The evening times., 1898-08-20
AN INDIAN TRIAL.
Suspected Thieves Co Through the
BnmbOO-ROd Ordeal
From the Madras Weekly Mail.)

BambOO-ROd Ordeal
(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 a large house in
Bentinck Street. Calcutta, are so remark
able that ii 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 a house. 1t may be
added that every servant in Calcutta Is a
lively believer in It's efficacy, and, IL a
thief, at once confesees. A Brahmin is
the worker of these marvels. He is well
known in Calcutta, and does not profess
TO work out his method of theft detection
for money, but leaves 1t to those who
employ him to reward him II they think
fit. 1t is said that this is readily done.
and that he makes a good thing out OF
1t. A cook In the service Of a family in
the locality alluded to intrusted his
nephew with q 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 ex-
act spot was confided to a friend. Short
ly 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 a 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
an inch and half in diameter. He also
has with him a number of fresh peepul
leaves, cocoanut, some rice and some
vermillion and cowries; a fresh earthen
dish has to be provided by the person
who summons him as well as stool.
All the servants in the house are sum-
moned, they are made TO stand in a half
circle. and their names are written on
each leaf, and these leaves with one
painted with the vermillion 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, one in
each hand. opposite each other. with
their elbows far behind their hips. so
that they can have little or no influence
in turning or bending the rods. Now
comes the strange part of the proceed
ings. At the Brahmin's call of each
name the bamboo rods in the first in
stance rise together and form a semi-cir-
Gle above: they then bend, and, forming
a semi-circle below, gradually come to-
gether pick up the leaf containing the
name called out, and throw it out of the
dish. This strange process is repeated till
the name of the thief, as alleged. is call
ed, when they both seize the leaf. lift 1t
up, and only disengage 1t at the call of
the Brahmin, who entreats the rods to let
the leaf go. 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 exceed be-
lief. In fact, a reasonable human being
cannot believe it till he has witnessed it..
and when he has done SO his amazement
is all the greater. Here is, indeed, a
marvel for the scientist to puzzle over.
The two rods bend, come together, and
seize upon the right names as they are
called out, and then throw them aside
except in the case Of the thief. In this
instance the nephew confessed to the
theft, and number of his relatives who
had come from up-country to witness the
ordeal made restitution.