The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-11-06
KING OF AMMAN
Who Murders His Wives Just For
the Pleasure Of

SEEING THEM EXPIRE
Is About to Visit Paris and the Au-
thorities Are Afraid He May Take
a Murderous Fit While There and
Chop OF the Heads Of Some OF
the Foolish Women Who Are
Bound to Flock to See Him.
A letter from Paris to the New
York American says Than Thai. the
terrible King of AMMAN. has become
something worse than white ele-
,pAant on the hands Of the French
Government.
Than Thai. it will be recalled, was
deposed for slaughtering and tortur-
inc a great number of his wives with
dreadful cruelities. and one of his
little sons has been eathroned IN his
place. France exercises a protector
ate over AMMAN. which is a large
county in Southeastern Asia, adjoin-
ing the French possessions in 1ndo.
China. France controls the trade OF
the country. and makes profit cut OF
the place, but. permits q native king
to look after purely native affairs.
Now that King Than Thai has been
deposed, it becomes a difficult ques-
ton Just what to do with him. He
cannot be treated as a common GRIM
inal Just because in a brief period of
mental ALTERATION. he has slaughter
ed about q score of wives. The ma
tiyes of AMMAN would feel shocked
If their chief were treated with dis
respect. and they might even rebel.
for they have the instinct Of submls-
sion to royalty bred in them by q
thousand years of servitude.
It is not even considered right to
deprive him of his wives. who num-
Der one thousand. Surely the last
thing a civilized power ought to DO
would be to- seperate a man from his
wives.
It is true that the wives are more
numerous than the laws of western
civilization permit, but the laws and
religion under which he enjoys this
excessive number are recognized and
protected by France. 1t would GER
tainly be a gross violation of prom
ises and treaty obligations to break
up his Majesty's family. His wives.
If separated from him. would become
grass widows, and that status in Ann
am is q most disreputable and unde-
sirable one. =,
incidentally it may be remarked
that Frances obligations towards
the King of AMMAN are similar to
those of the United States towards
the Sultan of Sulu. This country
would not think of Interfering with
that Sultan's domestic relations.
On the other hand, France, as a
humane country, cannot permit the
ex-King of AMMAN to murder his Wi
YES as he pleases. The only course
of. France, therefore, is to maintain
the King with all his wives in q pal
ace suitable to his rank and descent,
and at the same time keep an eX-
tremely close watch ON him to see
that he plunges into no more fits OF
<murderous madness. This, obviously,
is an exceeding difficult task. It is
almost impossible for the French Of
ficial charged with the surveillance
of the King to be quite sure how he
is treating every one of his thousand
wives at every moment Of the TWEEN
ty-four hours.
Just now his Majesty proposes to
pay q visit to Paris, and as this is q
privilege which has been allowed to
Queen Ranavalona Of Madagascar,
and other deposed monarchs who are
captives Of the French, it is not con-
sidered reasonable to refuse it to
Than Thai. 1t is hoped that the sight
of France will impress him with the
strength of the country, and that he
will 20 back and tell his people that
they had better behave. The hope is
also entertained that amusements OF
Paris will put him in a cheerful
frame of mind, in which he will cease
to have murderous thoughts.
The proposed visit. however, nee
essarily occasions considerable unea5-
mess. 1t is possible that the AMMAN
tie king will be attacked by his blood
thirsty madness while in Paris. Will
he take out his sabre and chop off the
heads of the fashionable women of
Paris, who will undoubtedly flock to
see him at receptions and entertain
ments? Will he run amuck in the
Pardin de Paris, Or some other place
of popular resort? These are trouble
some questions.
The atrocities which led to Than
That's deposition were concealed
from the outside world long after
they had begun, because they were
committed in the seclusion of. the
harem. One day he assembled all
his wives in the throne room, as their
statements made afterward to the
French officials show.
The poor little creatures knelt
down before him as if he wassa d.
1inity. He clapped his hands and
muscular slaves sprang forward to
do his bidding. The King indicated