The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-21
RELIGION OF MURDER.

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From India there comes every year "A
thin, pale-blue book called the Report OF
the Thagi and Dakaiti Department
which Is duly received, docketed and for-
gotten. II contains. however, one truth
worth remembering, VIZ that Thagi COR
Thuggeel the only religion that breaches
murder, is not yet extinct. IL appears, In
fact. OF late years, TO have been actually
on the increase. In The Punjab we find
Two cases of murders by Thugs as late
as 1896; while in Rajputana, Central in-
dia and llyderabad the increase IN the
last three or four years is startling In
1895 there were only three persons corr
cerned in Thuggeo poisoning In 1896 there
were ten, of whom two were convicted
while i'm 1891 there were no less than -
Thugs concerned. though there was only
one conviction IN 1898 there was
slight falling of. Five eases were re-
ported. Eight persons were concerned IN
these cases Of whom seven were caught.
but none were convicted. The report for
1899 is not yet available,
These wrctches are but miserable
remnant Of an ancient and pOweriul re-
ligion. set they inherit an undoubjed
sense of celtinuity from IL, and II is az
ter all. only some 80 years since two
Young English officials agreed that the
day OF rctributon was come for the fol-
lowers Of the great goddess Kali There
! were al that time at least 10000 Thugs
wandering ilnmolestcd over the surface ~
India. who eatned livelihood by murder
| ing their fellow men. They lived In this
way partly because II was their religion.
! and partly because they Neferred MUIR
/, dering to either working or begging. lt
] tt4gsa sfi z a al
/ people themselves should have tolerated
/ such e state of things. but we never hear
| of a village rising 60 hunt down the muir
/ derer The innocent villagers died Of
1 stranRling then. as they now die OF
! cholera OF tho plague IN a silent hope
| less belief that IL Is wrong TO struggle
against the visitation Of the gods. Thus
/ the murders We're never traced or heard
Of As each Thug Killed on an average,
! three men per annum, we get the uneN-
/ ampled fact OF some $1,000 people mostly
! under British rule or protection. vanish-
ing into the earth every year without any
] inquiry whatsoever being made, or any
/ notice taken OF their disappearance. such
\ figures seem increditable. and yet We are
told By officials OF the time that they are
| probably under the marx
The Thug was simply practical, Cod
| fearing man He would set out on his
| business with the quiet earnestness OF
| ono who was merely doing his duty and
| bringing up his son 20 a good professional
| connection lie would brutally murder
| twenty 20 thirty victims slot only with
! an easy conscience. but with the calm
self-approval of successful practitioner.
! and n. after years OF business-like activi~
ty he fell into the medding grasp Of
| British law, he would go to his dea IA
with the cRerful smile Of religious
man who had lived well and entertained
no doubts Of being muniticenty rewarded
hereafter Nor was he at all Grasplne IN
his dealings The celebrated Thug Shum-
sherah deposed that eight annas "a
shiiing) is a very good remuneration FOR
numbering a man. We often strange a
victim who Is suspected of having two
pice uhree farthings)" Their motto was
evidently small profits and quick returns
There is more 10 be said about Thuggee
as "A religion for a very genuine religion
IL was Sleeman saws that mo one OF
them doubts the devine origin Of Thug
gee .n.aey cn~ der the persons murdered
precisely In the light of victims Offered
| up To their goddess. This lady, Kali COZ
! Deve or Bhowanee. as she was indiffer
| ently called. the patroness of Thuggee
! was originally the goddess Of smallpox
She had not only Instituted the religion
but even undertaken 10 hide the bodies
or the slain. on condition that no mar
looked Al her while she was doing SO. Fol
long time this condition was kept; bu
. one day neophyte glanced over nj
shoulder and saw the goddess. entirely
destitute Of clothing in the act of swal
lowing corpse. Being naturally over
come with modesty and incensed at sucl
a breach OF faith. Kali refused any longe
actively To assist the Thugs. She still
continued 90 watch over them and direc
them by means OF omens; but the chang
was always regretted by the Thugs tn
more SO. perhaps, because the feature
OF the goddess. so hideous that no on
burst gaze upon them, appeared to rende
her modesty supernuous.- Quarterly Re
view