The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-15
MASSACRE IN INDIA,
Eighty Members of a Surveying Party Mur
dered in Cold Blood.
From New York World Correspondent

from New York World Correspondent
CALCUTTA, February 25.-"There has
heen n terrible massacre in the Naga
Hills" Such was the simple news con-
yeyed by a telegram to the people OF In
dia and the civilized world a few days
since. How many there were who I'M
lerstood these few words may be counted
by hundreds. 1t is mere repetition OF
the sad event by which Major General
Candy and Rev. DIR. Thomas were killed
and others wounded in the campaign
against the Modocs in the United States
onlya short fifteen monthssince. Treach-
cry on the part Of dark-skinned allies
and oyer.confdence on that of the whites.
Early last December an English Gov
ernment survey and exploring party,
consisting of Lieutenant Holcombe, Capt.
Badgely and MIR. Chennel, of the Royal
Topographcal Survey, left for the East
ern frontier of India. A guard of forty
native soldiers of the 44th Regiment and
some twenty members of the Sylhet
frontier police force went with them,
while about one hundred and fifty coolies
we're taken to look after the baggage.
This made total of 2l3 souls in all. The
party, soon after starting, proceeded from
Seebsaugor, a small hamlet about SIX
hundred miles from Calcutta, and en-
tered what is fmiliarIy known as the
Naga Hills, through the valley OF the
Dikhoo, branch of the Brahmapootrl
River. Their purp se-the survey of the
district from the Dikhoo towards Luck
i, pore, a distance of about fifty miles
was made known to the inhabitants by
means of proclamations. After slight
delay the exploring party began Their
work, meeting with no opposition from
the villagers, though the Nagas have the
reputation of being about as bIood-thlrsty
savales as could he met with anywhere
in India. The fact Of the party not be-
ING opposed by these Nagas threw them
off their guard, whcn was Just what the
Nagas wanted, as the sequel shows.
On the first of the current month the
party had arrived and halted at Il place
called Soonoa, which isabout four marches
south of Joypore, in the Luckimpore dis
trict. Leaving this village, the party en-
canned late that afternoon just b 'yond
what is known as the Nabaug village,
through which they had to pas Things
went along nicely till just after nlghtlaIl,
when some seven or eight viIl' gers came
bearing torches, and, as they saId. pres
ents. Lieutenant HOlcombe, who had
charge of the survey party, permitted
them to approach. when they offered him
a coat. some spices and yum,, 1T Inc sNIlI'
lime Informing him that in the morning
they would return and bring other pres
ents. The visit, from subsequent events,
proved to be only to spy out the number
in the camp, and this soon was revealed.
Early the next morning, prompt TO lhelr
word, returned those of the previous
evening, but not alone, as with them
came nearly two hundred men. VI tllest
some fifty or sixty engaged the lieuten-
ant in conversation, whilst the remainder
under pretence of selling provisions, &c.,
to the balance of the party, freely inter
mixed with them. The coolies were get
ting ready for Il move when some ofthem
noticed thar the villagers were armed
with daos, or large knives, ami called the
Lieutenant's attention thereto. lie re-
fused to attach any importance to this
fact, believing that it was merely Gus
tom among tile Nagas. These Naga say
ages noticed the slightest move in their
favor, and managed 10 engage the atteh'
ton of the commanding officer and dis
arm the sentry ut one and the same tie.
This they effected by the simple requ ST
from one of their number 20 the Lleuten'
ant to be shown the rifle which the sen
trv carried. The weapon was taken from
the sentry and handed to one savage,
whilst a second offered gong to the oill'
Ger, who took it, and. not TIM King II Ol
moment, gave it smart blow. Inc
other savages had, in the meantime, as
though by preconcerted arrangement,
become inextricably mixee up with the
survey party. Now came forth Tie lear
full treachery of the savage, Ior with the
sound of the gong, one Of the TWO saw
ages near Holcomb, struck him q blow
on the neck with his dao, and repeating
it a second time, felled him to the earth.
AS the officer reeled and fell, his assall-
ant. who was doubtless a leader of the
tribe. shouted "Mar:dal, Mari " C"kill,
slrike."l As the words left his mouth
each Maya, who, it appears, had chosen
his victim, dealt with him IN a similar
and effective manner. The noise alarmed
those who fortunately were not on the
spot. and dire confusion for the time
reiqned supreme. Capt Badgely sought
refuge in his tent, but was followed, and
severely wounded. Cut in the thigh, he
jumped through the back OF his tent,
which was luckily open, then stumbled
and fell. Immediately springing up, he
found it was all over, and that some sew
enty or eighty men lay dead, and AS
many more wounded. A slight delay,
and the unwounded drew themselves to-
gether, and by their fire made the cow
ardly assailants fly. The baggage was
now. with the ammunition, got together,
and secured, and within two hours ailer
the bloody event the unwounded. Dear
ing with them the wounded, began re-
treat. The Nagas, seeing this, kept up a
harrassing pursuit for some miles, ana
made second determined attack upon
tre arrival of the little party at small
stream known as the Dill River, and
were quickly repulsed. On the second
Al .atWf NNtlEg a fi