Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1911-05-18
TRIAL BY ORDEAL.
The Farce Called Justice That
Siam Uscd to Play.
TESTS CT FIRE AND WATER.
Tho Accused end tho Aceuser Each
Had to Faeo ths ea;ne Kind Of Music,
and Whichever Way the Case Was
Decided tine Judges Were Winners.

and Whichever Way the Case Was
Decided tine Judges Were Winners.
The Molcin methods of justice in
civilized Europe do not include trial by
ordeal, but in the east 1t is still q rec
ogniZ2l means of proving an accused
PERSONS innocence or guilt. In n coun-
try like Siam. now SO closely. i'm touch
With western Influences, the ordeal by
fire was practiccd a generation ego.
This is the oldest fo.ia OF ordeal in
Siam. as in ANY country. When pre-.
pairing for tn. ceremony two trenches
were dug side by silp. They were
each about ten feet log. two feet wide
and two feet deep. These were filled
With layers Of rcdhot coal 20 IL depth OF
ten inches. The plaintiff. or accuscr,
walked over one fiery path and the de-
PENDANT over the ether. liz order to
prevent the parties from undn,y hur-
rylng over their ta::..::si rods were placed
across their shoulders, and certain of
the officials leaned heavily on these,
one at the end nf each rod. In reality
they partly defeated their w ends.
for the great pressure of the horny
solcS of feet unused to boots somewhat
quenchcd the fire beneath them. When
the walk was completed the soles of
the feet We're examined in order to de-
tect amy burns or blistcrs. This exam
lnation WAS repeated every day for if
teen d:i. :, and Mt the end of that time
the man who showed no signs of being
hurt in amy way was adjudged the
winner. During the course of the trial
the judges sat in n specially erected
and gayly decorated pavilion, where
they Toasted royalty. the expense of
which had TO he betrayed jointly by
the persons engaged in the lawsuit.
II happened more than once that the
fire failed to make amy Impression on
the feet of TIL" competitors. In such
eases they We're both compelled to un-
dergo another trial by means of the
water ordeal. II both parties got
singcd, then they were both held to be
guilty OF something or other. and SO
they We're both punished with heavy
fines.
The water ordeal is mlSind of diving
competitions The sypt chosen was. Ell
thcr some part of the nearest ,rlyev OF
eise IL large. deep pond. The mw I'm
sisted that the spot must he one wheke
the w;Icr WIS clear and cool and free
from ~lceclies and mud. In Che case Of
n river there WAS to be no strong cur
rent: TNy pr&imtnnsy preparations
Were sinf,k. and consisted In driving
two tons;l poles into tho led of tho
pond or FLYER for tho competitors to
take hold of on immersion. These
poles We're placed about ten feet apart.
Before tho actual trial took place a
torlSiielt was held. in which the two
birds were supposed to represent the
two l%itfgants, and tho result OF this
preliminary conflict was held to be
Om'lous Of the results that would at
tend five serious trial.
This WAS never omitted. because the
spectators. who were assembled in
hundreds tn watch the event, always
treated 1t rs n kind OF holiday and
Eamblcl LARGELY as to the issue OF the
day: hence the cocknght was 81 sort
OF guide to them in their spcculations.
The two persons next addressed them
selves to tho water dcitics and asked
for their protection and help. each be-
sccching them IN help him only md
each promising gifts and offerings
should he be successful.
Then they stepped into the water
until II reached up to their necks.
They We're hampcrcd by heavy collars
similar to those sometimes worn by
Chinese prisoners. Round their wrists
they wore bracelets of nnspun thread,
which hnd been blessed by the priests
and which were considered to possess
a protective charm against nll adverse
Influences. Finally each one had n
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 it sometimes hap
pcned that after prolonged Immersion
tho competitors We're too much OK
hausted to get themselves out Of the
water.
When NIL was ready n horizontal pole
was placed across the shoulders of
each person, and ut Il given signal
from a metal gong the two poles were
simultaneously depressed by the ON
Gals. and so the two heads were
Thrust under water. The divers grip
pei their wooden stakes and grizzly
he'd their heads under the surface of
The ri"er until one or both found them
selves In danger of immediate suffo-
{ alton. The man who remained under
the water the longer OF the two won
the day. The trial was subject to a
time limit.
In certain cases diving by proxy was
allowed. ana then Il general search was
made for able and willing substitutes.
There is q story cltant. says Ernest
SaIng III the London Taller. OF how
B,lrmesc about some commercial fraud.
The burmese engaged us his reprosen-
tative the champion diver CT the dis
trict, but the Persian outwittca him
by employing as his substitute II pro-
f~essionni pearl diver from the Persian
gulf. In 1889 this form of trial IVES IN
vogue In the north of Siam.
Thee are lat three tlasscs of men
The r"i"oara''" the stationary Hpd the
progressive. -i.avatcr.