Morning journal and courier., 1893-09-27
THE THUGS OF INDIA.
Wholesaie Murder by Men Whose
Religion Was Enmity for the HUI
man Race.

Religion Was Enmity for the HUI
man Race.
From Balys MagAzine,I
Thuggee, summsrily defined, is, or rsth-
er was, profession by which, century af-
ter century, thousands of Indian males,
Brahmins as well as Mohammedans, bound
themselves by the most solemn osths, and
under religious ceremonies carried ont
with the sublimity attaching of old to the
Eleusinisn Mysteries, TO unite in secret So
cieties whose purpose it was to punish the
human race, and thus 20 merit the apprc-
bation of Bhowanee, by whom men and
women were sbhorred. This punishment
took tine form of enticing rich travellers to
become the companions of srmed bands
of Thugs, who. pretending to be mer
chants, or soldiers seeking service with the
Nizam, or with Holkar, ScIndish, or 9TH
ers among tue powerful feudsl princes, Of
fered projection and cOmpsnionship to de-
fencsless bunness, or traders, to sshou-
cars (sowcsrs) or bankers. t. zemindsrs on
the road to big cities laden with rupees,
bars of silver, or bills of exchange, which
they he'd received in payment for their
crops. Even professional robbers. or ds-
coits, were followed for days and nights
by wary bodies of Thugs. who attacked
and murdered them when a convenient
spot in the road or jungle was reached,
and robbed them of their plunder.
All this homicide was wrought by the
ample agency of = elk handkerchief dung
from behind over the head and throat of a
victim, who was instantaneously strsngled, /,
and in most cases his or her neck dislocs
ted by the deIterous application of the
bhuttote, or strangers knuckles, under
the victims ears. One essential prsiimi-
nary to the successful and uadstected per-
petrstion of sll the sc countless crimes WAS
that the lugghaes, or grave diggsrs. at
tached to each band of Thugs were sent in
advance by the commanding OF cer-the
Organization of these bands was strictly
militsry-to an indicated spot some miles
ahead, in order 90 prepare the grave for
the victims about to be Murdered Great
skill was shown in selecting a fitting spot
for the execution of the murders and the
preparation OF th- grave, 81 that no eyi-
dencs of the crims. should meet the eye.
The spot selected vas often on tae edge of
q bushy stream, where tie unconscious
victim was asked to descend from the We
hicle in which he was travelling, go as to
Tighten the load of the b1llocks or horses
which had to climb the high bank on the
other side Scarcely had the poor wretch &
| foot touched the ground before the deadly
| handkerchief was raund his neck. and the
/ foul deed was accomplished The bury
/ ing party then ran foIws ri, cAugh. mp the
body, and carried it 10 the grave prepared
/ for it, either among the bushes or rcck-,
/ or In the bed of the stream Every mem
/ ber of the murdered man's party or es-
/ oort, including women snd children, WAS
killed simultaneously by oti7er bhuttotes,
| or strsnglers, and within few minutes
II oru all
| one long and deep grave, into which huge
rocks were dung, to prevent the keen
| scented jscksls from 5urrowing down and
devouring the prey.
The murderous band of robbers then be-
/ took themselves once more to the road az
/ ter delay of few minutes, and such was
their knowledge of the country lu which
they were operating that, under the deK-
| tereus guidance OF their leaders, pursuit
/ was virtually impossible. Scouts were
j continually thrown ont in advance on
1 the flank, or in the rear Of 'Bhowanee,s s
i faithful children" aSd -ulh was the skill
Il and vigilance under which the lives of
thousands of rich victims were sacrificed
/ year after year that for centuries total i'm
/ munity, not only from punishment. bu;
| even from suspicion, wa tie reward &C
Il corded by Bhnwsne- and her blood thirsty
husband, S'vs, "a the~- sr1urS's Of the
| human race-
Meadows Taylor, IN hls three-yOlnmed
work entitled "C5nfrss.oa5 of g Thug.
tells ls thst most of the Information sup
| piled In bis work cau,a from a rufhsn
| called Amer Ali, who told him that, be-
fore he turned informer tn sa7e his worth
less life, he mad. ss Thug. pat to death
with his own hand seven hundred and
4 nineteen vIctims. ''Ah! SAhib, he added.
rsgretfuIly, 'ff I had not been in prison
4 r. he ha~ Er0r111
tsinly have been one thousand" When
Ameer Ali was five years old his father
and mother were killed by Thugs. The
boy was spared through the interpositlon
| of one of the band, and was reared as q
Thug. A chapter in Meadows Tsylor's
| work tells how Amser ALI killed his frs;
man. Ameer Ali's father had persuaded @
| rich sowcar to accompany the band ot
Thugs which the old man commanded
from the sowcar's home In Nsgpoor TO by
derabad, whittier they were all bound
The sowcar, imagining himself to be IL
honest hands, informed the head of the
band of murderers that he was about tc
| carry a good deal of treasure, together
with some valuable jewels and merchsn
disc, from Nsgpoor to Hydr rabsd- "Jus
| at niehtfaIl," said Ameer Ali, ''the sowcal
came to our camp in q small travelling cart
with two servants and three ponies, OF
which his tent and baggage were laden
and with ten bullooks and their drivers
Altogether there were eight men. inclu
ding the sowcsr. He was large, IN
wieldy man, and 1 thought him gooC
| subject for my frst trial, Ny father, T.
whom I mentioned my thoughts, wa
much pleased with ne. Dali.
, did repair tn my instructor, an old an'
, accomplished bhuttote, in order to max
/ myself perfect in my profession. On
, journey lay through the richest manufac
, turing districts of Hindostsn until we sp
preached Oomrsotie, between which ant
Mupsloor thres stages interpcse. Soon,
whispered my father 10 me, Il shall decid
on the place for ending this matter, anon
some low hills and ravines not far ahead.
The guides were called in and gave,a yer.
clear description of spot admirsbl
adapted for our purpose. l now felt ths
nv time had almost come. Perhaps Ii wa
s a Youths weakness, but from that momen
kept out of sight of the sowcsr as muc
as possible. An involuntary shudde
1 crept over me when did see him; but
;, was too late to retrsct and had q charaI
!. ter to gain. 1t WAS generally know
4 III