The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-29
NENA SAHIB.

The foreign news announces the cap
ture Of Nena Sahib in Gwalior, place
in the dominion of the Maharajah Of
Sindia. Nena was the notorious and in
famous leader Of the Sepoy mutiny in
British India in 1857. Sindia, though an
independent province is under the pro-
lection Of the British Government and
lies within the Bengal Presidency.
No man is more execrated by the Brit
ish people than Nena Sahib "infa-
nous being generally the prefix to his
name.
The real name Of the chieftain, who
was Of the Brahmin caste, was Dhundoo
Punt, Nena Sahib being the title he as
sumed as Mahratta chieftain. His first
quarrel with the English was in 1851 and
this is supp ,sed to have influenced his
later actions. He had been adopted by
the Mahratta chief Bajee as his heir. On
the death Of Bajee an estate which had
been granted him during his life was de-
clared lapsed to the East India Com
pany and a pension Of s45o,ooo a year
which he had enjoyed for third Of a
century was stopped Nena Sahib en-.
deavored to procure reversal Of this ac-
ton but without success, and this wrong
he treasured in his memory and waited
his opportunity for revenge. Thatcame
in 1857, when the Sepoy mutiny broke
out.
At that time he lived in the town oi
Bittur, Province Of Dude, where he pos
sessed wealth and influence. The Brit
iSh applied to him for soldiers to guard
the treasury at Cawnpore, which request
he Immediately granted He took ad
vantage Of the confidence reposed in him
by the British to secure the important
points in the country, when he placed
imself at the head Of the insuuectior
and struck the first blow by the massa
ere of large number Of Europeans
mostly women and children, who wer'
endeavoring to escape down the Ganges
The fight and capture f Cawnpore fol
lowed. The English residents surren
dered after receiving the promise Of Men;
Sahib that he would send them in safety
to Allahabad. Instead of doing so hi
turned loose his ferocious followers upor
the haplcss prisoners and a scene of hor
ror followed unequaled in modern times
The men were shot down like dogs o
their throats cut. The women and chill
dren we're subjected to outrages wors
than death itself, and hen were horribl
mutilated before being slaughtered an,
their bodies thrown into well. Gener
al Havelock entered Cawnpore next da,
aud Nena Sahib retreated to Bittui
where he was defeated by HavelocE
Another force was soon collected, but al
ter succession Of engagements he wa
compelled to seek safety in fight. H
was hunted down like wolf, but sue
ceeded in eluding capture, and for a Ion
time with rowing band infested tn
northern parts of Central India.
In 1859 he was reported to have die
of jungle fever, but the story was gene
ally discredited, and year aferwart
he was said to have been seen with h
70 lowers in Tibet, having crossed th
Himalayas and e camped with ten tho1
sand men at the northern base Of Il
mountains. The report turns QUITO hay
been true, and now he has found h
way back to the scenes Of his former e,
, plots.
The presence Of this terrible chiefta
/; so near his former home and to the the
| tire in which we're played the horr
: scenes in which he was the principal a
S tor, will cause great disquietude in Br
{ ish India, for there have not been war
! ing Of late indications of a possible rev
: val Of the scenes Of the Sepoy mutin
S For the past two years evidence has bet
accumulating of an organization Of M
hamedans in India, whose ramihcatio
extend throughout the country, and gre
] distrust Of the native troops exists, tt
purpose Of this organization is known
be ageneral rising against the "Inhdels
: and whenever such an outbreak occu
: the fanaticism Of those engaged in it W
y make it a bloody affair. Whether I
: presence Of Nena Sahib is connect
e with this anticipated rebellion or not
y uncertain, but there is certainly enoul
! ground for suspicion to cause much u
easiness. ..
a 1t is said Nena has been fully ideni
7 fed by the Maharajah of Sindia and ev
Z that he has confessed himself. What W
e be done with him by the British autho
e ties remains to be seen. The horrors
, ! the mutiny are by no means forgotten
\ the British people and the Sahib, as t
v ''head devil" will probably be dealt wi
< accordingly. b3l I'D ~