Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-09
Uncle Tant!a, tho Outlaw


4 Hindu outlaw Of the genuine Robin
Hood type has for some time been battling
all the attempts which the IndiIn police
have made to capture him. The Central
Province, /. the site OF this dusky bandits
exploits, and in the broken country which
there sbounds. protected wherever he goes
hy the population. It seems probable that
Mana Tant a" Uncle Tautia," As the peO-
Die alTect0nately call him will still enjoy
a long period Of immunity under the gay
greenwood. The offender is faYorite
everywhere, ard something OF a popu-
lar hero. Handsome in face and zig.
IRE, an accomplished hOrSeman, eX-
rert IN MANI exercises, and with an
excellent touch on the cthar, Tantia
calls himself the friend Of the poor, aud
distributes other peoples goods among
them with the utmost generosity. He has
ready wit, too, and is forgiven many
crime for the humOr that accompanied its
commission; while. above AL, he IL coilr-
tesy and chiyalry itself to the fair sex. He
comes into a village, and, nobody opposing
them, he and his merry men rob the rich
est inhabitants, and beat them into the bar
gain. fer daring to be richer than their
ueighbOrs, give away a considerable pOr-
ton OF plumber to the mcndicants OF the
place, make handsome present to thetem-
pie. and then, after entertaining the VIII
lage at feast and an entertainment, in
which the captain OF the outlaws takes the
place Of chic. performer, the freeboOter'
90 their way. In due time the police
come up to investigate, aud, though the
plrndered men VOW and protest that
thev were robbed and beaten in
open daylight. and give an exact
account II the outlaws merry-mlk-
ing at their expense, not a soul in the
village can be found 10 confess that he or
she knows anything about the occurrences
which these who were recently rich declare
TO have taken place in their midst. Inc
bcggars, with Tantia's rupees in thei?
waist. cloths, DENY that they ever saw the
yagabond near the place, and as Tor the
other villagers who fcasted with Che gang
and applauded The Captlin's singing ana
strlunming, they are lost in astonshmenl
at any one ever thinking they could do
such n thing, or that evil deeds could be
tolerated in n well-reguated village like
theirs. so from place TO place the ponce
have gone on for months. wandering aftef
this will-o'-i he-wisp-thi perpetualiy van
shiDg Robin Hood, who stands charged
by every nch native along the road wan
having robbed him, and acquitted by every
poor one OF having ever oecn seen IN the
nelghborhcod.
Uncle Tanlia, therefore, may reasonaDy
expect long lease OF popular isVor ior
in India, when brigand OF this SORT mas
once established his reputation as the enc
my OF q special class only. and 10 known 70
be man OF his word, Furnishing treachery
swiftly and severely and rewarding fri'nd-
ship with liberaliiy, be blossoms into =
local hero. and can contide in the good
faith Of the majority in every village he on
tcrs. The minions OF the law who seek
! his capture come 10 be looked upon as the
patrons and colleagues OF the rich money.
lenders who grind down the peasant, anu y
the countryside conspires 10 put lnem ..
tie tack CT their dashin, bcnefactor and