Thug: The True Story Of India's Murderous Cult (50 page)

Tranquillity returns to Sindouse
Perry to Dowdeswell, 16 Dec. 1812, Add.Mss. 5376 fos. 27–9; N Halhed, ‘Report on the state of the Pergunnahs of Sindouse … from actual observation’, 18 Oct. 1812, Add.Mss. 5375 fos. 75–89.

‘
It is, to me, extremely doubtful
…’ Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fos. 169–70.

The movements of Thug gangs
Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 97, 181, 191, 222–4, 226, 245–7; II, 305, 485.

…
largely unmolested
… ‘Deposition of Suntoke Rae, son of Laljoo Kuchwaha, 24 Aug. 1834’, in Thornton, op. cit. p. 474.

Halhed and Perry East India Register
, 1814, 1823.

Stockwell
Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
II, pp. 3620–75.

Forbes
James Forbes,
Oriental Memoirs
II, 397. He arrived in Bombay as a writer in 1765 and remained in India until 1784, compiling an estimated 52,000 manuscript pages of notes on the natural history, archaeology and social life of the Subcontinent. The
Memoirs
that he
produced
from this mass of source material were composed some years later and first published in 1813–15. Thévenot, writing in about 1665, had described female stranglers who lulled
victims
with their beauty; see van Woerkens,
The Strangled Traveller
p. 111.

…
seems not to have been employed
… Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 254.

Thugs at Bangalore
Richard Sherwood, ‘Of the Murderers Called Phansigars’,
Asiatick Researches
13 (1820) pp. 250–82.

Indians knew nothing
Stewart Gordon, ‘Scarf and Sword’,
IEHSR
4 (1969) pp. 408–9.

Encounters with the Phansigars in 1807
Sherwood, pp. 250–51; Thornton, p. 3.

Wright’s reports
Thugs and Phansigars cooperated on occasion, for example, in the Dhooma affair of 1813; Thornton, p. 207. Perry and his assistant Nathaniel Halhed were certainly familiar with Wright’s descriptions of the ‘Fasueegar gangs’ by the time Halhed marched into Sindouse in October 1812. See Halhed, ‘Report on the state of the Pergunnahs of Sindouse … from actual observation’, 18 Oct. 1812, BC F/4/389 fos. 75–89.
   On links between the Thugs and Phansigars, see
Ramaseeana
I, 163–4. For the Phansigars’ activities in the Deccan, 1807–12, see Sherwood, op. cit. pp. 259n, 264; Thornton,
Illustrations
pp. 3–6; Ishwar Sahai, ‘The crime of thagi and its suppression under Lord WC Bentinck’, part 1,
Indian Culture
3 (1936) p. 324; ‘Extract of a letter from the Magistrate of the Zillah of Chittoor to the Register of the Foujdarry Adawlut’, 6 Dec. 1809, ‘Extract of a letter from the Magistrate of Chittoor to the Secretary to Government in the Judicial Department’, 1 July 1812. ‘Declaration given by Sheik Madar of Goottapaliam’, 1 Feb. 1811, ‘Declaration of Yerragaudoo’, 1 Feb. 1811, ‘Second declaration by Yerragaudoo’, 2 Feb. 1811, all printed in
Ramaseeana
II, 304–27.

Stockwell’s report of 1815
Stockwell to Acting Superintendent of Police, 7 Aug. 1815,
Ramaseeana
II, 369.

St Leger
Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 14–15; the Marchioness of Bute,
The Private Journals of the Marquess of Hastings
, II, 151–2. Sepoys continued to be favoured as Thug victims into the 1830s; see Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fos. 173.

Shakespear’s paper
J Shakespear, ‘Observations Regarding Badheks and T’hegs, extracted from an official report dated 30 April 1816’,
Asiatick Researches
13 (1820) pp. 282–92.

John Malcolm
Malcolm,
A Memoir of Central India
II, 187–9; see also Edwardes,
Glorious Sahibs
p. 43.

Evidence from Gwalior
‘Habits and characters of the Thugs’, Bengal Political dept. 86, 21 Oct. 1820, BC F/4/774 (20927) fos. 1–26. The original of this report was first copied the previous year as Consultation No. 46 of 24 July 1819. BPC P/121/59.

‘
act in parties and scour
…’ ‘Captain Sheriff’s Proceedings in 1823, at Jhalna’,
Ramaseeana
II, 282.

Thomas Ernst
‘Removal of Thomas Henry Ernst from the offices of Magistrate of the Hooghly, etc.’, May 1809–June 1810, BC F/4/411 (10204) fos. 213–14, 238–41; Minto
memorandum
in extract BCJC, Consultation No. 25 of 24 Nov. 1810, ibid. (10205) fos.172–5.

Gorruckpore
Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
II, 250–3; Thornton pp. 302–10.

