The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-04-03
A GALLOWS MISTAKE.
Bv Lieut.. iShipD.

a OAALONo Ml6 Il AhE.
BY Lieut.. iShipp.
During the memorable campaign in
Bengal, in the year 1904, against that
predatory marauder Jeswent Roco Hol-
car, who took il into his unwise head to
make an excursion through one ofthe fin
est provinces in India, the Duob, one of
Holcar's spies, fell into the hands Of the
hon. East India Company's troops. A.
mother person had been previously ap-
pretended on suspicion of being spy,
but from fear, or apathy, or some other
cause, they could not get him to speak.
The two prisoners were put into the
same tent, and during the night the real
spy managed to give the supposed one
so much opium as to make him quite stu
pid he then exchanged clothes with him.
The prisoners were both of one name,
and not unlike in person, and all they
could be distinguished by was the differ
ence in their dress. In the morning the
provost mashall went into the tent and
read aloud their sentences. "You Nun
koopunt are to be hanged" meaning of
course the real spy-"and you Nunkoo-
punt are to be flogged and discharged"
He then went toprepare the implements
of death, and to erect the apparatus for
hogging, when the following dialogue
took place between the two Nunkoo-
punts. ru 49,
Nunkoo, the spy, took the other by
the hand and said, "Brother Nunkoo /
wish l was thee |! to be hanged outright" I"
"Indeed," calmly replied the other
"well, ] willingly resign the honor, if 1
am really to be hanged" "Hanged !" re-
piled Nunkoo, ''that you assuredly will
be--your die of life is cast" But"
said the other, "are you sure the white
man meant me to be hanged Z" "As
sure, Nankoopun:, as you sit there"
"If SO, why should you wish to take my
place 7" "Why," said Nunkoo the spy,
.'they intend first to fog the flesh of my
bones, and then to skin me alive, to
crack every bone in my body, then roast
or fry me, ard then hang me; therefore
have good reason to wish to be placed
in your shoes, while you have only the
trouble of being hanged? 7" "Then I'll
meet my fate like man but why should
they hang me, am no spyl" True
they hang you because there is an uncer-
tainty about your being spy you see
what have to suffer because they know
me to be spy. The sergeant now bel
lowed out 'Come forth, Nunkoopunt,
who is to be hanged !" Here the spy, to
complete his stratagem, rose and said,
"Here am :" but the other Nunkoopunt
took him by the hand and said, "friend,
! am to be hanged-you are to be fog
ged, skinned alive, and then hung"
"Alla SO ] am," and he sat down. The
other Nunkoo then went forth to execu-
tion. The spy afterwards received his
twelve dozen lashes, upon which, one of
the drummers, who well knew the real
spy, said, Sergeant you have hung the
wrong man !" The sergeant looking him
full in the face, discovered that he had.
The provost marshal here rode up, when
the sergeant went up TO him and said !:
"Sir, ! have made small mistake"
"lndeed!" said the provost marshal
"what's that, serjeant I" "Wby, ] have
only hung the wrong mani" "Oh, is that
all; never mind-as long as you have
hung one ofthem, it matters little which,"
and having said this, the provost mar
shal rode on. When Nunkoo was set at
liberty, he took to his heels for fear they
might change their minds and he never
again, venture to say, entered British
camp, where they are apt to make such
trifling mistakes J"