The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-05-04
TRIAL BY ORDEAL.
The Farce Called Justice That
Siam Used to Play.
TESTS OF FIRE AND WATER.

Had 70 Face the Same Kind Of Music,
and Whichever Way the Case Was
Decided the Judges Were Winners
The modern methods OF justice IN
civilized Europe do not include trial By
ordeal. but 10 the east II is still a REQ
ognized means Of proving an accused
persons innocence or guilt In a coun-
Try like Siam, now 20 closely in touch
. with western influences. the ordeal By
Gre was praeticed a generation ago
This Is the oldest form Of ordeal in
siam. as In any country. When pre-
pairing for the ceremony two trenches
were dug side By side They were
each about ten feet long. two feet wide
and two feet deep. These were nlIed
with layers Of redhot coal to a depth Of
ten inches. The plaintin. or accuser.
walked over one 1ery path and the de-
PENDANT over the other. In order 70
prevent the parties from unduly bur
rying over their tasks rods were placed
aeross their shoulders. and certain Of
the oricials leaned heavily on these.
one a. the end Of each rod In reality
they partly defeated their own ends.
for the great pressure Of the horny
soies Of feet unused 20 boots somewhat
quenched the Ore beneath them. when
the walk was completed the noles Of
TIE feet were examined IN order 70 de-
tect any burns or blisters THIS exam
Inaff - ~.r.aas,.4 ...r-~. a. - ~
teen days. and AZ the end OF that dime
the man who showed no signs OF being
hurt 10 any way was adjudged the
winner. During the course OF the trial
the judges sat 10 q specially erected
and gayiy decorated pavilion. where
they Toasted royalty. the expense OF
which had 70 Be betrayed Jointly By
the persons engaged IN the lawsuit.
II happened more than once that the
Gre failed 70 make any impression on
the feet Of the competitors. In such
cases they were both compelled 70 IN.
dergo another trial By means OF the
water ordeai- n both parties got
singed, then they were both held 10 Be /
guilty Of something or other. and 20
they were both punished with heavy
enes
The water ordeal 10 a kind OF diving
competition. The spot chosen was e.
Their some part Of the nearest river or
else a large. deep pond. The law IN
sisted that the spot must be one where
the water was clear and cool and free
from leeches and mud In the case OF
a river there was 70 be 20 strong cur
rent The preliminary preparations
were simple and consisted IN driving
two tough poles into the bed Of the
pond or river for the competitors 10
take bold Of on immersion. These
poles were placed about ten feet apart
Before the actual trial took place a
cocknght was held. IN which the two
birds were supposed 70 represent the
two litigants. and the result Of this
preliminary connict was held 10 be
ominous OF the results that would at
tend the serious trial
This was never omitted. because the
spectators. who were assembled IN
hundreds 70 watch the event. always
treated n as a kind Of holiday and
gnmbled largely as 20 the issue OF the
day: hence The cockfght was a sort
OF guide 70 them IN their speculations-
The two persons next addressed them
selves 70 the water delties and asked
for their protection and help. each be
seeching them 10 help him only and
each promising gifts and offerings
should be be successful Ii
Then they stepped into the water
until Il reached up to their necks
They were hampered by heavy collars
similar 20 those sometimes worn By i,
Chinese prisoners Round their wrists
they wore bracelets OF unspun thread. ,
which had been blessed by the priests
and which were considered 20 possess
a protective charm against all adverse
influences Finally each one had a
strong rope fastened tightly round the !
waist by means Of which he could be
hauled out Of the water. because when
both men were possessed OF great
breathing capacity II sometimes hap
pened that after prolonged immersion I
the competitors were too much ex-
bausted to get themselves out Of the
water.
when an was ready horizontal pole
was placed across the shoulders OF l
zach person. ana az a given signal e
rom a metal gong the two poles were
simultaneously depressed by the on
.ials, and 70 the two heads were
thrust under water. The divers grip 4
bed their wooden stakes and grimly p
held their heads under the surface OF a
he river until one or both found them a
ELVES n danger OF immediate suffo- b.
alton. The man who remained under Il
he water the longer Of the two won Il
he day. The trial was subject 20 n IA
line limit b,
In certain cases diving by proxy was o.
flowed, and then a general search was
made for able and willing substitutes.
There Is a story extant. says Ernest
loung IN the London Taller. Of how u
Persian trader quarreled with a
burmese about some commercial fraud.
The Burmese engaged as bis rcpresen. p'
alive the champion diver OF the dis
rict hut the Persian oufwitfcd him