Mr Gregory
Madras despatches judicial, 28 Apr. 1824, E/4/929 fos. 647–66, OIOC.

Patna case
Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
II, 245–7. The Thug informant seems to have been
misinformed
about the fate of the Nazir; he survived to be released from prison when the Thugs were rearrested in the mid-1830s, ‘though [with] not long to live, from the effects of bad health produced by the cruel treatment which he experienced’. See also ibid. II, 250ff.

Encounters at Jhalna
, Seonee and Mozuffurpore
Jhalna, ibid. II, 271–98; Seonnee, BPC P/123/13; Mozuffurpore,
Ramaseeana
I, 185–6.

‘
the infamous system of Thuggee
’ Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832,
Sel.Rec
. 102–26.

Earlier destruction of Thug villages
Murnae was burned down c.1800 by Blake Sahib, a European mercenary in command of a Maratha regiment seeking payment of 18,000 rupees’ worth of farmed taxes owed by a well-known Thug turned revenue officer named Rae Singh (see
chapter
7).
Ramaseeana
I, 175; Sleeman to Smith, Sangea 1833, T&D G1 fo. 246, NAI. At a slightly later date – probably after 1801, when the Ceded and Conquered Territories first became nominally dependent on the Company, and most likely later than 1806–7, when Sindouse was transferred to British control (‘Examination of Laljee, 10 Dec. 1812, Perry papers Add.Mss. 5376 fo. 38; ‘Deposition of Suntoke Rae, son of Laljoo Kuchwaha, 24 Aug. 1834’, in Thornton,
Illustrations
p. 473) – ‘Jacob, a commander in Sindheea’s Service, sacked one or two of [the
villages
around Sindouse] and carried off the women as slaves.’ On this occasion, ‘the Inhabitants applied for and obtained redress from the Magistrate, who wrote to Jacob and in consequence most of the property taken and the women were returned.’ ‘Report on the state of the Pergunnahs of Sindouse … from actual observation’, 18 Oct. 1812, BC F/4/389 (9872) fos. 75–89.

Thug geographical mobility
See, for example, the evidence of the 65–year-old Thug jemadar Bheelum Burre Khan, who had lived in seven different villages and towns during his life: ‘I was born in the town of Austa, pargana Wurwal,
zillah
Hyderabad, where we lived for four years, and left that place and took up our abode at Ougurga,
ellaka
[area] Ousa, and resided there for the period of 25 years, and there I married Moheroodeen Sahib Patail’s daughter. We left that village and took up our residence at Lohoogoan, ellaka Droog, for 10 years and after this we came to Chincholee, ellaka Putwurdhan, where we lived for 12 years. We lived in Iowree, ellaka Beelurgee, for two years [and] nine months at Julgeera, where a party came and arrested me.’ ‘Deposition of Bheelum Burre Khan, Jemadar of Thugs’, 1836, T&D D2/2, NAI.

Laljee funds Thugs
‘Translation of the deposition of Budloo, Thug, in the Fouzdaree Court before Mr Perry, magistrate of Zillah Etawah, taken on 14 July 1812’, Add.Mss. 5376 fos. 24–7.

‘
Fifty times
’ Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 262.

Unequal relationship
Ibid. I, 153, 244–5; van Woerkens,
The Strangled Traveller
pp. 52–3.

Jemadars
For qualifications, see the evidence of Dorgha, in
Ramaseeana
I, 263–4; also Reynolds, ‘Notes on the T’hags’,
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
4 (1837) p. 205, which sets out the jemadar’s share of a gang’s loot. On the division of spoils see also Thornton, op. cit. pp. 16, 377–8;
Ramaseeana
I, 73, 118; Fanny Parks,
Wanderings of a Pilgrim in Search of the Picturesque
p. 129; ‘Deposition of Khaimraj Phansygur’, 1829,
Sel.Rec
. 33. The jemadar’s portion consisted of between six and 10 per cent of the loot, and he also took one equal share of what remained in common with the members of his gang.

Size of Thug gangs
‘Deposition of Sheikh Dawood Newly …’, 24 Nov. 1834; ‘Deposition of Sayeed Ally …’, 25 Nov. 1834; ‘Deposition of Sheikh Burrum Thug …’, 26 Nov. 1834, all T&D D2/1, NAI. These depositions were taken in the Deccan, but the testimony of the Thugs of Hindustan shows that the gangs of northern India were very similar in size; see
Ramaseeana
I, 82. According to Sleeman, leaders of gangs of more than 20 men received, in addition, one extra share of the loot for their troubles.

Jemadars lose authority
For changes in the authority of jemadars, see ‘Examination of Thug approver Rama Jemadar No. 1’, July 1832,
Sel.Rec
. 127; ‘Narrative of a Thuggee expedition in Oude during the cold weather, supposed to have been in 1830 … related by Buhram, a leader of Thugs’, 20–24 Oct. 1836, in Paton papers, 41300 fo. 118.

