Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-02-08
THE BOMBAY FIEND.'
Diabolical Work of a Native o.
India IN 1858.
An Assassin Who Manifested Liking
for the Right Ears of Englishmen-
The Many wild Theories Al
vanced-Caught at Last.

a district of London, is a plagiarism on
the work of the bombay Fiend.' Inc
only difference is that one killed only
men, and Englishmen at that, and the
other kills only women, and women Oh
doubtful regulations. 1t was In 1000
that the Bombay fiend pursued his
bloody work, and during his career
was a resident of that city and saw
most of his victims after death. AS
all were English, and all of them army
or civil officers, and as the last mutter-
lnps of the mutiny had not yet been
stamped out, the British Government
took care to suppress the particulars
of this fend's work as much as posi-
BILE. While thousand men were
quietly searching for him the press
was forbidden to give him any notorle-
ty, as it was believed the criminal was
a native, and to particularlze would be
to make hero of him and induce
others to follow in his bloody footsteps
The first murder occurred in March,
1858, and the victim was an English
Captain of infantry. He was leaving
club house at ten o'clock at night,
and to reac. the street he had to pass
seven or eight feet wide and twenty
feet long. This way was lighted by
single lamp.
People we're coming and going every
two or three minutes, and it was
public thoroughfare in which woman
would have felt perfectly safe from vlo-
ence. Five minutes after the Captain
| left the club house an alarm was raised
| that he had been murdered. A score
Of us rushed out to find him dead in
the alleyway. He had been stabbed to
the heart, and his right ear had been
cut off. The body had not been de-
spoiled, and the general verdict was
! that 1t was case of revenge. There
was great stir over this, the first of
the series, and many natives were ar
rested on suspicion. The British were
carrying things with a high hand then,
and some of the parties arrested were
tortured to eXtort a confession. 1t was
| riven out that one had confessed and
been executed, but this statement was
only to affect the native population.
Not one of the suspects had Il word to
say to help clear up the mystery.
On the eleventh night after the Cap
tains murder Lieutenant of dragons
was found dead at the front door of the
bungalow of friend on whom he was
about to call. 1t was only twenty feet
from the gate to the steps, and the
path leading up was of sand. It was
only just after dark, with many people
moving about, and yet no one had been
alarmed. The officer had not been
dead five minutes when found. AS in
the other case, he had been stabbed to
the heart and the right ear cut off and
carried away. This satisfied every
body that an assassin was abroad, and
the excitement was intense. 1t was
the policy of the Government to sup
press the facts as far as possible, but
they soon became known to every
European in the city, and every man
was on his guard from that time on.
Those who had been in India longest
reasoned that these murders were the
work of fanatic-a religious fanatic.
At that date, and even for ten years
later. religious fanatics were to be
found in every community. They made
VOWS to do this or that for the glory
Of their God, and it was a rare thing
for one OF them to abandon his
work. | have met natives who had
vowed never to walk in straight line
others who had vowed to sleep stand.
ing; others who kept one eye shut. one
arm raised, or had vowed not to speak.
If the assassin had vowed to take the
lives of certain number of English
men he was more to be dreaded than +
band of robbers. Nothing but his capt
ure would prevent him from fulfilling
that vow. and the fact of his commit
ting two murders in prominent place:
and leaving no clew to his identit,
proved that he was crafty fellow.
There was the usual cry against the
| police force, but one who stopped Il
consider for a moment realized how
he pless the officers were. A dozer
arrests were made and threats, prom
lses and torture used to secure a point
er. but the poor fellows knew nothias
and. therefore. had nothing to give up
On ,ne evening of the fifteenth da,
after the second murder a third oc
CURED. An artillery Captain, who haC
been through all the mutiny, and VIII,
had only that day boosted that he com,
take care of himself under all circum
stances. had called at the bungalow O
his brother, who was in the civil serv
ice. Not finding him at homo the Can
tain had taken a turn in the garde,
with his cigar. The three natiy
| household servants had noticed hin
walking up and down, but after
lew minutes one of them saw hir
T lying on the ground. The three ra
Il out, and 1t was to find him dead. TIL
garden was about a quarter of an acr
In extent. and was surrounded bv
p brick wall nine feet high. The assas
{ sin had come and gone like a shadow
: out ne had done his work as well rs i
the other cases. The one thrust ha
oeen sufficient, and the right ear ha
oeen cut off. l was one of the frs
called In when the alarm was raised
took a torch and examined tho wal