The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-04
HE HATED THE ENGLISH
Brahmin Lawyers Trial for Muir
dering Commissioner Rand.
WANTED MILITARY PREFERENCE,

And Because He Could Not Get 1t He
Determined to XIII the Official Who
Directed the Work OF SuppressinR
the Black Plague.
Poonah, Bombay Presidency, Nov. 4.
The trial of Damodar Chapekar. the
Brahmin' lawyer, who was arrested on
Oct. last, charged with being con-
nected with the murder of Lieutenant
Ayerst and Commissioner Rand on
June % last by shooting them from
ambush as they were leaving the re-
ception given by the governor at
Ganeshkuid in honor of Queen Vic
toria's jubilee, and who the day Of his
arrest confessed having murdered Com
missioner Rand, with the aid of an
accomplice, and also admitted being
the author of the tarring of the queens
statue at Bombay, was commenced in
the court house here yesterday The
building was strongly guarded in order
to prevent any demonstration upon the
part of the prisoners friends. Chape-
kar adhered to his confession, but de-
clned to make any further statement.
Chapekar is no ordinary criminal, as
the following particulars regarding his
crime and career will show:
The prisoner Is about 2S years of age
and is pronounced to be well educated.
About two years ago he established a
club. or reading room at Poonah and,
after awhile he proposed that the
members should, SO far as possible,
collect all the arms they could. His
advice was followed and when cer-
tain quantity Of arms had been col
lected. Chapekar began teaching the
members TO fence. When questioned as
to his motive in collecting the arms,
Chapekar said they would prove use
full in the event of further disturbances
with the Mahomedans or against the
Mlencras. But, being twtted about his
valor, Chapekar grew angry and in the
dispute which followed the club was
broken up and all the arms collected
were taken to his house while he was
absent at Bombay.
On his return Chapekar buried the
arms, and shortly afterwards applied
to the British military authorities at
Simla to be enlisted as soldier. The
reply he received was that his applica-
possible to enlist a man of his particu
lar CASTE the companies being all of
one caste. Then Chapekar offered to
raise whole company of Deccani
Brahmins, provided he was given some
rank in the company. This offer was
also declined and from these facts
seem to have arisen Chapekar's hatred
of the British and OF the Indian gov
eminent, which first led him to- cover
with tar the statue of Queen Victoria
at Bombay, which he followed up by
going to Poonah and committing sew
eral assaults on people belonging to the
reformed party, who were opposed to
the orthodox party.
Later Chapekar returned to Bombay,
and there failed to pass an eXamina-
tion Which he had entered. Then he
went back to Poonah again, at which
place the plague operations had begun.
In the midst Of the excitement which
prevailed there on account of the al
legged harshness OF the health measures
adopted it Is claimed that Chapekar
remarked:
so many people are dying Of the
plague; is there none prepared to die,
putting an end to the author Of all
this tyranny"
The police regard this as having been
direct Indictment to kill Commissioner
Rand, who was directing the work of
preventing the spread Of the disease.
In any case Chapekar and another man
began to procure arms, and succeeded
in getting more swords, firearms and
sword sticks
In his confession Chapekar admits
that from that time on be began to
systematically follow Commissioner
Rand with the object of killing him on
jubilee day. He went to st. Mary's
church on that day, saw the commits
sioner there, but was unable to ac-
complish this purpose on account of
the crowd present. On jubilee night
Chape1ar then ran UP behind Mr..
Rands carriage and. thrusting pistol
close to the commissioners side, shot
the man he had marked as his victim.
While Chapekr and his accomplices
were still on the spot they saw Lieu
tenant Ayerst's carriage close upon
them, and thinking he had witnessed
their crime they shot him through the
chest, and then made off. leaving their
swords in a. neighboring culvert. The
next day. fearing that the police might
search his house. Chapekar put all the
arms into bundle and thew them into
well, where they were recovered. He
then escaped to Bombay, and remained
In that city until arrested.