The Bessemer indicator., 1893-03-04
GRIP OF A sTRANGLER.


GRIP OF A STRANGLER.
Three years after tho Sepoy rebel
lion had been put down in India, and
with tho country under such military
and legal discipline us it had never
known before. l was at Hyderabad, a
large town 500 miles east OF Bombay;
in the province OF Dekkan. 1t was
there that band of professional
thugs, numbering thirty-two men,
was captured and executed in 1860.
The vigorous search after and prompt
punishment OF criminals was having O
due effect, and not case OF poison
ing or strangling had been known
about Hyderabad for several months.
ers were supposed to have bee ome
extinct.
Ono morning ryot, or farmer, was
found dead on the public square, and
it was speedily discovered that he had
boen choked to death. The imprints
proved it to be the work OF a strang-
lcr. The thug used cord, while the
stranglcr used his fingers. About
twenty days after the first case wo-
man was found dead within three
blocks OF the public square, and she
also had been victim to the strang-
Ter. 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 proved, and all had
to be released. Ten days later the
strangler counted his third victim,
and this time it was European,
Only at rare intervals before the mu-
tiny had European fallen q victim
to the professionals of any class. 1t
seemed to be an understood thing
with all not to meddle with them in
any manner.
Tho police and the military now
quite lost their heads. During the
following week there were about 700
arrests, some OF them being made
200 miles away. Nothing like detec-
tive work was attempted, and as q
consequence every suspect had to be
discharged for want of any evidence
against him. The authorities seemed
to go on the idea that If q sufficient
number of people were arrested the
guilty party would somehow betray
himself. Strong efforts were made in
three or four cases to convict on
shady testimony, but every few
weeks every person who had been ar
rested was set at liberty. Being new
to the country. and having taken q
great interest in the work of exter-
minating the professionals" asked
for information on every hand. One
day, in conversation with Major
Burke on the subject, he explained:
"In my time l have inspected the
hands OF at least score Of strangers.
Their strength lies mostly in wrist
and fingers. Before graduating us
professionals they practice on dunn
mics md resort to certain gymnastics
to strengthen the parts have named.
This man now among us is certainly
professional. II arrested you will
find his thumb hattened on the ball.
II l were detective l should go
about looking at thumbs. In most
instances tho victim leaves scratches
or cuts on the hands of the assassin,
which would further help mo inden-
tify him in case of suspicion.
From that time on l instinctively
glanced at the hands of every native
with whom / came in contact, but
without the slightest hope of making
any discovery of value. Five weeks
1T -.
stranglcr was heard from again. This
time his victim was sergeant OF
infantry, and he met his death on the
highway between the town and the
camp. 1t was about 9 o'clock in the
evening when he started for camp,
and it was known that he was con-
siderably under the influence of
liquor.
On the third day after the SER
geant's death 1 had bit of chain
work to do on piece of land two
miles east of town, and my helper
was u native who had served in the
department for q year. He was o
middle-aged man, very slender, and
his weight was not above 120 pounds.
He had drifted into the town at the
close of the war, and it was told of
him that he came from the North and
had been faithful to the English dur
ing the struggle. When not acting
as helper in the field he had the
caro- of some horses belonging to the
department.
The only name that he was known
by was Peter. When | sent him word
that I wanted him he returned re-
ply that he was ill, but half an hour
later he put in an appearance and ex-
planned that ho was feeling better.
We had reached the field and had
fairly begun work when my attention
was attracted to his hands. The
backs of both wero scratched and lac
Grated, though the wounds were half
healed.
alt was the monkey at the stable
who did it, Sahib," he explained, as
he held up his hands for inspection;
II was teasing him and he got re-
venge. will sell him il can find q
buyer"
knew he had monkey at the sta
BILE, and his explanation was perfect
ly satisfactory. The matter was for
gotten in moment, and it would
never have occurred to me again but
for what followed. 1t was scorch-
ing hot day, and after an hours
work We sought the shade to rest.
As was lighting my pipe for
smoke Peter observed that he was
very thirsty, and would visit spring
he knew Of about a quarter of mile
away.
The field. on which We were work