The sun., 1903-11-15
THEBAW WAS JUST HENPECKED
THE CRUEL KING or BIRNaU
AND HIS WICKED WIFE,
She Was Young and Pretty and Caused
Everybody TO he Killed OF Whom Shs
Was Jealous-The King Sometimes de.
ceiyed Her-IiistOry Like Fiction.

everybody 10 be hllled OF Whom She
Was Jealous-The King Sometimes De.
ceiyed Her-IiistOry Like Fiction,
There was little sorrow anywhere vhe,
the news came in 1885 that the British had
occupied Mandalay and dethroned Ths.
baw, King of Upper Burmah, The stories
Of this young mans atrocities had made
his name odious throughout the world
The beginning Of his reign was signaized
in 1875, by the massacre OF his forty brother,
and half brothers. and about forty other
princes and princesses. II was decided
that this procedure was necessary to fix
Thebaw firmly upon his throne. The
easiest way to prevent these royal person,
from making trouble was to kill them
and 30 a huge trench was dug to receive
the eighty victims, and many were tossed
| in half alive or only stunned by the clubs
OF the executioners.
The huge grave was covered with earth,
which was trampled down by the feet Of
the executioners. but. after a day or two,
the surface began gradually to rise and
the King sent all the palace elephants
| to trample II level again. The country
was Mortified but none dared to murmur.
Thebaw, with his favorite wife and their
| attendants, is to-day a prisoner in the
! hands OF the British in India, where his
ample pension enables him to live a fairly
| contented and comfortable life. He il
| now judged more leniently than at the
| time Of his downfall, when he was regarded
as one OF the greatest monsters Of history
He was of weak character, fond OF pleas
ure, given to debauchery, but not naturally
very cruel He was easily influenced by
others; and his greatest crimes, 1t is now
believed, were committed under the in
| fluence OF his favorite wife or his contidei.
tial advisers. 1t is. certain that he had no
intention at first of numbering the princes.
He had begun the erection Of a large Jail
in which to keep them, when he was per-
suaded by some of his ministers that the
politio thing to do was to kill them.
The Indian Government has just printed
a history Of the reigns Of King Mindon aud
| his son Thebaw from Burmese sources.
| It is chiefly a record Of court intrigue and
gossip. 1t Is q literary curiosity.
The historians say that during most Of
his short reign Thebaw was wholly under
the influence OF his favorite wife. He had
been in love with her for some time before
he reached the throne.
Supayalat was young and pretty, had q
strong mind, was ambitious, extremely
Jealous, and pitiless in her persecution OF
those whom she deemed her enemies. She
wound her royal spouse around her finger
and he was actually afraid OF her. She
was ably abetted in all her deviltry by her
mother, ono OF the queens Of the preceding
King.
Even . despoto monarch cannot havs
everything his own way. The Ministry
required Thebaw to marry the elder sister
Of Supayalat. pamed Supayagyi, and to
make her his Chief Queen. He married tho
sisters in the presence OF the entire court
at the time OF his coronation. and his brides
sat on the throne to the right and left OF
him.
But the King rarely saw his Chief Queen
from that day. and never except in the
presence Of others His favorite, the
Younger sister, saw to that. The elder
sister was established in the apartments
which had been occupied by Mindon's Chic
Queen, while Supayalat made her abode
in tho Kings own rooms and kept close
eve on him. For many months he was
never able to 60 anywhere except in her
company.
This woman worked on all tho kings
weaknesses till she obtained the utter mas
terry Of him. She cared not what misery
might overvhelm the victims Of her lies.
Thebaw believed her well devised fiction
that the Chief Queen and her nurse were
| plotting to supplant him on the throne
by q prince whom Thebaw had not been
able to catch. Thereupon the nurse was
executed and the Chief Queen was kept
In closer confinement.
Jealousr was Supayalat's chief charac-
teristict nd she long prevented the King
from indulging in amours. She procured
the death Of this nurse because she fancied
the King was favorably impressed with
her. But the day came when Thebaw
stole . march on his jealous wife, though
the victory was hers In the long run.
One day . daug ughter was born to Supaya-
lat, and all the daughters Of the officials
vere ordered to the palace to pay homage
to the infant princess. Among them,
MI Hkingyi. good looking girl, very gentle
in manner, was chosen as one Of the attend
ants ON the infant.
Thehaw saw her often, soon took fancy
to her and asked her guardians for her
in marriage They expressed their sense
Of the honor intended. but said they were
afraid Supayalat would take vengeance
not only on the girl but on all her reIa-
tives.
Tho King solemnly promised that he
would permit no one to suffer from supay,,
alat's Indignation; and then he played
a trick on his loving wife, which she never
forgave as long as she was a Queen
He built q small palace in the southern
garden Of the extensive palace grounds
and told the Queen that he was to receive
q blessing with consecrated water and II
was necessary for him to keep solemn
and solitary fast for seven days in prepara-
ton for the ceremony. Strangely enough
she believed Thebaw and approved OF hH
religious intentions.
But while she thought Of him as devout
ascetio for q week Thebaw was in the = te,dips new
high revelry. By threatening the Queens
told her anything about his new marriage.
he kept the facts from her until be chose
to reveal them himself at the birth OF thelr
second child, The Queen said nothing
but bided her time. a..
At FIRST she was most agreeable TO ths
new Queen, while already plotting her death.
She waited for her hour OF triumph WIN
the patience, the watchfulness and the
- <f Sba uniSOugl