La Junta tribune., 1899-03-01
THE THUG.

"You lads have fine time OF II nova.
days, with your machine guns and N COM
missariat that knows canned meat from
castor Oil. T"
II was an Indian veteran who spoke
Colonel Carrill-to whom Myers and !,
returned from dacoit hunting In Burma,
had becn relating our exploits.
Fifty years ago fg ht4ng was fighting"
he went on, but now
We smiled the smile Of the young and
up to date. What did he know of the
vagaries of the modern savage; OF the da-
parted life and death with an ugly and
unnecessarily large stab In the brcasts
The colonel read our thoughts.
"Dacoits may be "a stealthier foe." he
said, but for undiluted vagabondism and
downright yillainy give me the thugs"
"Thcy must have been bad" VEN
tured.
"At the very best, and yet found lit
tie grain of virtue In one, said the vet
eran. "Shall I tell you yarns 1t Will
be like n page OF ancient history now.
at was In the autumn of 1884" pro-
ccedcd tho colonel II went out from Hal
darabad under Major Groves northward
| across the Godavery after thugs. Groves
sent me of on my own account with =
troop of about 80 scpoys and couple Of
poncoms. We bad no success until Hosein
All fell into our hands. He was taken
with the proofs of guilt thick upon him
and the spoil in his possession. Yet he
denied with all the stubbornness Of inno-
oence
81 looked long and hxctlly at the man.
He was IA fine specimen of fine race. II
l had not been so absolutely certain of his
guilt, must have doubted that one Of so
gallant bearing could be that worst Of
| all criminals, thug.
What nre you doing here, them l
asked him. what Ia your trade, your co.
cupation: How did you come BY thess
pearlss'
".lf i answer the sabib at ALL he rs-
\. piled, 1T IL that he may be satisned and
let mo 20 on my journey In peace am
on travel honestly to my listers wedding,
and the stones are a wedding gift
".I don't believo n word, said I. You
are thug and murderer and deserve
hanging hundred times, but-make your
self useful, tell me your companions, show
me their haunts, take me to the graves Of
your victims, and your life may be spared. ;
AZ know nothing OF what you say. 80
bib, he repeated doggedly.
Take him away commanded. and
in ten minutes timo hang him..
"Of course this was'pure bounce, but he
knew no better. / uttered tho sentence
sharply and rose to leave the hut. As
turned my hnck / heard a scufile, and,
looking quickly round, was just In time
to ward the prisoners hands from my
throat.
"In another moment the men had him
down, and though he struggled desperate
ly he was bound and dragged to his feet
a. resumed my seat.
I" None but the guilty would have be-
haved so, sold sternly. knew no bet
ter In thosc days. You have sealed your
doom.
1.-THE man took deep brcath-he was
still painting from the struggle = and
shouted with an excess Of strength and
enthusiasm:
"'Jey Bhownnee.'
"It was the warcry Of Thuggee, the in
vocation to the goddess. II anything more
wns needed 70 convict him, It was provid-
pcarnnce. All the signs Of vice and Gu
pidity which I had looked for In vain ut
first were now most prominent in the an
CRY, passion distorted face.
ut was plain that We had made cap
ture of the first importance. Such man
| would, without doubt, be the leader or at
| least . very prominent member Of any
gang with which he was connected and
would possess Just the sort Of informa-
tion we wanted
'lnforiners are supposed to be built of
different material. However, l deter
mined to try him, and as a first step
had him informed that unless he consent
ed 70 give the Information We wanted he
would certainly be hanged in the morn
ing. As an extra argument we built .
gallows opposite the window Of his cell.
"At flrst this only excited his derision.
Tho small hours Of morning, however,
proved too much for him. was wakened
early and told be wanted to speak.
"'Tell him be can say all be wants I'M
der the rope. was my reply
when the hour came, the man was led
out. Nothing remained Of the scorn and
defiance Of the previous day. A night Of
passion and fear had broken him up.
"As he caught sight Of me he called
out, i will tell all. Sahib Bahadur.' One
OF the sepoys, previously instructed, be-
gan to busy himself with the rope.
"'All.' said. Nothing kept backf'
"'Nothing,' be answered eagerly. All
I have done and my companions.
land their names, all Of themr
| "sYes.'
".And help us to take them BY all mesns
| In your powerf'
HE hesitated at this, but glance ut
the man who held the rope and who had
now made pretty moose in II was enough.
"'I will, sahib. he muttsred- My life
will be sAyedf' -,l.s
,"On condition thas you carry out your
promise 70 the letter will do my best 70
Gavs t.
"There, within yard Of the sibbet, the
prisoner told tale Of murder and robbery
appalling In its extent sickening In its