Make-up of Thug gangs
Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fo. 201; ‘Translation of the examination of Shuhadule …’, 16 May 1810, Add.Mss. 5375, fos. 138v–42, CUL.

Scouts
PA Reynolds, ‘Notes on the T’hags’ p. 207; Smith to Swinton, 25 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fo. 203; Thornton,
Illustrations
p. 6; see also chapter 7.

‘
Inquiry is also made
…’ Reynolds, ‘Notes’ pp. 207–8.

Inveiglers
Smith to Swinton, 25 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fos. 209–10; Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 44; van Woerkens, op. cit. pp. 120–1; James Sleeman,
Thug
pp. 95–6.

Disguises
‘Deposition of Rumzan, a noted Thug ….’, Paton papers fos. 122–123v.

‘
There was nothing to excite alarm
…’ RV Russell and Hira Lal,
Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India
IV, 562.

Incautious behaviour
‘At Biseynee,’ the Thug Mohammed Buksh recalled, of an expedition in 1828–9, ‘we fell in with some travellers, and should have secured them, but when Zolfukar came up, Bhola, who is always talking, could not help saying … “After all we shall not go home without something to please our wives and children.” The travellers heard, suspected our designs, left our encampment on the bank of a tank, and went into the village. This was our first
bunjj
[merchandise], and to lose it thus was a bad omen: it was in fact like being seized.’
Ramaseeana
I, 234.

Transfer of a party from one inveigler to another
Ibid. I, 44.

Anecdote of the Mughal officer
Sleeman,
Rambles and Recollections
I, 98–101. This astonishing anecdote was picked up in the prison at Lucknow by ‘a native commissioned officer of a
regiment
of native infantry’, who recounted it to Sleeman.

‘
They will travel
’ Sleeman,
Ramaseeana
I, 53.

20 days and 200 miles
Ibid. I, 169n.

Stranglers and hand-holders interchangeable
Cf. BC F/4/1404 (55517) fos. 213–15, 231–62.

‘
I always stood at a distance
…’ Deposition of Nidha, n.d. (1810), Add.Mss. 5375 fos. 123–5.

No death penalty for strangulation
Singha,
A Despotism of Law
pp. 15–16, 62.

‘
Do you look up to
…’ ‘Dialogues with Thugs’, Paton papers fo. 10.

bhurtotes
The Thugs’ most skilful killers, Sleeman asserts, were awarded the title
ghoor ponch
, and they killed with a weighted rumal (see below). Their less able brethren were known as bhurtotes and used an unweighted scarf. The phrase ghoor ponch does not appear in any other writings, however, and other sources refer only to the latter class of men, and assert that the bhurtotes were themselves the Thugs’ most able murderers.
Ramaseeana
I, 93; van Woerkens, op. cit. p. 118; Thornton,
Illustrations
pp. 7–8.

‘…
never self-assumed
…’ ‘Deposition of Poorun Phansygur’, n.d. (1829),
Sel.Rec
. p. 34.

Initiation of new stranglers
Reynolds, ‘Notes’ p. 207.

‘…
he could never acquire
…’ Henry Bevan,
Thirty Years in India
I, 257.

Hand-holders
BC F/4/1309 (52131) fo. 270; Thornton,
Illustrations
p. 7.

‘…
that part of a man
…’ Henry Spry, ‘Some account of the gang-murderers of Central India’, p. 514; Thornton, op. cit. p. 8.

Strangling without assistance
Russell and Lal,
Tribes and Castes
IV, 564.

Strangling a man on horseback
Paton papers fo. 9.

Sleeping victims
Thornton, op. cit. p. 13.

Division of spoils among the members of a gang
Paton papers Add.Mss. 41300 fo. 11; Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fo. 201; Reynolds, ‘Notes’ p. 205.

Rumal described
Reynolds, ‘Notes’ p. 206; for vocabulary, see van Woerkens, op. cit. p. 300; for its recent introduction see the
Calcutta Gazette
, 7 Oct. 1830, reprinted in Anil Chandra Das Gupta (ed.)
The Days of John Company
p. 584. In 1829, Poorun, an old Hindu Thug, told one Captain Borthwick: ‘I have never seen the
phansy
or noose made of chord used, though I am well aware of the general supposition that it is by such an implement that people are
strangled
by us, but if such an implement has ever been in general use, of which I have great doubt, it has long since been laid aside for the obvious reason that, on any incidental occasion of being seized, it would inevitably lead to detection.’ ‘Deposition of Poorun Phansygur’, n.d. (1829),
Sel.Rec
. p. 31.

…
difficult to master
… Smith to Swinton, 25 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fo. 207.

