The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-23 00:00:00

COOLY TRADE.-KIDNAPPING.

The devoted Coolies of India are greatly indebted to
the zeal and perseverance of many enlightened friends
of humanity in the East,—among whom J. H. Patton,
Esq., a magistrate of Zillah, 24 Pernunnab's Fouadary
Allipore, has distingui4ed himself. The following is an
abstract of a report, made last July, from Sergeant Floyd
to him.

In obedience to the order of the Court, Sergeant
Floyd, with Mr. Dias, the magistrate's clerk, the Bela-
gulitee_Jemedar, and a suitable guard, went in search of
two kidnappers, Rampershand and Sunken. They were
directed to a hut belonging to Stinker, but did not find
him. In a few minutes the party were surrounded by
the villagers, who said that the neighbouring bazaar had
become a resort for all the kidnappers of the country.
The house of one Hossein Buz, a perfect desperado, was
pointed out, from which two men were taken. They
were quite stupified, and talked incoherently. After a
while, however, they said that they had been enticed
from other countries with promise of employment in
Calcutta, but when there, were told that they would
be shipped to " Muchlibunder." Whey objected, and
tried to escape, but in vain. Being without friends
or money, they were constantly threatened and
ill-
treated. After discovering other places of Cooly
imprisonment, the party came to the principal depot
at Chuckerbair Bhowanipore. The building stood
about four feet above the level of the road, and
measured about fifty or sixty feet square, with a wall
round it six feet high. The entrance was guarded by
an armed man ; after passing whom they found a court-
yard about thirty feet square, on the west of which
a verandah led to an inner building, and was guarded by
two armed Bunkundazes. From the ceiling of this ve-
randah were suspended swords, spears, arrows, and other
weapons. On passing the blank wall they came to an
inner court, where they saw a woman running from the
inner court, crying, and saying that she woul not leave
her husband, nor let him go on board a ship. On being
told that they came to release her, elle seemed a little
pacified, but it took a few minutes to convince her of
her safety. The three sides of the inner court had a
running corridor, which was bounded by several cells,
all having separate doors. The woman was, asked
where her husband was, and pointed to a cell, which
was immediately forced *pen. Just as this was done,
sevcrcl voices were heard, and other cells flew open,
while the men and women came out claiming protec-
tion. They were in a dirty condition, and had scarcely
any clothes on them.
Some of the prisoners said they were taken by force
and brought to Calcutta, and they were arrested by a
guard of persons who represented themselves as under
orders to impress men for Government work. Since
their imprisonment they had not been allowed any com-
munication with strangers—some 6f them bad been
subjected to privations of food—and several had en-
dured daily chastisement. One man made severe com-
plaints of having for several days received on his bare
back twenty-five thumps with a jootah, so that his back
and cheeks we're swollen from the flagellation. A Ma-
labar Brahmin complained of having been decoyed
from his family and friends. Several Rajpoots said
that they were intercepted on the road to Juggernaut
while proceeding thither on a pilgrimage. Tke whole
of the awn prayed for release, and said that they were
detained against their will.
The party renewed their search on a subsequent day,
and came to a building on the Seealdah road. It was
about twenty-five feet long and ten broad, having several
doors on the road-way, but they were well secured from
within. The party could not make an entrance by the
doors, but found a passage on the west side of the build-
ing leading to a tank on the south of it. Many Coolies
were here confined, and when liberated complained of
treatment similar to that above described.

Sixty-four men and women were released in two day._
The Magistrates asked Mr. Floyd if he had any ob
jeetion to be sworn to the contents of the report, who
answered in the negative, and the report was duly sworn
to, and acknowledged.
At a subsequent date to that of this magisterial pro-
cedure, the Rengalllarkaru says,---“ Nearly six weeks
have elapsed since some of the atrocities of the trade
have been brought, by the judicial proceedings of the
Allipere Court, under the notice of Government, but
we understand nothing has yet been done to introduce
a better system of checks on the procuring of Coolies.
The bill country is still infested by swarms of crimps,
inducing the Danghure to come down to Calcutta under
Promise of obtaining easy employment and large wages
there, and when they are there they are told there is no
choice between starvation and consent to go on board
ship.,,
These are the men and these their crimes which have
found apologists, advocates, and abettors in the Chris-
tian land,of Britain ; and men who have built sanctua-
ries for God at home, hare sustained the altars of abo-
mination, and purchased the victims for immolation in
that distant clime.—Liverpool Mercury.

Croydon Railway will be opened May 14, the
first day of Epsom races.
DE'ATIi OF A BOY FROM APOPLEXY.—An
Sunday week, William Baker, a boy 12 years of ago, fell
down in Clare-street, and expired in a fit of apoplexy. It
is very unusual for apoplexy to attack one so young. Thu
deceased was a healthy suhject, but complained occasionally
of pains in the head. Hi 3 father is an overlooker in St.
John's market.—Liverpool Chronicle.