The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-27
IN A STRANGLER'S GRIP.
EXCITING ADVENTURE OF AN RN-
GLIsH ENGINE Ea IN INDIA.

Execution Of the Last Member of
the Terrible Religious Sect of the
Dude Country-How Peter Killed the
Sergeant and Row He Failed to Kill
the Sahib-8is Grief at Non-Succsss
and HIS FatalisJic Belief Which LED
to Confession.
From the Chicago times.
Three years after the Sepoy rebellion had
been put down in India, and with the
country under such military and legal dis
sipline as IL had never known before, was
at Hydersbad, large town 500 miles east
Of Bombay, in the province Of Dakkan. 1t
was there that band Of professional thugs,
numbering thirty-owo men, was captured
and executed in 1860. The vigorous search
after and prompt punishment Of criminals
was having due effect, and not q case Of
poisoning or strangling had been known
about Hyderabad for several months. In
fact these two classes OF murderers were
supposed to have become extinct in that
province. One morning a ryot, OF
farmer, was found dead on the
public square, and it was speedily
discovered that he had been choked
to death. The imprints proved it to be the
work Of a stranger. The thug used cord
while the stranger used his fingers. His
marks could not be mistaken. He brought
his thumbs together on the adams apple -
while the ends of the fingers got their pur-
chase just below the victims ears. Some.
times the fingers olutched bis ears or hair.
The mark" was always plain to be seen on
the neck. Now and then a victim was at
ia from In ba
strangers thumbs were brought together
on the back of the neck, and his fingers
were locked together over the "apple."
Several suspects were arrested, but moth
ing came Of it. About twenty days after
che first case a woman was found dead
within three blocks of the public square,
and she too had also fallen victim to the
stranger Not only had she been choked
to death, but her neck was broken, The
police were again aroused, and bodies Of
cavalry secured the country and brought In
dozens OF suspicious characters, but as in
the other case, nothing could be proven and
all had to be released. At the investigation
almost every suspect made the same reply,
as follows:
"No, sahib. 1 am ashamed to admit that
am not guilty Of this crime. We are no
longer men, but slaves. | no longer have
courage, but am q coward and dare not lift
my hand"
Ten days later the stranger counted his
third victim, and this time 1t was an Euro
pean. Only at rare intervals before the
mutiny had European fallen victim to the
professionals OF this class. 1t seemed to be
an understood thing with all not to meddle
with them in any manner. The victim IN
this case was a clerk in the civil service de.
partment attached to the tax collectors
office, believe. He had been i'll for a week
or two, and was occupying a room in q
bungalow In the heart Of the town. Ten or
a dozen clerks kept bachelors hall" to-
gethor, and there were half dozen native
servants to take care Of the place. This
clerk, whose name is Adams, had a native
man for nurse, but was almost GONZALES
cent. One night at 10 o'clock he sent his
nurse with note to bungalow half mile
distant. The zurse was absent about three
quarters OF an hour, and upon his return he
found Adams dead. There was the mark
on his throat and there was no doubt about
his having been the victim of a professional
and probably Of the same tiend who had
strangled the other two.
The police and the military now quite
lost their heads. During the following week
being made 200 miles away. Nothing like
detective work was attempted, and as
consequence every suspect had to be dis
charged for want Of any evidence against
him. The authorities seemed to go on the
idea that II a sufficient number Of people
were arrested the guilty party would some
how bstray himself. Strong efforts we're
made IN three or four cases to convict on
shady testimony, but after a few weeks
every person who had been arrested was
set at liberty. Being new to the
country, and having taken great
interest In the work OF DISCRIMINATING the
professional" / asked for information on
every hand. One day in converting with a
MAJ. Burke on the subject, he explained:
In my time have inspected the hands OF
at least SCORE OF strangers. Their strength
lies mostly in wrist ana fingers. Before
graduating as professionals they practice on
dummies and resort to certain gymnastics
to strengthen the parts l have named
This man now among US is certainly pro-
fess1onal. II arrested you will find his
thumb fiattened on the ball. IL l were a
detective | should go about looking at
thumbs. In most instances the victim leaves
scratches or cuts on the hands Of the sssas-
sin, which would further help TO identify
him in case Of suspicion"
From that time on instinotively glanced
at the hands of every native with whom l
came In contacts but without the slightest
nope OF making any discovery of value
five weeks after the murder of the clerk the
stranger was heard from agaiu. This time
ma victim was a sergeant OF infantry, aud
ne met his death on the highway between
the town and the camp. 1t was about
o'clock in the evening when he started for
camp, and it was known that he was con-
slderably under the influence of liquor. He
was almost giant In size and strength, and
IL was reasonable to conclude that he had
made something of a struggle. even though
hait drunk and taken unawares. Indeed,
when the surgeon came to look him over
blood was found in his finger nails to prove
that he had lacerated the hands Of his muir
oerer. This was point to 60 on, but WAS
not even considered by the authorities.
Ahey followed the course previously pur-
sued and made several hundred arrests.
On the third day after the sergeant's
death had bit of chain work to do on q
piece OF land two miles east OF town, and
my helper was q native who had served ia
tne department for a year. He was a mid
dle-aged man, very slender, and his weight
was not above 100 poundA He had drifted
INTO the town at the close of the war, and it
was said OF him that he came from the
north and had been faithful to the
English during the struggle. When
nos acting as a helper in the field
9e had the care OF some horses be-
!onglng to the department. The only name
that he was known by was Peter. When I
sent him word that l wanted him he re-
turned reply that he was i'll, but half an
nour later no put in an appearance and ex-
planned that he was feeling better. We had
reached the field and had fairly begun work