The Warwickshire Herald. — 1892-08-25 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

INDIA. An extraordinary tale of witchcraft and murder is brought from Southern India by the law mail. One Pamben, a village headman in th. Neilglierries, and three others are charged with the Murder of a 'roam named Petbolee, when they 3.2•.,31,ctl of being a sorcerer able to bewitch ila the tribe to which they below.. As told in tx _Maras grounds tor bel:ering that retiaolee was prac!-Ising witchcraft were—firs:. the death of a girl wha was a near relative or , liedinati in the middle of lait year. A charge et witchcraft was inade against retbolee ne,. hut elih:e cam, of it. Soon afterwards a little boy. 'he on of one of the ac.msed ant a grandee!' of :inetl.er. became itan.qcreisly ill. This illness wa, e•trileited to el^ nasal iin influence 3n3 in• eantatiens of Petbolee, and he was told that it tee child did not mover he would have to rep the penalty. Petbolre protested his innocenee cf havine bewitched the chiid, and his inability to inre him. This was on July 20th. and the same day tire child Med. The foliowing slay the three acewed went to retie:dee and told him that the wisfwd to see bins. That evening, it is alleged, they fell on him and belaboured him with ,Iribs, breaking his jaw, smashing his teeth, and infficting severe wounds on his neck. retholee diet' consequence. They thee removed his body to the road leading to his village and left it there. It was fund next morning bv his son, who reported the matter to the headman. The latter suggested that the murdered man owed his death to the rnaAinatione of two oh the Kurumber tribe. The son thereupon announced his intention of reporting the matter tt the police. The headman disauaded him from doing so, alleging that this was his work and might safely be left to rim. Be, however, advised the son tc burn tile body of his father. This was accordingly done; but a police inquiry took place, with the result that the accused are to stand their trial before the Sessions Judge of Coimbortore. The crime is said to be unusual because It has been committed on a Toda, one of a race held in superstitious awe by the Badaga, and therefore reckoned a counterpoise to the Kurumber sorcerers. The witchcraft murders of the past were committed on Kurumbers—a tribe who inhabit the lower slopes of the Neilgherries and are said to have an equal right with the Todas in the soil. Their aid is invoked in all initial agricultural operations of the year. But these friendly relations are sometimes interrupted. The Kurumber is by repute a sorcerer, and Badaga tradition tells many harrowing tales of how his power of necromancy was used to bring sorrow to the home of his benefactors.  A young lady visitor named Low was climbing the cliffs at Dover, on Friday, when she missed her footing and fell, sustaining such injuries that she died shortly afterwards. What is considered a very important "literary marriage" has just been annouoced at Christiania. The only son of Henry Ibsen, M. Sigurd Ibsen, is engaged to be married to the daughter of 111Oroatjerne Bjornson. Mdlle. Bergliott is • very beautiful girl of 18, whose portrait was op* of ths sensations of the Salon of a season or two ago. Young Ibsen is a man of about 38, who is fere instrust, and who had to quit the diplomatic service on account of his extreme political opinions. Re is the author of • book on the subject of the =km et Sweden and Norway.  A young man madding at Lavilla, Florida, hat suffered • strange affliction within a few months from a spinal trouble. He was formerly bit. Uin, tall, but is now only 4h. Tin. high, and much changed in appearance.  A telegram from Halifax says that Prince Edward°4 Island after suffering severely from drought for a month past has been visited by a cloudburst, which destroyed thousands of tons of hay. Six inches o' rain fell in a short time, nine houses were wreckel by the cyclone, and OM Mall was Wiled.