TRIAL BY ORDEAL IN THE SOUDAN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10974, 13 June 1903, Page 6

TRIAL BY ORDEAL IN THE SOUDAN.

. Mr Bonham Carter, Legal Secretary to the Soudan Administration, in his latest report, remarks: "The system of criminal justice which has been introduced into this country has, as I have stated in previous reports, on the whole proved itself well suited to the requirements of the people, and is recognised by them as reasonable. There are, however, necessarily occasions .when the. administrator criminal law findsthe^aw out of harmony" with native' ideas. Nolr infrequently the administrator' finds that the ipeople with whom he is dealing are in such a backward condition that the principles underlying European systems of r "criminal' -jurisprudence fose thcit 'Bignificance when applied to them. Two instances which have occurred in the past year are worth noting. A native of Southern Sennar was brought up on a charge of murder. He pleaded guilty,' but stated in his defence that his brother hadreccnf--ly died, and that he had ascertained • that the death was caused by the evil eye. It therefore became his duty towards his brother to exact vengeance, and he accordingly killed the mantb' whose eye he attributed' his "brother's death. An interesting • ease occurred" recently 'in 'the Dongola Moudrieh. There was no dispute as to the facts. Taha Ali\nd Ahmed Hamad

carried on the business of butchers- in' partnership. Taha AH informed Ahmed Hamad that- a sum of ten and a half dollars belonging to the partnership 1 , which had been left with him, had 'been ''stolen. Ahmed Hamad did not believe the story, and accused Taha Ali of theft. They decided to refer, the to a fakir, who had settled in the neighbourhood, to be tried by a system of ordeal. "THE JUDGMENT OF GOD."

The ' two men accordingly, went to fhe« fakir. He copied sdrfie passages from certain religious books in his possession upon a native writing -board with European copying ink, washed off the writing with water into a bowl, dipped some bread into the water, and divided the bread and water between -the two' disputants, telling them that the one who was in the wrong would become very ill. After eating the bread and drinking the water the. two disputants went away. Taha AH was shortly afterwards seized with violent pains, and returning to the fakir confessed that he had stolen the money. 'His condition became rapidly worse, and he died a few hours later. The medical' examinati6n disclosed no' sign of poisoning. With the object of ascertaining how far the belief was ' prevalent that the ordeal was a reasonable method of detecting crimej I told the story to two natives, the one a religious sheikh holding a high position, the other a native servant who for many years had been in the service of English masters. The sheikh, while not doubting that crime could be detected by similar means if employed by a man of holy life, was of opinion "that ' the fakir was an impostor. At the same time he did not consider that he should be punished. He repeated, the story, o£ a well-known man who had died 4t hie friend's house immediately after ( gating some honey. Grave suspicion fell upon the friend, who only .escaped punishment) by- the discovery of a dead serpent qoiled up^at the bottom of the pot. The sheik concluded that in this case possibly a snake might have spat into the inkpot. The servant did not doubt that the means adopted were an effective method of detecting crime.. He expressed, surprise that a man, after confessing and restoring the property, had nevertheless • died, and thought that it showed that he was an exceptionally bad man, who had committed other crimes, at which God was angry. THE, TELLING TOUCH ON THE LAZY LIVER. The duties tliat devolve upon the liver are many and varied ; the most important work of this important organ is to furnish the bile required for the digestive operations. A sluggish or disordered liver throws the working arrangements of the other -organs out of poise, and then follow constipation, biliousness, ■ indigestion, and the many attendant ailments. Impey's May Apple give's to the lazy liver that tellinsr touch which rousea it to a fall recognition of its responsibilities. linpey'e May Apnle is the most efficnf*io"s liver pure on the market. It in an ideal family medicine, good for old and young of both sejeeg. Impey's May Apple is sold by all chemists and storekeepers at 2b 6d per bottle, or may be had direct at this r r ice, post free, from' the wholesale ngfents, Sharland and Co., Limited, Wellington. New Century Soft Rubber Hair Curlers are rabidly coming into general use by ladies, and no wonder. 1 They are simply perfect. Our easy-payment plan gives, you to-day The use of a Bicycle for future' pay.— „E,-R EYNOLDS & CO. , Eor Influenza and Cold in the Head, take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is Gd and 2s 6d.