New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
TIE ORDEAL BY BAMBOO RODS.
AN EXTRAORDINARY INDIAN CEREMONY FOR
THIEF CATCHING.
From The Madras Weekly Mail.


The following extraordinary narration Of facts
as they occurred and which. we are Informed,
were witnessed and can be testified to by the
members Of three households Occupying q large
house in Bentinck-st.. Calcutta are SO remark
able that it is worth the while OF any scientist
to test them personally. as this can be easily
done on the occasion Of any theft by dOmestics
in house. 1t may be added that every servant
in Calcutta Is a lively believer in its efficacy.
and. If thief at once confessss. a Brahmin is
the worker Of these maryeis He is well known In
Calcutta, and does not Lrofess TO work out his
method Of theft detection for money, but leaves
1T 10 those who employ him to reward him IL
they think fit. 1t Is said that this Is readily DONE
and that he makes good thing out Of it,
cook in the service of a family In the locality
alluded to intrusted his nephew with large
sum Of money TO keep in deposit. The nephew
alleged that he placed the money in an earthen
pot. which he buried. The location of the exact
spot was confded to friend. Shortly after this
the cook was Informed by his nephew that the
pot and money had disappeared. With the
nephew's consent the Brahmin was summoned
to discover the thief and the following is bare
narration Of the extraordinary procedure he
adopted. and usually adopts. in all such cases
Accompanied By an aid he comes to the house.
provided with two bamboo rods. about sixteen
feet long and inch and half in diameter
He also has with him number Of fresh peepul
leaves. a cOcoanut some rice and some YER
million and cOwries: a fresh earthen dish has to
be provided by the person who summons him as
we'll as a stool
All the servants In the house are summoned.
they made to stand in a half circle, and
leaves with one painted with the vermilon are
placed in the dish which in its turn is placed
on the stool Two utter strangers are then
made to hold the bamboo rods ore in each hand.
opposite each other. with their elbows far behind
their hips, so that they can have little or no in
Guence in turning or bending the rods. NOW
comes the strange part Of the proceedings. At
the Brahmin'S call of each name, the bamboo
rods in the first instance rise together and form
a seini-circe above: they then bend ari FORM
ing circle below. gradually come toee Their.
PICK UP the leaf containing the name called out,
and throw IL out OF the dish This strange proc
ess Is repeated till the name Of the thiet, as
alleged is called. when they both seize the lear,
lift il uD and only discngage 1t at the call OF the
Brahmin who cntrcats the rods To let the leaf
90 To all appearance the two men who hold the
rods make no effort whatever. The thing Is
done in such an extraordinary fashion as TO ex-
coed belief. In fact. reasonable human peihS
cannot believe il till he has witnessed II. ana
when he has done his amaZement is all the
greater Here is, indeed, a narVcl Tor the seem
lis, to uuZzle over. The two rods bend. come TO-
90 her and seize upon the right names as they
are called out and then throw them aside eX-
oent in the case OF the thief. In this Instance
The nephew confessed to the theft. and a num-
ber of his relatives who had come from up-coun'
try to witness the ordeal made restitution