CONSPIRACY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 5

CONSPIRACY.

■ -4 THE TRIAL AT CALCUTTA. FORTY-TWO ACCUSED. COURT ACQUITS THIRTY-THREE By Telograph-Prijss ABsociatlon-Oopyrielit Calcutta, April 19. Of \he forty-two persons accused of being connccted with tho conspiracy at Ilowrah (practically a suburb of Calcutta), the objcct being to overthrow the Government, a special tribunal of the High Court acquitted thirty-three. Six already in gaol serving sentences lor dacoity were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. One accused died, one became insane, and ono was released during tho (rial. "WAR AGAINST THE KING. EMPEROR." BLOODTHIRSTY LITERATURE AND SONGS. An important political trial began at Dacca in August last. Forty-two Hindus, many of them men of mature years and of recognised position, were charged with conspiracy to subvert British rule in India, with sedition, and with waging war against the King-Emperor. An attempt was made to intimidate witnesses by sending to tho police a parcel containing a human head and a warning that a certain high official will shortly be beheaded. In Calcutta the police seised documents revealing a conspiracy affecting every province in India and extending even to Burma; jewellery believed to be the proceeds of dacoity or political blackmail, and machinery for making cartridges. The trial has excited the greatest interest in India, where it is regarded as the culmination of a long series of incidents that have marked (lie growth of political outrage and sedition, Mr. lioy. who led for the Crown, asserted that the prosecution believed that tney would prove I lie conspiracy to be one extending over tho greater part of India. Although tho major number of the conspirators were young men, tho incitement came from the older members, lie dealt with the bloodthirsty character ot the literature and songs which urged that the land-should bo washed with English; blood. These were found in the bamiti buildings snd in the course of other searches, the conspiracy was clo=ey connected with these books, and this literature linked the present portion of the conspiracy with the revolutionary movement in other provinces. Tho whole coursc of training, mental and physical, enforced by the leaders of the conspiracy was calculated, he added, to educate pupils for revolution. The parent society existed at Dacca, with branches in every important place in the province. The conspiracy had started in 1905, when certain Calcutta gentlemen came to Dacca, made inflammatory speeches, and induced their hearers to take an oath that tlic-y would sacrifice their lives for their country. Counsel then read extracts from bpolts belonging to persons concerned in the coni spiracy to show how tho text of tho sacred gceta, "Kill and you will roach heaven/'" was employed to inflame the youthful mind. * Continuing his address for tho Crown, Mr. Roy laid stress on tho importance given to lathi" play by tho "Samitis." Ho discussed the book "Paridarshak," and said that there was the strongest evidence to show that Pulin Bohari Das was the author. The book enjoined a military organisation, strict discipline, secret vows, the preparation of topographical maps, strict vigilance in shutting out spies' and the exclusion of Mohammedans. It repudiated the Swadeshi boycott as be- ?? A .i ii doctrine preached by tho "Samitis, that they should drive out the forKing and the foreigners, i v ™ he f0 «'Sn tracle would follow-. The teaching was wholly inconsistent with the idea that the "Samitis" were formed only for physical culture. The 'Samitis" aimed at a Hindu Rai. iliey believed that in a year or two tho foreigners would be driven out, that the Mohammedans would bo rendered submissive, and that the roijn of Sri Krishna would bo established. The whole teaching and organisation of the members of the Saimtir, were designed to train youths for a guerilla war when tho time was ripe. Diseussingr other writings of " ie . Sarcitis, counsel paid that ways were laid down for tho collection of arms. The?o books of the organisation fructified in dacoities, assaults, and murders.