La Junta tribune., 1911-09-09
TRIAL BY ORDEAL.
The Farce Called Justi:e That
Siam Used 10 Play.
TESTS OF FIRE AND WATER.
rhs Aeevssd end the Aeeussr Each
Hsd to vses the Same Kind Of Music.
end vvh,ehsvsr Way the csss Wss
Decided the Jvdess Wses Winners.


The modern methods OF Justice 10
civilized Europe do uU Include trial BY
ordeSi. boi In the east II il stis, . eec.
ogu's~d means of proving an accus-d
prrsoo's Innocence or guilt. In q coun,
Try like Siam. DOW 30 cl,-~iy In toucb
with western influences. ihe ordeal By
Ore vas prscticed . Renera too .go.
ThI. IL tb~ oid~s, form OF ordeal 10
Btan. as In any country. Wheu pre-
pairing for the ceremony two trenches
were dug side by aide. They were
each about ten feet long. two feet wide
and two feet deep. These were nlled
with layers OF redhor coal TO n depth OF
ten inches. The plaintiff. or accuser.
walked over one 6ery path and the de,
fendant over the other In order TO
prevent the parties from unduly bur.
rylng over their tasks rods wer. placed
scro-s their shoulders. and certain Of
the officials leaned heavily on these
one ri ih. end Of each rod In reality
they partly defeated their own ends.
for the gp.Ht pressure Of the horny
soes OF feet unused to boots somewhat
guenched the IRE beneath them When
the walk wa- compl.ieJ the sulcs OF
the feet were examined Iu order TO de
teCt any burns or blister> This exam.
ination WIS repeated every day for Of
teen days. aud NJ the end Of that time
the man who showed no signs OF being
buri in any way was adjudged the
winner. During the course OF the trial
the judges sal In a specially erected
aud gayly Decorated pavilion. where
they feastrd royalty the expense OF
which had 10 he drfrayed Jointly by
the persons engaged In the lawsuit.
II happened more than ono. thai the
ORE failed TO max" any impression "n
the feet Of the competitors In such
cases they were both compelled TO un
detco another trial by means " the
water ordeal " both parties got
sing-d, then they we're both h.ld TO b.
guilty Of something or other. aud so
they we're both punished with heavy
rnes
The water ordeal l. Kind OF diving
competition. The spot chosen was .i.
ib.r som" rnri ut the nearest river or
else inrge. deep puud The law In.
sisted that th. spot must be on. where
the water WAS clear aud cool aud fr...
from lees h"~ and mUd In the ras. Of
river Ih.rr was 10 Ia. no strong cur
rent. The preliminary preparations
werr simple and consisted In driving
pond or river for the competitors TO
TAX. h"ld n On immersion These
pole~ w"r" placed about ten feet apart
B.for. the actual trial took place .
co"krghi WIS held. In which the two
birds wrrr supposed 10 represent the
two liiignnts. and the result ~ this
preliminary connlri was held 10 h.
omiuuus nf fh- results that would NJ.
tend the serious trial
This wa~ never omitted because the
spectators who were assembled In
hundreds 10 watch the event. always
treated il as Kind of holiday and
rambled largely ns to the issue ~ IN.
dnv; hsn0. the coskhehi was sart
OF guide 10 Them In their sp~cuiafions
Tn. two persons next addressed them. d
selves To IN. water deiiies and asked
for their protection and help. each h..-
s..-hlns them 10 help him only and
each promising gifts aud offerings
should he h. suc'rssful
Then they stepped Into the water
until I, reached up TO their ne.ks
They were hnmp"r.d hy heavy collars
similar 10 ihos" sometimes worn br
Chinese prisoners Round their wrists
they wor" brnrclrts ~ uuspuu thread
vhirh had o.-n blessed hy m. priests
and whirh were considered io po~s.s-
protective charm against all ndverS.
Influences Finally each on. had
strong rope fastened tightly round III.
waist hv means ~ which b. could he
bsul.d out of N" water. h-'nus. when
both men v-t- pos-.ss.d nf great
br-nihlnT "npn-liy II sometimes hap
p"n.d thni after prolonged imm.rsIoa
III. competitors wen. Too much ~.
hrusi-d TO e., themselves out 81 the
water.
when all wn. read, horizontal pole
wn- placed srrrs- IN. sh"nid..r~ ~
~srh person. Hnd nj u given sigma
fvom m.'nl gong the two poles were
simultaneously, depressed b, the o'n
risl. and 81 the 'wo b-nd- we're
thrust under water. The di,~r~ grip
r--j their wooden stakes spd rrimiy
held their herd. under the surfsr~ ~
tb~ river nniii np~ ov hath found them
s~is~. IN danger ~ Immediate .ufYo.
cation Tn. mnn ~ho r-niaips-i nnd..
the wsi-r the longer ~ the 'wo s"n
N" in, The trial ~ss snhjs-f to- =
tiuw ilrii
] ~ e-rrip ca.~. diving by prosy ~r.
allowed md then general ...rr'h was
ssnd~ FOR sh~ and willing substitutes
fhe~~ 7. = story esfSpi. says Erns-i
voans IN tho London rsil~r. of hoe
Persian trndrf ,,t,e rrvlS,t With 4