Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-06-01
HORRIBLE So TEE.


Suffice which took place at Santipore
about the last of December, is given in
an extract Of letter from person pro-
ceeding to the Upper Provinces. The
editor Of the Hurkaru says the account
surpasses the generality of those dis
graceful exhibitions in circumstances of
barbarity'
"As had ayailed myself of the night
tide, | was at Chlnsurah on Thursday
morning, and on Friday before dawn |
passed SooksaguE On the evening of
the same day, reached Santipore, where
beheld sight had long desired to see,
but more horrible one never Witness
ed. 1t was an immolation of human
creature in the prime of life, with health
aud youth blooming in the countenance.
| reached the spot only in time to see
tie fire lit, for the moment my boat was
seen veering to the shore, the cowardly
instigators hurried the woman away to
the pile. In the act, however, of leading
her to the place, saw from the boat,
that she was hardly able to move. Two
persons supported her by the arms; but
before | got on shore, she was laid be-
side the corpse of her husband, and the
FIRE had been applied When she began
to feel the flames, saw her attempting
with her hands to throw off the wood
they had piled over her, but this SEEM
ed TO be a signal with the inhuman
wretches that surrounded her to heap
more fuel upon her, and they shouted
so loud, crying Hurree BOZ as to drown
any shrek, however loud she might have
had strength enough to make. was too
much shocked to stay; but before had
recedea ten PAGES, was told the untor-
tunate victim had escaped. returned
to the scene, and beheld sight that
made me shudder; and recollection of
which sends sbriIl of horror yet thro'
my body. The unfortunate woman had
only extricated herself from the wood
and rolling down the pile; for the strug-
gle and heat had nearly deprived her of
life. She lay gasping for breath-her
face and body exhibiting the most re-
voting spectacle imaginable. The res
pite, however, was but of short duration,
she was almost imme diately showed back
by bamboo poles, and logs after logs
were heaped upon her afresh. The ruff
fans that did this. could have swept
away into the frein the place of the wo-
n an, and felt Indignation enough chad
I possessed the power) to doom every
individual of the party to an hours seat
upon her Goals. Hard hearted wretches
that could thus stand and see the most
helpless of the human race roasted to
death, 1t well accords with the BASTARD
ly spirit of the Bengalese Gould COM
mand the means, would certainly try
prosecution against those who assisted
either in helping to destroy the unfortu-
nate victim or in preventing her escape"
''If this statement be correct" says
the HurkaIua, (which we have no rea-
SON to doubt, the unfortunate victim has
been murdered by the savage who att
tended, and on whom the. punishment,
proposed by the relater, would scarcely
be an adequate Ietribution. An inquiry
ought surely TO be instituted into the case
with view of bringing the murderers
to justice. We sincerely hope that the
government will soon find some effectual
means of putting stop to similar cru
elites forever, and that their repetition
will no longer be permitted to disgrace
us in the eyes of the civilized world. No
one now believes, that the suppression
of Suttees would excite any discomfort
among the natives; on the contrary. it
is well known. that the most enlightened
among them speak in no very measured
terms, both of the practice and its per-
mission"