Washington telegraph., 1849-08-08
EXTRAORDINARY MURDER TRIALS IN
INDIA


annexation of the Punjaub, are calling
the native dignitaries to account for the
barbarous murders of Lieutenant Ander-
son and Mr.. Agnew, who were put to
deatha at the beginning of the Sikh out
break. The conquered Sikhs never an
ticipated this act of injustice when they
laid down their arms. The trials were
held before military commission of four
British and two native officers and a
Colonel of the Sikh army. A Sikh chief
named Goojur Siagh was found guilty
and would undoubtedly be executed
Even the DeWan Moolraj himself was
in danger of losing his life by the gallows,
for participation in these barbarous
murders, though his trial had not yet
taken place. The following particulars
of the murders were testified to on the
trial of Goojur Singh:
The murdered officers arrived at Moul-
tan on the 18th of April 1913, with an
escort of six guns and a Ghoorkha regi.
ment; and they encamped at a fortified
cantonment called the Eedgah. They
had an interview on the same day with
the Dewan Moolraj; and it was arranged
that the governorship of the province and
fort should be formally made over to them
the next day. On the 10Th, accordingly,
they went in cavalcade, and were shown
over the fort; the keys of which were
delivered to the Colonel of their regiment
As the cavalcade was returning to the
English, Lieutenant Anderson rode first;
and he was Immediately followed by Mr..
A tho
from Lahore, whom they came to install.
As they issued from the Seikhee gate of
the fort, narrow bridge over the deep
ditch of the glacis had to be passed; on
this spot the first assault was made. One
of Moolraj's soldiers. named Ameer
Chund, (who escaped from the fort just
before its capture, and is still at large,)
raised his spear and struck MIR. Agnew
under the arm.pit, with blow of which
Moolrai afterward remarked that it
brought down the very heavens upon his
head. MIR. Agnew was unarmed, but
Immediately returned the blow with
riding-stick, and leaped from his horse
to grapple with the assailant. Ameer
Chund drew his sword, and cut MIR.
Aonew down, with two wounds Oh the
shoulder and neck.
At this moment, Moolraj, instead Of
ordering the seizure Of Ameer Chund, or
striking him dead, slipped away to his
garden house; as he retreated, his personal
sowars broke from his guard, and return
ING upon Lieutenant Anderson, who was
till then unhurt set on him. and cut him
off his horse with many wounds; left
him apparently dead; and galloped of to
resume their duty as personal guards of
the Dewan. Sirdar Khan was not at
tackled; he bound up Mr. Agnew's wounds
with strips torn from his own cloak, and
lifting him on an elephant, carried him
to the Eedgah; where Lieutenant Ander-
son was soon after brought by his own
soldiers. Their wounds having been
dressed, MIR. Agnew proceeded to address
letter to the Dewan Moolraj expressing
generous disbelief in his participation,
but calling Oh him to clear himself be-
yond doubt by seizing the assallants,
and also to come himself to see him at
the Eedgah After considerable delay,
Moolraj sent an answer to this letter by
the hand of one of his chief men, Race
zadeb Toolsee Doss, to the effect that it
was out of his power to give up the per-
sons who had wounded the British officers,
and that he had been prevented by the
soldiery from coming to see MIR. Agnew.
The letter farther said that there was
great disturbance in the fort, and that
the officers had better look to themselves
and take measures for their own safety.
MIR. Agnew seems to have behaved
with consummated calmness and hero
ism at this trying moment lie pointed
out to Toolsee Doss, how grave matter
was in hand, and how absolutely indis-
pensible it was for Dewan Moolraj to
call on him, if he wished to justify him.
self and disavow the acts of his soldiers.
Toolsee Doss returned to his master, but
Moolrai never came. Preparations for
defence were made. Mr.. Agnew person
ally superintended the mounting in bat
terry of his six guns, and ordered all his
troops and adherents within the walls OF
the Eedgah At dawn the MoolraJ threw
off all disguise, and opened the fire OF
several of his fort-guns on the Eedgah;
but Mr. Agnew's guns replied with such
skill as to dismount one OF the DeWan
guns and kill some of his artillerymen.
The Dewan stayed his fire and resorted
to other means-the corruption OF the
Sikh regiment, by the tradltonary brlbe
of bracelets and golden chains. Ihe
issue was speedy and fatal. by evening
all had deserted except Slrdar Ahan
Singh, eight or ten of Kurrum Lance S
horsemen and the Moonshees and domes-
tic servants of the British officers. Be
meath the lofty dome of that empty hall
$50 strong and formidable tEat very
few stout hearts could have defended lt)
stood this miserable group around the
beds of the two wounded Englishmen