Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-11
STONED TO DEATH.
summary Justice Noted Out In tho Bib
llcal Manner In AfHhsnistan.


summary Justice Noted Out In tho Bib
llcal Manner In AfghanIstan.
can eye for an eye and q tooth
for q 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 as the life of the Is.
raelitcs. The Afghans arc Mohammc-
dams, 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 lawgivcr Moses ruled the dcs-
tinics Of the people of Israel.
For in Afghanistan of to-day oxen
tread out the corn and plow the fields;
and tho plow itself is n counterpart of
the Mosaical instrument. Corn is
ground in hand-mills and goatsllin
serves as 4 ''watcr-bott4c. Household
and farming utensils have changed
nothing during the centuries that have
elapsed since the Israclites tramped the
desert by the Red sea. In short, you
could find Il series of ''tablcaux vivants"
in the surroundings of Afghanistan of
W N<k1 W Iii ull SldpbSI ny SllullICI IllS
scenes depicted in the old testament. 1t
is said that the Afghans arc one of the
lost tribes, and certainly so far as q
logged adherence to Israclitish notions
Is concerned they might be.
There is no installing the Mosaical
parallel as far as the social customs
present themselves; but 1 was aston
iShcd one evening, during the Russian
scare, when l was on the Afghan from
tier, to sec the very similitude 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 Pucllta, picking up
pieces Of stone by the way and piling'
them in little heaps by their feet. 1
thought at the time they were going to
have Il pitched battle, with stones as
missiles But shortly man camc run
ming forward, followed by a splitting,
hooting mob, shouting: Sag! SaSr"
(dog! dogD. The unfortunate runaway
evidently knew his fate, for his long,
earnest appeal to Heaven as nc 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 we'll knew
he need expect none.
The man had scarcely time to finish
his invocation, when from all directions
a 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 jcllied,
blood bpScottnrH,j mace bic vnrU clotboc
showing great rents through which the
blood found vent and spurtcd freely.
lie wavcred for moment with his chin
Oobbing his chest, and then, after
doubling up ut the knees and middle,
fell in q heap, dead.
Still the bowling mob continued their
terrible fusilladc of stones until around
the already lifcless body n cairn was
formed, completely covering in the
corpse. And then the mob clappcd
their hands, crowcd, and went their
way. THAT dog is done for" said
they. Done for! Yes, it was terrible
doing; fer there under the heap Of
stones the mans nerves and muscles
still vibrated in their post-dcath
struggle, causing the stone heap to rise
and fall as if in labor with q thing of
life; rose and fell in their horrible
parGurition for Il few moments until the
twitchinG of nerve and muscle ceased,
and all was still. "ConSunmatum est. "
The murderer of Afghanistan has
brcathed his last and his jacct is writ
ten around the tombstone in those blood
marks that bcspattcr the ground about
his grave clirn.