Year: 1872




day, the llth March, Of Shere Ali, tn


assassin OF Lord Mayo. He stated tina


since his conviction at Peshawur, in 1867
he had determined to murder some Eu
ropean of high rank, but that when h
was sent to the Andamans he feared b


would never have an opportunity of ful


filing this desire. When, however, b


heard of Lord Mayo's intended visit +


the Andamans, two months before tn


visit took place, he thought an opportu


nifty would probably be offered him Q


carrying out his evil purpose, and a


soon as he heard the sound of the salut


he sharpened his knife. Later in tn


day, when Lord Mayo visited Hopetown


the murderer followed the party up Il


the top of Mount Harriet, keeping him


self hidden among the thick wood whicl


skirts the path on both sides. Whil


following the party up the hill he triet


to discover which was Lord Mayo, bu


was unable to see the viceroy's face, anC
it was only at the foot of the hill wher


he saw Gen. Stewart, whom he knew by
sight, walking beside Lord Mayo, tina


he was convinced of his victims identi
ty. He then resolved to kill both Lore
Mayo and Gen. Stewart. By this time
it was dark, and the assassin, who knew
that his excellency, with a party from
Glasgow, was to have visited the hill
again the following day, thought he had
better put off the deed until then. Al
the last moment, however he feared lest
he should not have another opportunity
of carrying out his intention, and he ac
cordingly rapidly resolved to make the
attempt at once.


BY THE WILL OF GOD,
however, as he put it, General Stewart
was saved by falling back at that very
moment to give some orders, and he
could only attack the Viceroy He glo-
ried greatly in the deed, saying that he
had heard of Abdallah having killed JUS
tice Norman-that that was a great
deed, but that his was much greater than
anything ever done before, as he had
killed the greatest sahib in India. He
said he had no confederates; that the
matter was altogether a personal one.
He hoped his name would be glorified in
his country for the deed he had done,
and that monument would be raised to
his memory by his fellow-countrymen.
1t was by working on this feeling that
most of what we have written was elicit
ed The native officer to whom Shere
Ali communicated his desire for glory
promised to write an ode on the assassi-
nation, which should be sung by the MUIR
derer's couHtrymen, and he obtained
from Shere Ali piece of his clothes to
be placed in the tomb which he expected
weuld be erected to his memory. When
he was, in most cool manner, mount
ing the ladder to be executed, Mr.. Lam
bert, to whom the native officer had
given the piece of cloth obtained in con
fdence, showed the cloth to Shere Ali;
his face all at once assumed an express
sion of bitter, revengeful hatred. He
was perfectly composed on


THE DAY OF HIS EXECUTION,


and was quite satisfied to die. The
story of Shere Ali having given a feast
shortly before the viceroy's arrival,
which was circulated when the news of
the assassination was first received, was
found to be true, but this feast may not
have had any connection with the assas-
sination, as it appears that entertain
ments of the kind are not infrequent
among the conyicts in the Andamans.
The assassin was anything but Waha-
bee on the island. Hewas most deter
mined character, and attacked the Euro
pean guard in his cell, wounding him
with his own bayonet, which he at
tempted to wrest from him. He scorned
the idea of suicide, and told Mr.. Lam
bert who had questioned him, that it
was well for him (Mr. Lambert) that he
had been so civil in his dealing, pro-
ducing at the same time a sharp, three
cornered stone which he had loosened
from the flooring of his cell, and with
which he gave his visitor to understand
he could easily have despatched him.
The only point on which he appeared
somewhat nervous was that the Governor
might have seized his family. He strug
gled for more than ten minutes after he
fell, although he was dropped more than
eight feet The execution was not
largely attended. 1t took place at Viper
Island, where there is standing gibbet.
From the India Daily News.l


The steamship Scotia arrived in port
ON Saturday, bringing information that
Shere Ali was hdug at Viper Island on
March IL. The execution took place
at eight o'clock in the morning, in the
presence of Major Playfair, deputy su-
perintendent of police From the time
of his conviction up to the hour Of his
removal from Ross to Viper, the pris-
oner was kept in one of the cells of the
European barracks. At first only one
European sentry was placed over him,
but the prisoner managed to seize a |
lamp, and with this he hit the sentry
over the head, cutting him severely. The
cell was kept locked, and in the confu-
sion on the attempt to open the door the
key fell inside, and the sentry and Shere
Ali struggled together for some time.
Shere All. our informant says, got pos
session of the bayonet, but the sentry
10 get off his belt and struck
the convict a blow which made him
5tagger or fall, After this the precau-
tion was taken Of keeping two European
sentries in his cell Nevertheless he
to dig up stone, which he
secreted in his clothes. Nothing was
known of this until shortly before his
execution, when, taking the stone
rom his clothes and throwing it
On the ground, he said, II in
ended to have killed another Fer
nghee with this. The prisoner Eas
iaken from the cell in which he
~ss lodged to the CHAT at Ross Island in
charge OF Europesp escort, when he
vas made over to the custody OF the na
i've jemadar Of the Port Blair police
md put into the boat en- route TO Viper