CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT KHYEPOOE. 49 



Mr Feeney on this point are perfectly clean; 

 indeed, I believe liim to be a most respectable 

 and excellent person, as he is one of the kind- 

 est and most benevolent of men. 



The mode of administering criminal justice is 

 somewhat arbitrary, but prompt and vigorous, 

 a mode better adapted to insure the punish- 

 ment of the guilty than the protection of the 

 innocent. Criminals are confined by the local 

 authorities, and their cases disposed of either 

 by those functionaries, or by the higher powers, 

 according as the crimes may be more or less 

 grave in nature. The Meer's Kardars arc local 

 judicial authorities, as well as revenue col- 

 lectors. 



His Highness possesses the power of life and 

 death, but rarely exercises it. Fine is here, as 

 in most semi-barbaric societies, the chief puni- 

 tive measure. If a thief can pay a fine double 

 the amount of the property stolen, the Kotwal, 

 or Mooktyar, can release him there and then ; if 

 not, he is put in chains, and thus remains till 

 some person of influence intercedes for him. 

 Sometimes treble the amount of property stolen 

 is taken from the thief. The owner lias to pay 

 one-fourth the value of his property, which is 



VOL. n. . 4> 