Best technique
Reynolds, op. cit. p. 206. On the importance of silence, see Paton papers, 41300, fo. 10.

‘
In how short a time
’ Paton papers fos. 53–6.

‘
Such is the certainty
…’ Reynolds, op. cit. p. 206.

…
strike in the evening
… ‘Deposition of Poorun Phansygur’,
Sel.Rec
. 31–4; Deposition of Kaimraj Phansygur’, n.d. [1829], p. 23.

‘
And in this state’ Ramaseeana
I, 93.

‘
Into whatever part
…’ Deposition of Kalee Khan, 1810, Add.Mss. 5375 fos. 125–9, CUL.

Stamping and kicking
Richard Sherwood, ‘Of the murderers called Phansigars’,
Asiatick Researches
13 (1820) pp. 250–82; Henry Spry, op. cit. p. 514.

Stabbing
Paton papers fo. 14v.

Leaded ropes
This, according to Sleeman, was the weapon preferred by the Chinguree, a group of Muslim Thugs.
Ramaseeana
I, 85.

‘
Kill like banditti
’ Stockwell to Perry, 11 Aug. 1815, in
Ramaseeana
II, 373.

Dhotis used to strangle
Ibid. II, 324; Thornton, op. cit. p. 298. ‘The professed ones strangled with any part of their clothes,’ added Perry’s witness Ghoolam Hossyn. ‘They do not make use of chords for fear of detection.’ ‘Translation of the acknowledgement of Ghoolam Hossyn Thug made before me on the 11th April 1810’, Add.Mss. 5375 fos. 117–22.

‘
Fists and elbows
’ Thornton, op. cit. p. 410.

Shot
Bevan, op. cit. I, 258.

Datura
Ernst to Shakespear, 12 May 1810, BC F/4/411 (10204) fos. 238, 240; Extract Bengal Judicial Consultation No. 25, 24 Nov. 1810, ibid. (10205) fo. 172; ‘Extract from a general letter from Hon’ble the Court of Directors’, 6 Apr. 1830,
Sel.Rec
. p. 1; Robert Russell and Hira Lal,
The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India
IV, 572; Ishwar Sahai, ‘The crime of thagi and its suppression under Lord WC Bentinck’, part 1,
Indian Culture
3 (1936) p. 325.

‘
Mere novices
’ Translation of the acknowledgement of Ghoolam Hossyn Thug made before me on the 11th April 1810’, Add.Mss. 5375 fos. 117–22, CUL.

Swords used until the early nineteenth century
‘Men who associated to rob travellers could travel with arms and in large numbers without arousing suspicion,’ Radhika Singha observes of this period. ‘They could use a greater measure of open violence and take fewer precautions over the disposal of bodies.’ Singha, op. cit. pp. 185–6n, 199.

…
sharpened sword
… ‘Habits and character of the Thugs’, Political letter from Bengal No. 86, 21 Oct. 1820, BC F/4/774 (20927) fos. 22–6.

Examples of the use of swords
‘Translation of the examination of Gholam Hossyn …’, Mar. 1810, ibid. fos. 105–9; ‘Translation of the examination of Shuhadul …’, 16 May 1810, ibid. fos. 138v–42; ‘Continuation of Trial No. 23 of 1836’, BC F/4/1898 (80684) fos. 140–1;
Ramaseeana
I, 232, 243; Thornton, op. cit. p. 13.

Changing conditions for the use of swords
Singha, op. cit. pp. 185, 199; Thornton, op. cit. p. 376.

Only two swords, or perhaps three
‘Deposition of Poorun Phansigar’, n.d. [1829],
Sel.Rec
. 32.

…
sepoys favoured
… Smith to Swinton, 20 June 1832, BC F/4/1406 (55521) fo. 173.

Disposing of bodies See Ramaseeana
I, 131; van Woerkens, op. cit. pp. 122–5; Bevan, op. cit. I, 258–9. For an example of a grave prepared in advance, see Paton papers fo. 14v; Smith to Governor General, 12 Mar. 1833, T&D G1, NAI. For instances of bodies concealed and then buried later, see ‘Deposition of Bheelum Burre Khan, Jemadar of Thugs’, n.d., T&D D2/2, NAI; Thornton, op. cit. p. 187. For instances of bodies exhumed by animals, see ‘Trial No. 12 of 1832: Nayahshahar case’, BC F/4/1490 (58672) fos. 261–3; Thornton, op. cit. pp. 195–6. The care taken by some gangs to dispose of their victims, and the consequent difficulty in detecting their crimes, was noted in Madras as early as 1812; see ‘Extract of a letter from the Magistrate of Chittoor to the Secretary to Government in the Judicial Department’, 1 July 1812, in
Ramaseeana
II, 307.