The Columbus journal., 1906-12-26
CRIMINALS IN INDIA

WHOLE TRIBES WHOSE HEReOiTAaN
PROFESSION Is THEFT.
2obbers Dosn ana KeDt - ~ Caseo
They Are Petite and Modest Unt1l
the sPrOfessaon~ REQUIRES Then q
Become Cr1sa anA FeroeSoaa.
India Ii usually spoken Of a . land
where life and property have become
safe under British rule. True. the
bands Of thugs have been broken up
| the Pindharee. 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 0ppOrtu-
nifty to practice their traditional call
Ing. which the Indian caste system for
bids them to abandon.
These tribes are most numerous and
most Maynard In the united provinces.
In which are Cawnpur and Lucknow.
the cities associated forever with the
Indian mutiny.
Half Of the division il Oudh, the. ma
tive province last annexed by Britain.
many Of whose old men wildly re-
member when every '~'talo0kdar." or
feudal chief, lived In q fortified castle
and retained q 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. Al they
have always been known In India. the
criminal tribes.
These tribes are the Sanauriahs. the
Barwars. the Sansiahs, the D0ms. the
Haburahs. the Aheriahs. the Banriahs,
the Bhatus. Each tribe has its own
dialect, dress and cust0ms.
A singular feature Of Indian life IL
that persons who would be considered
depraved characters In q 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 II he
escapes the gallows and is released
after q term In jail. The universal be-
lief that all things + decreed by fate
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 go in
and out of the towns and villages with
out misgivings, and there is not a sign
In their faces or name to indicate
that their business II robbery and muir
der.
When q gang encamps outside Of q
town the Inhabitants feel uncomfOrta-
bic and take precautions, but cherish
no i'll will against the strangers. And
when rObberies and murders occur al
most Immediately within a radius Of
twenty miles they take more precau-
tons. but regard the whole affair as q
visitation Of Providence. like a flood or
a fire.
These habitual criminals are not de-
PRAYED in any n understood by the
They simply have the mis-
to belong to q trade which Is
for the neighborhood-lke
q dyer's or a tanners.
They are well satisfied with them
and are as careful as other pe0- |
pie Of their responsibility. They have
no unusual vices; they do not get drunk
or riotOus: they are civil. courteous
aud unassuming. Cruelty and ferOcity
are with them neither habits nor pleas
ures, but simply methods Of business.
During the excitement Of q sudden
attack the people II they do not run
away will turn out and aid the police
in repelling DR. capturing the robbers.
But II a police inquiry begins two OF
three days after the robbers have done
their work unmolested the people will
do nothing to help In tracing
them and will even deny that they
have lost anything.
For many years past the government
If India has worked to induce these
tribes to settle down to .
)eaceable and industrious life.
But progress Is very slow. VagabOnd-
lge is bred in the bone and marrow Of
he tribes, and marauding Is their chO-
zen occupation. From time to time men
will suddenly disappear. perpetrate
daring dakaitis In another dis
riot and escape 0ver the border into
me Of the Independent native states
which cluster round three sides Of the
United provinces.
The word ''dakaiti," also spelled 'da-
means robbery by . gang Of
lrmed men. and a dakait, OF dac0it, u
member Of such q gang.
An assault by robbers In India diff
ers from me In Europe or America In
hat 1t always takes place at night
nd is accompanied by q tremendous
mount Of noise. The Indians r q
lOisy people at all times. and in a rob-
sery with violence the robbers object
; to terrify their victims into q panic;
ence whether travellers be waylaid OF
lonely road or q wealthy mans
be attacked In a village the as
ault Is always made suddenly. with
bud shouts and yells and In the case OF