THE EXECUTIONS AT CABUL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3026, 8 March 1881, Page 4

THE EXECUTIONS AT CABUL.

The Bombay Gazette contains a statement BO startling as to compel us unwillingly to refer to a painful episode in our recent occupation of the Afghan capital. This journal declares that before Mr Lepel Griffin left India he forwarded a very strong report to the Government of India concerning the executions at Cabul. The tenor of this report, if it be correctly stated, will create so profound a sensation in this country as to compel immediate action on the part of the Home Government. Mr Lepel Griffin, ir> his report, the Bombay Gazette asserts, plainly says that " a corrupt (native) subordinate was trusted by the generals, and that executions were compassed by this official, who in most cases suborned evidor of, and then himself pressed the case against the unfortunate accused. Sirdars who were suspected of possessing wealth are said to have been threatened with the gallows, and on pain of execution made to hand over large Bum« of money, horses, and jewellery. No man of substance escaped his rapacity. He is believed to have extorted altogether a fabulous sum from his victims." That is bad enough, but there is worse to follow. The Bombay Gazette Jpclares that although Mr Lepel Griffin included in his report specific instances of this official's systematic villainy, and followed them up by a recommendation couched in " the most emphatic and unqualified terms," that he should be tried by law for his crimes, the man has not only not been punished, but is actually at this moment in Government employment. That is to say that this miscreant, who abused tho confidence of General Roberts in order to employ the gallows as an instrument of extorting bribes from vanquished foes, is actually at this moment employed and paid by the Indian Government, which holds in its hands full proofs of his guilt. Although such a story cannot be credited, it ought not the less to be authoratatively refuted.—Pall Mall Gazette.