The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-03
AN ADVENTURE IN INDIA WITH A
STRANGER.
The Mysterious Murders That Took Place
Near Hyderabad and How the Muir
derer Was ut Last Discovered-Ho
Makes a Full Confession.

derer Was at Last DlscoVored-ho
Makes a Full Confession.
copyright, 1892 by Charles B. Lewisl
Three years after the Sepoy rebellion had
oeen put down in India, and with the coun-
try under such military and legal discipline
as it bad never known before, was at Hy-
ierabad, a large town 800 miles east of Bonn
bay, In the province of Dekkan. IL was there
that a band of professional thugs, number
ing thirty-twO men, was captured and ex-
ecuted in 1860 The vigorous search after
and prompt punishment OF criminals was
having due effect, and not case OF poison
ing or strangling had been known about
Hyderabad for several months. In fact
these two classes of murderers were sup
posed to have become extinct in that prov
ince. One morning ryot, or farmer, was
found dead on the public square, and 1T
was speedily discovered that he had been
choked to death. The imprints proved it
to be the work Of 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 fin
gers got their purchase just below the vic
Tins ears. Sometimes the fingers clutched
his ears or hair. The mark" was always
plain to be seen on the neck. Now and
then a victim was attacked from behind.
In such cases the 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
the first case a woman was found dead with
in three blocks OF the public square, and she
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 suspi-
cious characters but as in the other case
nothing could be proved and all had to be
released. At the investigation almost
every suspect made the same reply, as fol
lows:
NO. sahib. am ashamed to admit that
| am not guilty Of this crime. We are no
longer men, but slaves. | no longer have
courage, but am a coward and dare not
lift my hand"
Ten days later the stranger counted his
third victim, and this time it was Euro
pean. Only at rare intervals before the
mutiny had European fallen victim TO
the professionals Of any class. 1t seemed
to be an understood thing with all not to
NEEDLE with them in any manner. The vic
tim in this case was a clerk in the civil serv-
ice department attached 10 the tax collect
or's Office believe. He had been IL! for
week or two, and was occupying a room in
a bungalow in the heart Of the town. Ten
or dozen clerks kept bachelors halW
together and there were half dozen
native servants to take care OF the place.
This clerk, whose name was Adams, had
native man for nurse, but was almost
convalescent. One night at 10 o'clock he
sent his nurse with note 10 a bungalow
half a mile distant. The nurse was alb
sent 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 question about his having
been the victim Of professional, and
probably Of the same fend who had stran-
gled the other two.
The police and the military now quite
lost their heads During the following
week there were about 700 arrests, some Of
them being made 2OO miles away. Moth
ing like detective work was attempted,
and as a consequence every suspect had TO
be discharged for want Of any evidence
against him. The authorities seemed to
90 on the idea that il sufficient number
Of people were arrested the guilty party
would somehow betray himself Strong
efforts were made in three or four cases TO
faCf htt
few weeks every person who had been ar
rested was set ut liberty Being new 10
the country, and having taken great in
terest in the work Of discriminating the
professional" | asked for information on
every hand. One day, in conversing with a
Major Burke on the subject, he explained;
'In my time have inspected the hands
OF at least q score OF strangers. Their
strength lies mostly in wrist and fingers.