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Detective Devices Extraordinary.
Curious Trials By Ordeal In India.
In the "Calcutta Review" for July Mr. S. Chandra Mitra, M.A., B.L.,
writes on some Bihari modes of trial by ordeal. Some extraordinary
statements are made.
Ordeal by the Teapot.
Margaret Cotter Morison, sojourning in Kashmir, had several of her
belongings stolen. The police official, when informed, resorted to the
ordeal by the teapot, which she thus describes:-
"Placing one of the scrolls in the spout of the teapot, the man now
explained to me that if the paper had written on it the name of the
thief the vessel would give a sign; and so amid the breathless suspense
of the whole throng he proceeded to reel off rich sounding
incantations. We watched with all our eyes while two papers passed
through the ordeal. Then when it came to the third teapot with calm
deliberation made a complete semi-revolution, and almost fell from
their hands. An exclamation of intense interest burst from the
onlookers, the inspector put the paper on one side, remarking that was
the thief; and the fourth was tried; with this one also the teapot
swerved pointedly; at the fifth it remained immovable. Apparently two
of my servants were thieves the policeman now told me; and their names
were written on those papers. I appeared profoundly impressed, but to
make the conviction more absolute I said I would like to shuffle the
papers and see if the teapot would a second time give the same results;
he consented, and that sagacious little article jibbed at exactly the
same two names as before."
The Bamboo Rod Ordeal.
The writer quotes a European gentleman who thus describes the
detection of a thief who had stolen money from a grocer. The
nulwallahs, three dark-complexioned Hindus, arrived, with a brass pot
and two long well-oiled bamboos. All the ryots and servants were
assembled before them. The nulwallahs first dipped themselves in the
river, then, wet as they were, stood on either side of the brass pot,
on which they crossed the two bamboo rods. Then two men were picked out
from the retainers to hold the bamboo rods or nuls, one in each hand:-
"Then the leading Hindu commenced to repeat some Sanskrit verses. In
about ten minutes he asked, 'Are you there? If so stand up.' To the
horror of us all, the two rods rose as if an unseen power was in the
centre, lifting them, until they formed an arch, drawing the two Sikhs
closer together. Then the bamboos lengthened out again putting the
Sikhs back with main force into their former positions. 'If you obey
the power with me, move,' was the order of the presiding nulwallah.
Instantly the rods twisted and turned several times violently; then
moved forward at a brisk rate, the Sikhs having to keep up at a trot.
The nuls, in the shape of an arch, passed over the heads of all the
seated tenantry, then, over the Sikhs and Afghans, without stopping;
then, when at the end of the line of seated ryots, passed off towards
the south, dragging the two Sikhs who held the rods, at a smart pace.
In five minutes we entered a small collection of huts. The nuls stopped
in front of the door of a house, and refused to move, although ordered
by the nulwallah to do so. The call from the naib to come out remained
unanswered, so the door was opened, and a young Hindu found in a
corner. The nuls at once moved forward and caught him round the throat.
'This,' explained the nulwallah, 'is the culprit. He stole the money.'
"
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