The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-03-19
THE CRIME OF SUTTEE.
Recent Case of Death on a Funeral
Pyre In Bengal.

Pyre In Bengal.
British law has stamped out many
and barbarous customs, and the crime
Of suffice. or widow burning is usually
included among the number. Occa-
SiOnaliy. however. cases occur. An
authenticated instance is reported
from Behar. one Of the districts of
Bengal. chiefly noted for its indigo in
dUStrV. Thirteen men were prosecuted
on charges of cuipable homicide or
allotment Of suicide. \ realistic de-
scrip ton of the g.ewSOnie scene was
furn. shed by the deputy magistrate. In
committing the accused to the sessions
court he said: "Though the thirteen ac
cuSel committed for trial have been
divided into distinct patches, the
charges nevertheless are with refer
ence to one and the same transaction.
This was the immolation of a Hindoo
widow on the funeral prye Of the de-
ceased husband, or, as it is termed III
the vernacular, Il case of suffice, which
may be described as a CHASTITY offense
against nature. against humanity and
the law of the land. Happily the Of
Tense is extremely rare. Indeed, it was
hoped that this great blot on Hindoo
rites and ceremonies had been effec-
tually and permanently exterminated.
1t is therefore not little startling to
be thus presented with instances of
revival Of the barbarism of the dark
ages.
There is evidence to show that one
Chaudrhi Missir alias Chatturbhuj Mis-
sir. Il Brahman of Sanchari village,
having died Oct. IS last, arrangements
were made for the cremation of his
body at the 'devi sthan' of that place.
on the banks of small river. A place
was cut in the ground in the shape of
a St. Andrews cross, and the funeral
pyre was built over it. The body be-
ing laid on the pyre, the widow. having
bathed in the river and adorned herself
as for her marriage, took her seat on
the pyre and called ON her son. the ac
cused Juggernath Missir, to do his duty
as devOut Hindoo. Juggernath light
ed some wheat stocks and, having
walked round the pyre three times. ap-
piled, according to custom. the fire to
the mouth of the deceased. This failed
to ignite the pyre, and it is said that he
and the four Brahmans accused-Bal
kishun Missir, Dwarka Missir, Ram
Charan Missir and Lacrman Towari-
performed the humad. which consisted
of the burning of incense and the plac
ing Of lighted chips of wood dipped in
ghee (butter) under the pyre until it
ignited.
by this time vast crowd had as
sembled. When the flames reached the
widow she is said to have moved
about or writhed and finally stood up
and turned toward the setting sun, but
Immediately fell back on the pyre, ap-
parently overcome by the Increasing
flames. Amid cries Of Sat RAM 'Sita
RANT! 'Sati Mai XII JAR the beating Of
drums, the clang Of cymbols and blow
ing of the sank, or shell, she was burn
ed to ashes with the corpse of her hus-
band"
A unanim Gus verdict Of guilty was
returned against the following, who
were sentenced to the various terms Of
imprisonment mentioned: Juggernath
Missir. five years rigorous imprison-
ment; Balkishun, three years; Dwarka
three years; Ram Charan, one and a
half years; Sonar Choukidar, one year:
Gunga and Dilchand Chamars, nine
months each. The rest were found not
guilty.-Chicago News.