The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-11-28
CRIMINALS in INDIA
WHOLE TRIBES WHOSE HEREDITARY
PROFESSION IS THEFT.

WHOLE TRIBES WHOSE 1EREDlT AIRY
PROFESSION is THEFT.
Robbers Born and hept So by Caste,
They Are Polite and Modest Until
the "Profcssion" ncT-'ires Them TO
Become Cruel and Fca0cious.
India is usually spoken of as land
where life and property have become
safe under British rule True, the
bands of thugs have been broken up,
the Plndharee hordes have been sup
pressed, and the British police system
is spread over the whole country, but
the criminal tribes or castles, those
whose hereditary profession" is rob
berry and nothing else, remain, their
instincts strong, wanting only opportu-
nifty TO practice their traditional call
ing, which the Indian caste system for
bids them to abandon.
These tribes are most numerous and
most wayward in the united provinces,
in which are Cawnpur and Lucknow,
the cities associated forever with the
Indian mutiny.
Half of the division is Oudh, the ma
tive province last annexed by Britain,
many of whose old men yividly re-
member when every 'talookdar" or
feudal chief, lived in a fortified castle
and retained a swarm of armed men,
who received no pay, but lived on the
country. They were official robbers,
and their example gave free scope to
the PROFESSIONAL robbers, or, as they
have always been known in India, the
criminal tribes.
These tribes are the Sanauriahs, the
Barwars the Sansiahs, the Doms, the
Haburahs, the Aheriahs, the Banriahs,
the Bhatus. Each tribe has its own
dialect, dress and customs.
A singular feature of Indian life. Is
that persons who would be considered
depraved characters in European
country and would bear the stamp of
their nature on their faces are not de-
PRAYED in their own estimation or in
that of the people at large. A casual
murderer Is not ashamed of himself
nor abhorred by his neighbors, who
welcome him back among them if he
escapes the gallOws and is. released
after term in Jail. The universal be-
lief that all things are decreed by fats
accounts for this amazing state OF
feeling. Much more, then. are men re-
garded with Indifference or even re-
spect whose time honored, hereditary
and natural profession is robbery with
murder.
So the members of these tribes 60 IL
and out of the towns and villages with
out misgivings, and there is not 4 3'gn
In their faces or manner to Indicate
that their business is robbery and muir
der.
When a gang encnmps outside of
town the inhabitants feel unconforta-
Bile and take precautions, but cherish
no III will against the strangers. And
When rcbberies and murders occur al
most Immediately within radius Of
twenty miles they take more precau-
tions, but regard the whole affair as a
visitation Of Providence, like a food or
fire.
These habitual criminals are not de-
praved in any sense understood by the
people. They simply have the mis-
fortune to belong to a trade which is
unpleasant for the neighborhood-llke
dyer's or tanners.
They are well satisfied with them.
selves and are as careful as other peo-
pie Of their responsibility. They have
no unusual vices; they do not get drunk
< or riotous; they are civil, courteous
and unassuming Cruelty and ferocity
are with them neither habits nor pleas
ures, but simply methods of business.
During the excitement of a sudden
attack the people if they do not run
away will turn out and aid the police
in repelling or capturing the robbers.
But If police inquiry begins two or
three days after the robbers have done
their work unmoested the people will
usually do nothing to help in tracing
them and will even deny that they
have lost anything.
For many years past the government
Of lndia has worked to induce these
criminal tribes to settle down to
peaceabe and industrious life.
But progress is very slow. Vagabond-
age is bred in the bone and marrow of
the tribes, and marauding is their cho-
sen occupation. From time to time men
will suddenly disappear, perpetrate
several daring dakaitis in another dis
trict and escape over the border into
one Of the independent native states
which cluster round three sides Of the
united provinces.
The word "dakaiti," also spelled "da-
soity, means robbery by sanS of