Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-12-28

would make no explanations. He wuu
offered sum OF money and his free
dom II he would betray the guard, bus
he was silent. No importance was at
tached to the pink stone. but 1t was
taken away from him when he was
locked up.
For two days the man was quiet and
sullen. Then he began to shout and
scream and rave. and to quiet him the
stone was restored. As soon as II was
placed In his hands the fellow was like
lamb. II was given him about 3
o'clock In the afternoon. The corridor
In which he was confined contained
eight cells. and in each cell except his
there were two prisoners. There was
barred window ut one end OF the
corridor and an iron door at the other.
A guard sat at this door and had con-
troll OF the lever unlocking all the cells.
He was own brother to the sheriff, and
his Integrity could not be impugned.
His orders were to look into Chilka'a
cell every hour. and at 4 o'clock he
looked In and found the man apparent
ly asleep. At 8 O'Clock he looked in, to
ind the cell empty There had been
no movement to alarm him. and tho
other prisoners had heard nothing.
Before unlocking tho cell the guard
called in the jailer. and never was on
cinl so dumfounded. The Hindoo had
vanished. But how could he have gone
IN the fiesh2 There was the guard and
there were II prisoners to back him
up, and, though the Jaller was hard
headed man, he was forced to believe
In the supernatural.
This third queer escape caused no end
Of talk. Europeans who reside In India
see 50 many strange things that they
become tainted with superstition. There
were few who shook their heads and
limited that the jaller knew more than
he dared tell. meaning that Chilka had
dealt with him, but the great major
ity put II down that the pink stone
was the fetch which had caused all
the trouble. In order to clear them
selves Of ridlcule the officials deter
mined that Chilka should be recap
tured at any cost, and messengers were
sent In every direction, and a large re-
ward was offered In about ten days he
was found 100 miles away The first
move of his cnptors was to take tho
pink stone away from him. He was
brought back to Haidarabad and jailed,
and he was offered various sums Of
money IL he would give up the secret
OF his escape. Not word OF explana-
tlon would he make, and for four days
he refused to eat or drink. He begged
for the pink stone, and 1t was finally
decided to give II to him. The stone
had been taken to lapidaries and Jew
elers, but no one had been able to give
1t name or to recall having ever seen
one like IT,
When tue charm was turned over to
Chilka, he wept for Joy and called for
food. He was now taken to u corridor
In which were four cells and all empty.
The only window was boarded up, two
guards were stationed at the door,
and cell each side OF the Hindoo was
occupied by guard. The jniler him
self was the guard on the inner side
Of the door. Tho charm was passed
over to Chllka Just at supper time. He
ate his food and lay down OH the straw
as II to sleep. At a quarter past o the
jaller looked into the cell. and the man
was there SO at half past and a quar-
ter to Z. AT 7 o'clock he was gone.
Smile If you will. but the Hindoo had
taken his departure out OF an iron
cell, with four guards at hand, and
not the slightest trace Of him could be-
found. The guards In the cells had
heard no more on his part. His cell
door remained locked, and there was
the Impress of his form on the straw.
You emit say those four men were
fools. You can't deny IN the face OF all
the tnlk and newspaper articles and
afiidavts that he vanished on tho DIFF
ferent occasions az | have related. In
deed, the public Investigations called
out doctors, guards, soldiers and at
tOrneys and they were not men who
could he ridlculed. Chilka simply van
ishcd M spirit The stone was the
charm which accomplished IT, He was
never found after his last escape. The
authorities didn't want to find him.
He WAS not only II spirit OF evil, but
his escapes had bad moral influence
on the lIindOo community. You may
turn aud twist the matter As you will,
but You cant get over facts, and the
main fact In the case was that the
fellow could dissolve his earthly body
into nOthingncss.