The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-05-22
From ME London Times, March q.
EAST INDIA HOT Sc.


EAST INDIA HOUSE.
Yesterday a Quarterly Courl of Projectors
was held for the transaction ofgeneral business
Colonel Sianbope again brought forward the
subject Ola rec Press IN India, and after de-.
failing its advantages 10 our India Empire NOV
ed that the present restrictions which are impo-
sed on il be removed. This motion was ne
gativod by an immense majority,
BURNING OF HlNDoO WIDOWS.
Nj. Pc, ndcr rose to move Tint this Court.
taking into consideration the continuance Of
hum IN sacrfces in india, is Of opnion that, Ia
the case OF all rites aud ceremonies involving
the destruction of life, It is the duty ola paternal
government to intcrposG for their prevention /;
and therefore recommends TO the Honorable
Court OF Directors to transmit such instructions
TO Inda MS the Court may deem most expedicnt
for accomplishing this object, consistent with all
practicable attention to the feelings OF the ma
tlycs.H He stated from the parliamentary pa
pers from l3l7 to 1926, inclusive, II appeared
during those nine years, no Ia number than
5 l25 widows wrio sacrificed on the funeral
pies OF their husbands, in the prcsi cncy of
y ngal and taking the number inundated at
thc presldene IS of Fort saint George and Bonn
bay, the number would amount to nearly 5000 ;
aud the number Of children of various ages, who
became orphans IN consequence ofihls practice,
in the presidency oil Bengal allne, was g. l2S IN
n'ncyears. lie learned proprietor then pro-
cccdcd to read the regulations under which Ii
c'nSe tor the burning OF widows was TO be gran.
ted, aud also a VARIETY OF documents, to inform
the police ofthe mteid d Suttec5 time enough
TO prevent them, where the burning was against
the cunscn of the female. lie next occupied
the attention OF the Court in reading a vast mum
bcr ofexnacts from the official reports made To
the government ol India aud also from private
communications winch he had received detail
ng long list III cases ia winch unfortunate
females we've forced on the burning pile and
thrown back uponit again and again, after their
repeated attempts To get awny. though it was
one OF the regulations tlat no force should be
used on those occasions aud SUCH when ending
IN the death of the female, was declared pun.
shablc with great severity.
Young widow about fifteen yoars Of age,
was brought TO the pile where the body of her
deceased husband Law. At the lnstigation of her
relations many of whom attended, she ascend-
ed the pile, but when she felt the flame she rush
ed from it, and imporcd them 10 save her life,
Her relations we're deaf to her entrcatics, and
she was thrown back on the burning pile, 81 logs
of wood were thrownu upon herto keep her down.
Again however she burst through the flames,
and succeeded IN throwing herself INTO o stream
near the spot.--IIer uncle now approached her,
and endeayored topersuade her 'nce more 10
ascend the burning pile but this she refused,
aud bcsought him in the most pteous accents
10 allow her TO escape aud thut she would beg
the rest of her lite for her subsistence, and nat
tie burden 10 her friends. A cloth was now
,preadon the ground, ard she was desired TO
place herself on tin order 10 her being conveyed
home. Al first she doubted the intention OF her
1 A. : 4. -. a a.
swore by the G1ngcs that nothing should be
done against her will, and thar i, was intended
| to take her back TO her home. She placed her
self on the cloth. butno sooner was she seated
on it, than the cloth was suddenly wrapped up
| and tied round her and in that state she was
1 once more east ON the blazing heap. which had
now begun TO burn fltrously. Again however
! she attempted 10 escape, aud was burstipg from
! the burning mass, when her uncle approached
! struck her on the head with sword and put
an end 70 her suiIerings. Her body was then
consumed Five of the parties concerned W, n
! tried for this act but none Of them were convic
ted OF the capital offence tine OF them was
sentenced 10 five years of hard labor another to
three, and the Others to ii siighter degree Of
punishment
The next was that 81 a woman WHO had been
induced by the persuasion OF her friends and
excited by the usual stin,ulants ofnpium and 9th
er drugs 10 place herself ON the pile for the
| pmpose of being burned with the body of her
deceased husband. After lying there for some
tune, and the fire approaching her but slowly
| she burst from il, aud with the assistance OF a
gentlemen who was present, she got into the ri
ver Ganges. Sine said she had no objection
to sacrifice herself, butthe ERE burnt too slowly
aud tina; il they would alter it so as not to pro.
tract her sufierugs, she would again place her.
self on tn pile. When she approached, how.
ever, She got alarmed by the blaze, which
burst forth furiouSly, aud refused 10 ascend
Her friends, ifrltated at the refusal took her
forcibly by the head and heels and cast her into
the flames She again escaped and without
| any assistance made her way to the river, into
which she threw herself Thither her friends
followed her, and endeavored 10 drown her by
holding her do" II under the water. Some per-
sons intertered and she was at length rescued
On being taken from the water, her skin hung
| IN black and shrireed pieces from every part OF
her body: the flesh was burnt from her legs,
arms, breast. and other parts of her body,
which altogether exhibited an appearance the
most appalling. In this state lref friends did not
farther Rolest her. She was.immehiately CON
veyed to the hospital. but all human aid was
now too late; and after lingering for twenty
hours an the most eAcruciating agony, death put
a periou to her sufierings
! AFTER several ether cases, Mr. Foynder went