The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-08-22
THE FAITHoF THE THUG.
MURDER WAS A SACRED DUTY
AS CHARITY TO US.
The Strange Legend OF the Terrible God
dcss Kaiee Davey Tho PscksxeIs
the consecrated Weapon
81 the Thugs

cret murderers OF India no phrase
could be more applicable. No system
OF secret murder has ever existed so
extensive. so completely organized. or
so successfully pursued rs that OF the
thuggee says the Saturday Evening
Post The self-devoted assassins were
mere bunglers compared with the
thugs. Even now il is questionable
whether the thugs are wholly sup
pressed and the system extinct; and.
on the other hand. there Is but little
doubt that were the vigilance of
the Indian authorities 10 be relaxed.
IL would overspread the whole OF
India again. The explanation OF this
tenacious vitality which secured this
terrible confederacy such unexampled
success. which silenced the voice OF
conscience in the minds OF its members.
and infused into them "A spirit and a
love for their dreadful profession
which would do credit To any cause, Is
not far 10 seek.
The principle OF assassination was
religion; the principle OF burking was
robbery; in thuggee they were both
united Gain sanctioned by religion.
human rapacity exercised under the
supposed APPROPRIATION OF the Deity, is
Its principle
A British officer says OF the thugs:
There rs not one OF them who doubts
the divine origin OF the system of
thuggee--not one who doubts that he
and all who have followed the trade Of
murder with the prescribed rites and
observances were acting under the i'm
mediate orders and auspices OF the
goddess Devee, Durga Kalee, or Blu
wannee as she is indifferently called.
and consequently there is not one who
feels the slightest remorse for the
murders which he may, In the course
OF his vocation, have perpetrated, or
assisted in perpetpting."
The same officer tells US that thug
considers the persons murdered pre-
cisely In the light OF victims offered
up TO the goddess and he remembers
them, rs n priest of Jupiter remem-
bered the oxen. and priest OF Saturn
the children sacrificed upon their
affairs He meditates bis murders
without any misgivings, he perpetrates
them without any emotion OF pity.
and he remembers them without any
feeling OF remorse. They do not
trouble his dreams, nor does their
recollection ever cause him inquie;ude
in darkness, In solitude, or in the hour
of death.
The account which the thugs give
OF the first establishment OF their pro-
fession will explain the nature OF It's
pretentions To divine origin. The
thugs have tradition that demon,
by name Rakut Beef Dana infested
the world and devoured mankind as
often as they were born or created;
and TO enable the world 20 be peopled
Kalee Dayey determined TO put him TO
death.
The demon they say, was SO tall
that the deepest ocean never reached
above his waist; and he could, conse-
quently. walk over the world at his
ease. Kalee Davey attacked him and
cut him down; but from every drop OF
his blood another demon sprang up,
and the number increased at this geo
metrical rate until she became fatigued
\ with the labor. On this she formed
two men from the sweat brushed of
from one OF her arms; and giving them
each a handkerchief. told them 10 put
all these demons TO death, without al-
lowing one drop OF their blood 20 fall
on the ground
! After their labor was over they Of
! fored 20 return 20 the goddess the
I handkerchiefs with which they had
done their work: but she desired them
TO keep them as the instruments OF a
trade by which their posterity were 10
earn their subsistence. and 90 strangle
men with these handkerchiefs. as they
\ had strangled the demons. and live by
I the plumber they acquired; and having,
been the means OF enabling the world
/ 10 get provided with men by the de-
struction OF demons their posterity
would be entitled 10 take few for
their own use.
The goddess also told them that they
might leave the bodies OF their victims
on the ground and that she would take
care that they were removed. provided
that they never looked back TO see how
T she disposed OF them. On one occasion.
/ however slave had the audacity TO
look back. and saw the goddess. with
out any clothes on. devouring the
bodies. and throwing them about In
the air. Her modesty and dignity
were naturally offended. and she told
them that Ia future they must bury the
bodies themselves; but from some re-
mains OF compassion for her ancient
followers she bestowed on them pick
axe endowed with various supernatural
qualities
This pickaxc was consecrated by
each gang before setting out on an ex-