Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-02-25
INDIAN ROBBERS.

Robbery on the largests scale ever known was carried on once in India un- der the system known as rhuggee. This was the most extraordinary system of crime the world has ever seen. It's op- erations extended over thousands of miles of country. Its victims would lave populated many small kingdom. It carried on crime under relioious sanc- tions and with religious ceremonies, made theft holy and murder sacred. It killed in a cold-bl 'oded, ruthless, whole sale way. It held human life as of no account. It had no respect for weak ness, age or innocence. When a com rany of travelers-against whom its op- erations were chiefly directed-had come within its coil, it allowed none to es- ape. It slew all-the father and mother, the grapdsire and the babe in arms ; man, woman and child. It used DO baleful drugs, no deadly weapon. It dealt out destruction by the simplest of all means-a handkerchief. Though the confederation numbered thousands of members, it carried on it's work of ron bery and slaughter undetected, if hot unsuspected, for years. even under British rule.
 Gang-rohbery with violence was also very prevalent in India when it was first conquered, and also for some time after. This Is known in India as Dacoitee, and in many parts of the country all robbers and thieves were once called Dacoits. Dacoitee is of two kinds The first is the attack on shop, warehouse or pri- vate dwelling. This is not the sam as burglary; for whereas the burglar enter. secretly, and only resorts to force in tn, last extremity, the Dacoitee is an oper attack by an armed body of men. In place is carried by open assault. If [ closed door bars the way 1t is simpl, burst open. The robbers are well armed carrying swords and iron-shod clubs and some times even matchlocks; and re sistance tends to wounds and deaths This fragrant and open breach of tn, law has been suppressed in great meas ure, though not altogether.
 The attack is gnerally made on tn house of rich banker or the shop of leweler in some small town where tn police force IS not very strong, or on tn house of rich zemindar Qa1downer) o 8 village. One case of the latter kind which occurred i'll a village at the tim when was encamped not far from ii was managed thus. The zemindar wa reported to have large sum of moue buried ln the house-a common way ( keeping 1t in India, the house lein built in the usual Eastern fashion namely, round a central courtyard The lower story was simply an open col ridor or cioister, and WAS used foI d, mestic offices aud tue stabling of CON and horses, and had no windows on h outside. To its full heig,t there Wa nothing but smooth surface of wal The upper story, the dwelling pla
 proper, had windows on the outside bu these, as usual. were very small, all high up. When the massive gates Wei closed of an evening the house WAS, fact, fertilization, with the househoi for a garrlson, and entry was almost in possible.
 The old zamindar and his two son were seated in the gateway enjoying tl
 cool evening air. Their two or thre men-servants were busted about il /. house, inside and outside. It was ju. getting dusk when there was heard o the road which passed through the Vi lage the usual cry of pilgrims proceed ing to some sa cred shrine: ' BoI
 6om Ha9todeo" Great, great is Nah,
 deo), ana !" GrNnq1 n,Tf kf jue" fVicttI