The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-05-26
STONED To DEATH.


Summary Justice Noted Out In the Bib
Mcal Manner In Afghanistan.
can eye for an eye and a tooth
FOR . tooth" The dictum of the old
law still holds good in Afghanistan,
says the Sheffield Telegraph. In fact,
the manners, customs and surroundings
Of the Afghans Of to-day might be pro-
totyped in the pages of the old tesla
ment as faithfully rs the life of the Is
raelites The Afghans are Mohamme-
dams, II is true, but their religion is
built ON old law lines and their social
life is as simple and patriarchal as when
the great lawgiver Moses ruled the des-
tin:cs Of the people of Israel.
For in Afghanistan of to-day oxen
tread out the corn and pillow the fields;
and the pillow itself is,sa counterpart of
the Mosaieal instrument. Corn is
ground in hand-1nills and a goatsl1in
serves as "water-bottle. Household
and farming utensils have changed
nothing during the centuries that have
elapsed since the Israelites tramped the
desert by the Red sea. In short, you
could find a series of s'tableaux vivants''
in the surroundings of Afghanistan of
to-day 10 I'LL up chapter by chapter the
scenes depicted in the old testament. 1t
is said that the Afghans are one of the
lost tribes, and certainly so far as
dogged adherence to Israelitish notions
is concerned they might be.
There is no installing the Mosaical
parallel as far as the social customs
present themselves; but was aston
ished one evening, during the Russian
scare, when I was on the Afghan from
tier, to see the very SINH litude of the old
law punishment of stoning to death put
in practice.
A yelling mob Of people came rushing
from all directions toward the outskirts
OF the village of Puckta, picking up
pieces OF stone by the way and piling
them In little heaps by their feet. l
thought at the time they were going to
have q pitched battle, with stones as
missiles But shortly a man came rum
ming forward, followed by a splitting,
hooting mob, shouting: 'sSagl Sagp'
(dog! dogi). The unfortunate runaway
evidently knew his fate, for his long,
earnest appeal to Heaven as he stopped
short and threw his arms up was but
the preliminary to his fearful fate-his
final appeal for mercy on his soul, for
from that bowling mob he well knew
he need expect none.
The man had scarcely time to finish
his invocation, when from all directions
literal shower of stones fell on him.
For moment he swaycd to and fro
under the onslaught. Soon the terrible
shower had battered him into iellied,
bloOd-bespattered mass, his very clothes
showing great rents through which the
blood found vent and spurted freely.
He wavered for moment with his chin |
bobbing his chest, and then, after
doubling up at the knees and middle,
fell in a heap, dead.
Still the bowling mob continued their
terrible fusillade of stones until around
the already .lifeless body cairn was
formed, completely covering in the
corpse. And then the mob clapped
their hands, crowed, and went their
way. THAT dog is done for" said
they. Done for Yes, it was terrible
doing; for there under the heap of
stones the mans nerves and muscles
'till vibrated in their post-death
struggle, causing the stone heap to rise
Ind fall as if in labor with thing of
life; rose and fell in their horrible
,arturition for few moments until the
Of nerve and muscle ceased,
md all was still. "Consummatum est" I
The murderer of Afphanistan has
'reathed his last and his jacet is writ ]
en- around the tombstone in those blood
narks that bespatter the ground about
is grave cairn.
SIMULATED VIRTUE.
- V~Iua ~ uvcoo-;.u -. - c.t., {,