Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-06-27
A Tragedy and a Heroine.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
situated in the Bay of Bengal, q few
DAYS sail from Calcutta, are the great
penal settlement of India, especially
the former, where more than 10000 ma
tive conyicts, many of them belonging
to.the most desperate class of criminals,
are kept under restraint or employed
in out-of-door labor under vigilant SUI
pervision. A branch convict settlement
exists at Camorta, the capital of the
Nicobar Islands, where there are at
present 200 conyicts guarded by thirty
men of the Second Madras Native In
fantry and like aumber of police un-
der native chief constable. The offi-
Ger in charge of the station was Mr.. de
Roepsterff, Danish gentleman belong
ing to the Civil Uncovenanted Service.
A havildar, or native sergeant of the
Madras Infantry, aman of thirty years
service, had been accused by native
Waterman of appropriating cocoanuts,
and had in turn struck the Waterman
and put him for short time under sem
try. The next day Mr.. de Roepsterf
commenced the investigation of the
case, and having taken the evidence for
the prosecution adjourned the hearing
till the following day, when tho havil-
dar was ordered to bring up his wit
tnesses Shortly afterward he was riding
past the Native Infanty barracks,
about thirty yards of, when the havil-
ldar fired at him from his room and hit
him between the shoulders, the bullet
coming out at the breast. He fell from
ibis horse and the orderly and groom
who were with him went instantly to
his assistance. He was only able to
say, .sDo not be confused, take care of
the 'mem-sahib' (his wife) or she will
he shot. too" Mrs. de Roepsterf, who
was riding a little behind, came up, but
her husband was unable to speak fur
Their, and he died in a few minutes.
The havildar Immediately afterward re-
loaded his rifle and blew his own
brains out.
The position of the poor lady was de-
plorable-her husband killed before her
eyes, not a soul who could speak a
word of English nearer than three
hundred miles off by sea, two hundred
convicts to keep in order without a
prison to confne them in, and bad feel
ing existing TO dangerous extent be-
jWSSH tue koIhu pOIlCC anu IIIC N1tIdi do
Native Infantry. In these trying cir
cumstances the lady evinced force of
character amounting to heroism. She
had her husbands body carried at
once to the bungalow and afterward
buried. She dispatched a native craft
which happened to be in the harbor at
Port Blair, the seat of Government in
the Andamans, with two constables to
report what had taken place. In the
meantime she assumed command of
the station, ordering all reports to be
made to herself, and managed it with
perfect success, an illustration of how
naturally Orientals submit to and rely
on European mind when exercised
with firmness and discretion. In six or
seven DAYS Major Protheroe, the acting
commandment at Port Blair, arrived,
accompanied by some other officers and
the chaplain, and relieved her of her
terrible responsibilities. Then, on the
chaplain reading the funeral service
over her husbands grave, she broke
down, threw herself on the grave and
had TO be removed by force.
1t appears that Mr.. de Roepsterf,
with BIS wife's assistance, had nearly
completed q dictionary of the Nico-
barese language, and had also made
considerable progress in a translation
of the Bible. His widow desires to re-
main for some time at Port Blair to
finish the work.-London Times.