The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-06-09
MOHAMMEDAN JUSTICE.
Stoning to Death Still Practiced
Among the Atghans.
The Terrible Punishment Melted Out to
= CrIminal-Pelted with Stones
by = Howling and Pitl-
less Mob.

IAN eye for an eye and a tooth for a
TOOTH" The dictum of the old law
still holds good in Afghanistan. In
fact, the manners, customs and sur
roundings Of the Afghans of to-day
might be prototyped in the pages of the
Old Testament as faithfully as the life
of the Israelites.
The Afghans are Mohammedans, it 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-
TIMES of the people of Israel.
For in Afghapistan of to-day oxen
tread out the corn and pillow the fields,
and the pillow itself is a counterpart of
the Mosaical instrument. Corn is
ground in hand mills, and goatskin
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
''tableaux vivants" in the surroundings
of Afghanistan to-day to fill up chapter
by chapter the scenes depicted in the
Old Testament.
1t is said that the Afghans are of the
lost tribes, and certainly as far as
logged adherence to Israelitish customs
is concerned, they might be.
There is no mistaking the Mosaical
parallel as far as the social customs
present themselves; but I was aston
ished one evening, says writer in the
Sheffield Telegraph, during the Russian
scare, when 1 was on the Afghan
frontier, to see the very similitude of the
old law punishment of stoning to death
put in practice.
A yelling mob of people came rush.
ing from all directions towards the out
skirts of the village of Puclta, picking
up pieces of stone by the way and pill
ing them up in little heaps by their feet.
thought at the time they were going to
have a pitched battle with stones as
missiles. But shortly man came
rushing forward, followed by splitting,
hooting mob, shouting: ''Sag! Sag!"
(dogl dogD
The unfortunate runaway evidently |
knew his fate, for his long. earnest ap-
peal to Heaven as he stopped short and
nary to his fateful fate-his final appeal
for mercy on his soul, for from that
bowling mob he well knew he need ex-
pect none.
The man had scarcely time to finish
his invocation, when from all direc-
lions literal shower of stones fell on
him. For moment he swaycd to and
fro under the onslaught. Soon the ter
'ible shower had battered him into
iellied, blood-bespattered mass, his
very clothes showing rents through
which the blood found vent and spurted
Freely. He wavered for moment, with
his chin bobb1ng his cnesu, and then.
litter doubling up at the knees and mid
lie, fell in a heap dead.
Still the bowling mob continued their
errible fusillade of stones until around
he already lifeless body cairn was
ormed, completely covering in the
orpse. And then the mob clapped
heir hands, crowed, and went their
way.
THAT dog is done for" said they.
Done forl Yes, it was terrible do
ng; for there, under the heap of stones,
he mans nerves and muscles still vi
rated in their post-death struggle,
ausing the stone heap to rise and fall
S if in labor with thing of life; rose
nd fell in their horrible parturition
Or few moments until the twitching
nerve and muscle ceased, and all I
,as still, ''consummatum est The I
murderer of Afghanistan has breathed .
is last, and his hic jacet is written |
round the tombstone in those blood |
larks that bespatter the ground about q
is grave cairn. I
WHY SNOW Is WHITE.