The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-20 00:00:00

INDYA.

From the Madras Gazette of August 5.)
MURDER OF MR. RAVENSCROFT.

In our paper of the sth June, we published the substance of
the depositions of two .51ussulmen witnesses, Deenah and
Moasahib, which, ivith some discrepancies, tended to establish
the fact of the murder and subsequent burial of Mr. Ravens-
croft. The subject was then involved in considerable uncer-
tainty, and up to the present date no information has been re-
ceived in Calcutta that entirely removes all doubt respecting the
fatal result-of the melancholy and distressing occurrence in
question.

It is known that official proceedings for the arrest of Mr.
Ravenscroft were instituted so long ago as August laston ac-
count of some defalcations whilst Collector of Cawnpore, and
having sought shelter in the dominions of the King of Oude,
his Majesty's aid was requested in the apprehension of the fugi-
tive. Various rumours for a long period baffled all attempts
to ascertain his place of concealment, and at one time a report
prevailed that he had proceeded to a Ghaut on the Gogra
river in the vicinity of Tandah, where having embarked
in a small boat he was drowned in his passage across the stream.
This report however wa soon found to be erroneous.
The depositions of Deena!: and Moosahib relate to themurder
of this unfortunate wan on lay Cth, and the interment of the
body on the following day. These depositions, and other infor-
mation to the Sarni point, were sufficient to excite the most lively
'concern- and anxiety. The murder of a British subject, in-
deed, could not fail to produce the strongest desire to investi-
gate all the circumstances of 64 case, and Gevernment, no
doubt deeply impressed with the importance of ascertaining the
facts beyond diayitte, ordered the strictest investigation to be
made: The mat indisputable way, of establishing the fact of
the death was certainly the inspection of the grave. This
seemed to be necessary in every point of view, but especially
as it regarded the punishment of the murderers whenever they
might be discovered and apprehended. A Committee, was
therefore, directed to assemble at Bingah, the place where the
murder is said to have been committed, to inquire particularly
into all the circumstances of the outrage, and expressly to ex-
amine the grave where the remains of Mr. Ravenscroft are
said to have been buried. A court of inquiry consisting of a
Captain, President, as and two Subalterns was accordingly as-
sembled at Bingzh in Oude on the 11th of June, by order of
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Patton, C.B. commanding at Secrora,
and the substance of the evidence taken is as follows :

Mahommud Alli, Bajdar, in the service of the Bingah Ra-
jah, declared that he frequently sacs the late Mr. Ravenscraft
at Bing: z, was present whilst he was dying, and saw him
dead.

Peer Buksli. Bajdar, in the same service, declares that he
saw the.late Mr. Itavenscroft dead, at about 11 o'clock a. m. on
the Bth of May._ •

Ensign JOhn Platt, a member of the Court of Inquiry, de-
clares that during the leave of absence he obtained from Col.
Patton, from the 3d of May until the evening of the 14th of
May,. he went into the Bingah district to enjoy the sport of
Hawking. On'going into Bingah he fell in, with the late Mr.
Ravenscroft, who was residing with his family in a small grass
cottage, about one toss distant from the Fort of Bingeh. Ile
with them on the evening of the 6th of May, and slept
during part of that night in a very small Paul-tent, in the tope
in Which the cottage stood. Between one and two in the morn-
ing he was awoke by a terrible noise, and immediately got up
avid ran out of his tent towards the house from whence the noise
proceeded, but on his way he was attacked by three men armed
with spears, and wounded in four different.places. Having no
means of defence he was obliged to run, and providentially es-
caped. <He then went to the entrance of the square court-yard
formed by the Bungalow and out-houses, where hendiscovered
about fifty villeins, who appeared to be using thcir spears.
In a moment, however, several of them rushed after him, but he
again escaped by running, and they returned to the cottage. He
remained in the bush where he had secreted himself until he
heard three shots fired, as lie afterwards found, by the Rajah's
people, who on hearing the noise had come down from the
robbers having gone away) lying on ahe tope where he found the late
Mr. Ravenscroft (the
Fort. Re then returned to t
the Rajah's people,
by the
witness found
rhoaar
tip
jane
ge
toenr r sb' hb
uh
ul inaadb
lbe e etn placedoy
ea k
.b
that he had been wounded, by spears apparently, in seventeen
different places, and bleeding profusely from.-those in the arms
and legs, and from a wound over the right eye,
all of which he
*t9PPed by binding them up. Tie had one wound about the
liver which did not bleed, and, another in the
groin. He lived
in a state of 'insensibility until the forenoon of
the Bth of May,
when died in 'the presence of Ensign
the witness, who
at 6p. m. on that day interred the corpse in a grave in the
tope where the cottage stood. There were, it is added, 18 men
servants of the family wounded, and four men and one boy
murdered. The robbers outside and inside the cottage were
suppose be one hundred in number.
Emembuksh, in the service of Ensign
Platt, states that he
was asleep on the night of the 6th of May,
in a hut near the
cottage, when he was awakened by a noise, and getting up Per-'
ceived a.strong. light above the choppers of the Bungalow, and
out houses. He went towards the Bungalow where he met
Mrs. Ravenscroft, infant, and attendant; he called out, who
comes there, and lie was answered' that it was the lady, who
was running out of the Bungalow, and, came to the hut in which
he had slept. She then told them to remove her to the village
of Lutehmunpore, which was done. The witness saw a num-
ber of men with spears, and afterwards heard them break-
ing open the boxes. He found Mr. Ravenacroft lying wounded
under a tree in the tope where the Bungalow stood, unable to
move. In a short time he was taken upon a Charpaee into the
house. He saw him die, and was present when his master
buried him. _ _

