touch Of this gun the murderer, even
the traitor. is safe. Let him once
leave this refuge, If only for few yards,
and the criminal will fall into the hands
Of the law or the clutch Of the avenger of
blood For in Persia the murderer has
not so much to fear the laws Of his coun-
of his victims relatives Blood has a
price. and the price must be paid, or the
criminal must be prepared to shed his
own The price Is not arbitrary: il is
fixed at 80 much for freed man, another
price for woman, another for a slave.
Nominally, and according TO the relig-
ious law. even the hairs of q mans beard
have price Gn camels) IL extracted by
violence And within the las twenty
years we have known q case of Mussui-
man who sent In q regular account In this
form to Eurpean:
To fifteen hairs from the head Of Rsjsb.
It's equivalent being fifteen camsis at 20
kerans:
-L05o kersns t42 pounds steriing). Please
pay bearer. Seal Of high prisst)
This document was quite IN legal form;
but as the aggrieved kejeb was unable to
produce any hairs. trihing present salts
fed him. So much for q tooth: SO much
for an eye; 90 much for each drop of
blood; finally. so much for Q life And
II the guilty person can not paw this
price, then his own life Is ct the n. cy of
the victims relatives Such is the law.
But it is point Of honor with the rela.
tives Of murdered man not to take
money If possible. but to exact their
are principally observed In the south of
Persia There, where every man is armed
to the teeth. blood feuds are common Il
must leave you here, sahib, exclaims
your guide, quite as matter Of course;
have blood feud with the next vii.
lage. and my life IL not safe beyond this
point Sometimes these -blood feuds"
remain unavenged for many years; the
guilty man wisely keeping out Of the reach
Of the avenger Of blood by remaining 10 Q
village where the other dare not show his
face on account Of the Nemesis awaiting
him also in that particular district.
Time sometimes. though rarely, heals
these feuds A man gets tired Of being
hunted. Of feeling that he may be shot or
stabbed or poisoned at any moment. and
he compromises; he gives the family of
his victim horse or money or so many
bags of dates. or perhaps even the hand
Of his daughter in marriage Or
perhaps q youth of 20 will shoot
down an aged man. the murderer
of his grandfather, whom perhaps be
has never seen; and, fleeing to the arms of
his delighted mother. will exclaim: Il have
avenged our bloodl'-thus bringing q
~blood- feud" on his own head. These
are some of the results of the universal
practice. in the south of Persia, of carry.
ing arms. 1t must be remembered, zoo,
that the murderer in these cases Is not
looked upon with horror; he is simply q
man who has done his duty North Of
Shiraz these blood feuds are uncommon;
and an Ispshsni would certainly prefer
the price. or. failing that. decent sum in
ash. to judicial revenge. As rule, in
the present day. q murderer is xecuted,
and never handed over to the tender mer-
cies of his victims friends, but legally the
relatives can themselves take the guilty
mans life