| Description | He asks his family to keep his remarks on the Bengal police private. He describes the case of Ananda Mohan Mullick, attacked by dacoits on 6 January. William closed his court and rode to the scene, reaching the place by 3.00pm. If the men were caught, he considers whether he should make summary punishments, but concludes that he should resolve to leave this to the police, despite their 'slugishness'. He has to learn the art of supervising without interfering, he thinks. On his arrival at the house, the men 'scuttled off' leaving only the police; they were the head people of the village, who had been summoned to enquire into the case and were pressured to pay to get the police away. The magistrate is frustrated by the police in such cases and treated as an intruder. He gives an account of gathering statements. Two men arrested on speculation would have paid a bribe to leave custody, being wealthy men of the village, but for William's arrival. Ten minutes later, they were gone. Hatchets and shoes remained as evidence, with half-burned torches and broken chests. William describes other steps taken, his anger at the daroga [police official], and attempts to track the owners of the hatchets. Once he had interfered, he should become responsible for the investigation and its results. William writes that 'I turn around sharp & my indignation breaks loose in a tremendous box on the ear...I repeat my orders distinctly & retire from the field'. He slept at an indigo planter's, having given orders for the arrest of two men, 'noted bad characters', whom the principal witness recognised. These were arrested and brought to him and meanwhile William had roused the countryside and its landlords, choosing a few to instruct on next steps before he returned to the cutchery. He concludes by enclosing 'pretty pictures' taken by [John James] Gray [not present] 'the best of elephants which I have seen' and noting an attack of fever. |