The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-12-11
GOLD BRICKS BEATEN
By Appeal to Wealthy Natives Religious
Beliefs Magicians FIeeced Him.

dence men must pale their IN
effectual fires before the glories OF
their fellow professors Of the East.
Even in the austere atmosphere OF
district magistrates court at
Rangoon a recent case of imposture
showed up like fairy tale backed
up by sworn evidence. The COM
plainant, a very old man living at
Prone, possessed two houses, a
wife and a daughter, and these
last owned quantity of jewelry.
He was a great believer in the
magic powers of the two Kadawa,
or particularly holy priests, but
his religious fervor had in it a
large alloy of avarice. When,
therefore, a certain Burman and
his wife were introduced to him
as persons enjoying such influence
with the Kadawa that the holy
men would transmute the baser
metals into gold at their request it
was natural that he should desire
to profit by the acquaintance.
The old man expressed a wish to
see the Kadawa and was taken to
a cave in a pagoda in Prone where
he says he saw a miraculous vision
of a phoogyi or monk standing
outside the cave. Several wit
nesses declared before the district
magistrate that they had seen the.
extraordinary vision and all be-
lieved in his supernatural powers.
After some visits to the cave a
message was brought from the
phoogyi to the seeker after wealth
that if he brought 5000 rupees he
would get in exchange fifty viss of
gold, and further if the sum was
doubled he would receive 100 viss
in gold. He Immediately pledged
MS wife's jewelry for 5000 rupees
and this money was taken to the
phoogyi by the Kaday's alleged |
friend. A number of villagers ac-
companied him, and they all
worshipped the phoogyi. After
a brief conversation the mysterious
monk disappeared. Complainant
was promised 100 viss of gold in
forty-nine days from the phoongyi.
and to convince him of the truth
Of his supernatural powers several
other people were called forward
aud were presented with an ap-
oarently large amount of gold.
He thereupon went home fully
after being assured that
he would receive a letter which
would drop from the sky and he
vas asked to do everything which
vas requested in it, and to burn
he epistle and drink the ashes in
water. Shortly afterwards COM
claimant received a letter from the
phoongyi. 1t contain
d another request for 1000 rupees
With promises of further wealth
n gold. Complainant raised the
money by mortgaging one of his
Houses. When the amount was
made over at the pagoda to same
intermediary as in the former
transaction the phoogyi suddenly
.ppeared floating in space aud
ssured the complainant that he
lad power to light up all of the
'agodas of the earth and after
making this assurance disappeared
Il the air. Some witnesses stated
hat they saw the phoogy1 dis
ppear in a cave. and when they
Il looked round they suddenly
'eheld a pagoda standing on hill
opposite burst into flames and
ecome beautifully Illuminated.
after this complainant received a
bird letter in the same mysterious
way requesting the payment of a
um of 5000 rupees to the Shan
'hwo Kadaw who would this time
'e found in a cave. Coming under
he spell of the same mysterious
illusions he procured the money
" mortgaging his second house.
When no gold was forthcoming
wife reported the