New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-01-02

writer in Household Words, describing his wan
derngs in India gives The following curious account
Of the Thugs peculiar tribe whom he met at Mon
gnJr on the Gapges Several Of the most notorious
characters were sberenos imprisoned, but permitted
% move about, having been pardoped on condition
mat tSey would become informers and to a certain
extent detectives In the suppression Of TtSgzee in
the British dotDinionz He says:
u was curious feeling to be In conversation vitt,
men who had each committed bis ninety on 4 han
ofea msroess-to zee the fingers that had strangied
goodnatnred enough TO act H. There Wa tbe unss,s
pectfng traveller with his bundle the tleeoy Thng
who engaged him in conversation the two men,
who, at the gwen signal were 70 seize him The ex
ecutioner, standing behind with the handkerchief
ready to strangie the victim. They even went through
the operation Of searching the . deceased p uroo
whom they found nstbing Ia this case but they al
reader is of course aware that Il is part OF the
Thugs religion not TO rob o live body The crime al
murder must precede that Of theff. The play-tbs
tragedy-over TO these domesticated demons it was
mere farce) they laughed at the solemn expression
which, doubt NOS, was stamped upon my FEATURES.
These Thugs were permitted 20 have their farli-
lies at MoBgbyr; and one morning, when ] strosled
down 20 their camp, an old man made five children
the eldest boy not more than eight years old. 70
through the business OF stranging and robbing VIC
tim. In one resPecf these urchns outdid their pro
genitors in the acting. They not only went through
the ceremony Of searching the dead body but, that
done, they dragged it by the legs to wen, and, in
dumb show, threw II down and then uttered PRAYER
/ to Heaven! A n
"swas that good Y said one Of the children, run
ming up 70 me fofapplause and reward. scarcely
knew what TO reply. Before had time to give any
answer, the childs father said, Mo- Il was not good
You used the handkerchief before the signal wss
given. Go through 1t again, and remember. this
time that you must have patience The boys began
again, much in the same spirit that an actor and
actress would 20 through the atraurliur seene iu
Otheilo, to please . fastidious manager.
Approaching very interesting looking woman,
OF about two and twenty yeas Of age, ssid to her
What do you think Of this r
falls beneath the shade Of the parent tree
g. Bot the crimeF said !. What think you Of
| thatN
:" She looked up with as lovely pair Of eyes a.
ever saw the ngat, smiled, and responded, Heaven
!" / was about to reason with her. but her husband
with an expression OF pride interfered and informed
me that she had taken eighteen lives
"sTwenty-onel' she exclaimed.
eighteen only said he.
"sTwenty-onev she persisted, and ran them over
counting her fingers the places and the dates wher
| the murders were committed. Her husband then al
mtted that she was in the right and, turning to me
remarked She is very clever woman, sahib'
"'Were your victims men or women p / said TO her
AN women, she answered me. Some old and
some young
al was tempted to ask her to show me how ii VA,
done and, after considerable coaxing, she compiled
with my wishes. To my surprise, she was the oniy
actor in the scene. except the VICTIM with who n shs
went through the process Of stranging With piec,
of cord. The victim another thugRess was suppose,
to be sleeping when the operation was performed
and could not help admirng- horrible as the sigh
was-the accuracy with which she performed IN
throes and agony Of death. To borrow an idea from
Junius, None but those who had frequently gtnesses
such awful moments could describe them so well.