The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-02-26
50 90 PER YEAR.



An Indian correspondent OF the Lon
don Times writes 10 that journal: "A
great criminal case, which has excited tn,
orthodox Hmdoos Of Bengal for som,
months, has Just closed. The mohunt, oil
monk priest OF Tarkeswar, the shrine oi
Sheev, near Serampore, has been notori
Gus for such practices as those which led
to the Maharaj trial in Western India
some years ago. He had purchased from
the parents first one daughter and then
another, who were deluded by his priestly
character into yielding to his will, yet no
one attempted 10 stop the scandal and the
most respectable still permitted their
wives and daughters 10 visit a shrine aud
adore sensudiist VINO was supposed to
grant children 10 the barren and health TO
the sick. One of the daughters CHANGED
/ 10 be the wife OF Brahmin, whose duties
/ IN the government press OF Calcutta kept
him away from her all the week. This
poor wife, Alokashee, had been the vic
tim Of the intrigue for some time when
the husbands eyes were opened. Shecon-
tessed her guilt to him, and they were APP
parently reconciled, when the mohunt at
tempted To prevent him from taking her
TO Calcutta. Maddened by this he slew
the wife, confessed the murder, was tried
by native jury, which acquitted him as
insane, and was finally sentenced by the
high court TO life imprisonment. Adul-
terry being penal offence in the man in
India, the mohunt fed to the French asy.
Ium in Chandernagore, but surrendered !
at last. Though defended by two En- |
glish baristers, and very wealthy from the |
offerings at the shrine, he has Just been |
covicted by the civilian judge Of Hooghly |
at the county sessions, and sentenced To /
three years imprsment, with fine OF |
200. OF course he has appealed, but it
is dficuft to see why the maximum penalty /
was not Inflicted. As the judgment /
was given in English, none but English
speaking natives were allowed 70 crowd /
into court; hut thousands Of excited Ben
galees besieged the doors. More than
once, his way 10 and from the court,
the mohunt was m0bbed, and had brick
bats hurled at him. When sentence had
been pronounced, and the police inspector
was about to lay hold of the convict, the
latter exclaimed. LET no one touch me,
for you will commit sin. will walk to
Ii not the offence, at least the
by the murder OF the Brahmin's wife have
struck "A blow at superstition. 1t is to be
that the trial was not held before
a judge of hi, h court competent to deal
with the who'e subject Of these shrnos
and priestly brotherhoods, Of idol endow-
ments, and celibate mounts, as Sir Jo-
seph Arhould did with such effect in Bonn
bay in the Vallabachaugha and Kojah
case. The dark places of Hindooism
need light TO be let in upon them, if only
for the sake Of the Hindoos. In defiance
Of penalties tor contempt of court the pit
tui tale Noon Chunde Bannerjea, Aloka-
,hee, his wife, and the hated mohunt,
has formed the subject of both published
story and acted drama in the vernacular
since the murder was committed. The
appointment of a new mohunt rests with
the maharajah Of Burdwan but the nom
nee must be approved and indicted by a
chapter of mounts A few more cases
ike this, and we shall have the Hndoos
themselves asking for the secularization
Of these wealthy shrines.