Deenah, Bearer, in the service of Ensign Platt, states that he
was sleeping in the same Paul-tent as his master, on the night
of the flth of May, when he was wakened by his master tread-
ing on him in running out of the tent. He followed until he
was attacked, when he returned to the Paul and hid himself.
The assailants then struck the tent from the outside with seve-
ral spears, but did not enter the tent. They then said, " there
is no one here, let us go inside the Bungalow," and went away.
While he heard them breaking; open the trunks, be saw Mr.
ItavenscrOft standing close to the Paul. He then took his hand,
Mr. Ravenscroft did not speak, but groaned. Witness was
present when he died on the Bth of May, and saw his master
bury him.

The Court of Inquiry sat again on the next day, the 12th of
June, and after visiting the grave, conceived, in consequence
of the depositions of the several witnesses, and from the ap-
pearances of the grave over which a tomb was building, any
further examination unnecessary.
The Court then adjourned until the arrival of the President
and Members at Secrora, where, on the 16th of June they
proceeded to examine more witnesses.
Gholant Nubbes, lihidmutgar, in the service of Mr. Ra-
venscroft, states that he was asleep on the night of the 6th of
May, outside the entrance of Mr. llavenscroft's house, and
was attacked by four armed men,with long spears, who wound-
ed him in five different places. Ile then ran to the hawker's
hut. lie saw eighty cr ninety men as they were going off,
having wounded all the servants and taken all the property
which was in the Bungalow. He then went into the court-
yard, and laid down in one of the servant's outhouses, being
unable to move about. Shortly the Rajah's people and villagers
arrived, and not finding Mr. Ravenscroft in tile house, went
to search for him, and found him under a tree in the tope se-
verely wounded. Mr. Ravenscroft slept outside the door of
his bed room that night. The witness became so unwell that
he recollects nothing more.

Emandee, Svce, in the service of Mr. Raven croft, states
that on the night of the attack, and on awakening he perceived
at the entrance of the court-yard, a number of men with light,
ed mushals (which they lighted at the door) and armed with
long spears. With a great noise they rushed on his master,
who was asleep on his couch opposite his bed-room door. lie
saw him fall from his couch, area heard him say, " Emamdee,
bring ;mir shield and sword ?" Witness was in the act of
taking them to his master, when the thieves prevented him,
and wounded him in eight different places. His master said,
" Don't come near me, you will be killed." They then struck
his master with their spears, and forced bins outside the en-
trance. Witness went into the godowns, where the indigo
tools, &c. were, and then heard the robbers exclaim, " there is
a murderer come front Secrora, and if any other European at-
tempts to settle here, he shall share the same fate ; its the
Malta rajah's order." After the mbbers had quitted the place,
witness went outside, and saw his master lying wounded under
a tree, in the tope senseless, He saw bins after he was dead,
lyince with a sheet over him, on a bed.
Ther Court here closed its proceedings, but, we understand,
the Resident at Lucknow has directed a further investigation,
and the Court to re-assemble without delay, at Dingell, for the
purpose of ascertaining, by an examination of witnesses upon
oath, the fact of Mr. Ravenscroft's murder, anti to trace the
real nature of it, as far as can be done by a local inquiry. To
ascertain also who were the real perpetrators of the act, •to in-
quire whether the whole or any part ofthe property of Mr. Rs,.
venscroft was plundered, and. to examine the grave where the
body is said to have been deposited.