The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
THE CAPTURE OF NEN.A !SAHIB.


from Hindostan of the capture of Nena
Sahib carries the mind of the mature
reader back at once to the terrible Sc
poy rebellion in British India, seven
teen years ago, and the shocking details
of massacre, murder, torture and out
rage worse than death which accom-
panied that insurrection. In that ter
Erible history Nena Sahib was the fore
most figure, and the most devilfsh of
the diabolical tortures visited upon the
English captives were of his invention.
His escape and continued hiding for
sixteen years after his last forces were
defeated and disbanded, is an illustra-
ton of his craft and cunning. His cap
ture now ought to be followed by speedy
trial. conviction and condign punish
ment for, if ever there lived on earth
treacherous and malignant monster,
prodigal in cruelty and apparently
utterly devoid of mercy or feeling, Nena
Sahib filed fully that detestable ideal.
He was born in 1924, the son of q
Brahmin of the Deccan, and was adopt
ed when an infant by Bajee Rao, the
Peishwa or chief of the Mahrattas.
This adoption, according to the Nah
rata law, carried with it the heirship
and property of Bajee; but, on the
death of that prince in 1851, Nena
Sahib, who claimed the inheritance, was
not recognized as the heir by the Brit
ish East India Company, and an estate
which had been bestowed upon Bajee
was declared lapsed to the company,
while pension of $3.50, 900 year, which
was granted to him and his family in
1918, was stopped. This seems to have
been the cause of Nena Sahib's fero-
cious hatred of the English hatred,
however, which he managed to conceal
under an assumption of extreme friend
illness. He was still fabulously wealthy,
and lived in royal splendor at Gavin
pore. He entertained the English mag
nifcently, initiated English customs,
and even followed English fashions. All
the time, however, he was secretly TO-
menting the disahection which finally
broke out in 1857, sweeping over India
IN a whirlwind of fire and blood. Such
was his dup1city that he was trusted
by the colonists as their friend,
even after the rebellion was
at food tide. But the tigerish nature
of the man soon showed itself. He sud
denly took the leadership of the insur-
rection, and massacred all the English
that fell into his hands, among them
| &rr-O Tov 1lx1 on
and children, who were endeavoring to
escape down the Ganges. He then laid
siege to Cawnpore, and after it surren-
dered, on the condition that the garri-
| son should be permitted to escape un-
harmed, let his prisoners embark on
/ their voyage down the Ganges. This
! was, however, but another instance OF
the feline cruelty of the man. He was
| playing with his victims as a cat does
with a mouse Immediately after the
captives had got aboard they were fred
upon. and the survivors recaptured.
The men, were instantly killed; the
women and children reserved for name
less horrors. They were kept alive for
eighteen days, and then, when Havelock,
hurrying to rescue them, was close at
hand, they were slaughtered with in
conceivable barbarity, and well filed
with their mutilated bodies.
Through the rest of that exciting In
dian war Nena Sahib was the CHIEF
spirit of the insurrection, and displayed
no little military skill and energy. Ht
was defeated at Bittnor by Havelock
and his army destroyed, but he soon as
sembled another, and besieged his late
conqueror at Lucknow until the latter
was relieved by Sir Colin Campbell. II
1858 he was chosen Peishwa or supreme
ruler of the Mahrattas. Long after the
rebellion had been practically put down
and its other leaders had either sub
mitted or been captured, Nena, witt
the Begun of Dude and some ter
thousand Sepoys, maintained armed
opposition to the British in the north
ern parts of Central Hindostan. Ii
1859 it was asserted that he died of fe
yer, and since then the accounts of hin
Fhave been vague and almost like le
gends There seems to be no doubt
however, that he is now in the hands
j of the British authorities. -Detroa
Tribune. nea