THE INDIAN MURDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 187, 11 September 1909, Page 3

THE INDIAN MURDERS.

DHINGRA IN COURT. REMARKABLE SCENE. London, July 10. The little courtroom at Westminster was crowded on Saturday, when Mada.r Lai Dhingra answered to the charge of having unlawfully murdered Sir William Ilutt Curzon Wy'llic and Dr. Cowas la\laca. It was a'remarkable scene, pregnant with far-reaching interest, for ,i political murder stands apart from the ordinary sort. The young Indian student in'the dock stood charged with.no lucre killing, but with a crime which makes all England uneasy about the lives of those who administer Indian affairs in London, and awakens a confusion of thoughts a limit British rule in India. As you looked at the slight figure your thoughts went out to the detectives whose business is now to shadow Viscount "Morlcy's footsteps and guard his life here, in his own London; to the un!'jireeedented precautions taken about the safctv of the King -when he laid the foundation-stone of 'the n<>«' Science Col- - last week at South Kensington, ■■lose to the scene of the murder; and to I Lord Minto. Viceroy of India, and his | closely-guarded trains and driving car- ' riages. These murders open new pages in England's affairs. DUIXGRA'S' DEMEANOUR.

Uhiugra dues nut look his 23 years. Hi' is slight, nf dark olive complexion, with heavy black hair. He tried hard to Like his own life after killing Sir Ctifzom Wvllie and Dr. Lalcaca, and so the police took no small precautions about him in his cell. He appeared in some danger of falling to pieces in Court on | Saturday. His braces, necktie, and boot, laces had been removed.

Dhingra appeared to follow tile pn- , ccedings with casual interest, but occasional remarks showed that his keen | faculties were wide awake. Now an;) again he smiled quietly, and all through his conduct, in cell and in Court, na.* I been that of a man who has committed i a carefully-planned political crime in the I full belief that he was serving a high purpose. He slTbws no sign of remorse. I He, asks no pity. He re6cnts the chargo of murder—not because he fears death, {but because he regards such a charge 'as a misinterpretation of his lofty motives. It is contended by many people here and in India that those who pu;l the strings in these crimes choose mental weaklings. Perhaps they do. But Dhingra does not support the theory. The story of this crime which the evidence discloses to the Court is the story of a coldly-calculated scheme of a stro.ig mind effected by a man of -wonderful nerves. This miserable-looking stripling in the Court at Westminster is no weakminded, mock heroic fanatic. In his patient waiting, his careful planning, his coolness at the conversazione before tue , crime, his revolver practice and deadly shooting, he lias shown remarkably strong and sane faculties. The6e are the . considerations which make this new deI yelopment in India so grave, i ■ NO REMORSE.

Dhingra's face shows no remorse when the evidence tells how Sir Curzon Wyllis wrote to him as an Indian in London, in April, and offered him his services. The distinguished old Indian servant went so far as to ask Dhingra to call upon him at the India Office, characteristic of the long service which won him the respect anil love of countless Indians and the confidence of the British authorities. At that time Dhingra was doubtless angling ior his victim. About the same day that he received that letter he went to a shooting gallery in Tottenham Court road with two revolvers, and began a course of shooting lessons. He took his own ammunition, and went once or twice a week, and quickly became a good shot. Even in his practice he showed a premeditation of the crime, for he mixed hi? practice very freely. Sometimes hj" fired with great deliberation, at otlieis fhe came and rattled off half-a-dozen shots as fast as he could pull. "He came tor the last time," said the proprietor of the gallery, "at about 5.30 p.m. on July—the day of the murder—when lie tired twelve shots at once at. the usual cartridge-paper targets. He complained about the charge of sixpence, and only paid fourpence; He asiccd me to clean his pistol, which I did. On this card (producing the last target fired at by the prisoner). 1 count eleven shots out of twelve tired." The card showed two hulls, one inner, five outers, and three holes on the card, though outside the sroring circles. He 'was shooting at a distance of 18ft. PRECISION OF THE SHOOTING.

Dhingra quietly interrupted witness to say that he did" not go at 5.30 but at ii.3o—a statement which shows that he went at once from the gallery to his lodgings at liaywater. which he left again at 8.45 and went straight to the Imperial Institute. Miss Emma Bscli now secretary to the National Indian Association, told how she had sent him his invitation to the "at home." He had attended in ordinary morning dress, distinguished by a turban. Miss Beck's evidence showed that she had repeatedly befriended the young student, and had unwittingly given him his opportunity. In April she gave Sir Curzon Wyllie his address., ■ She talked for some time with Dhingra at the "at home" only a few minutes before the shooting took place, and he was perfectly cool and normal. He said he had concluded his engineering course at University College, and that he intended returning to his own country after sitting for the examination for associate membership of the Institute of Civil Engineering in October.

The medical evidence showed extraordinary precision of aim. Dhingra fired six limes. Sir Curzon Wyllie was hit four times in the head once in the inner corner of the right eye, once in the outer corner of the left eye, on the left side of the forehead, and near the left car. Dr. LaScaca was hhot twice through the chest.

HIS JUSTIFICATION. The proceedings, always electrical, culminated in Dhiugra's "justification." His coolness was emphasised when reference was made to two newspaper cuttings found in his pocket. Would he like them produced! "No," he replied uuietly. "If the police say they have them, that is all right." Then, after be had been committed for trial and cautioned, lie snifl: "I do not want to say anything in defence of myself, bui simply to prove the justice of my deed for myself. I do not think any English law court lias got any authority to arrest me or to detain me in prison or to pass sentence of death on me; that IS Mie reason why T did not have any coun. scl to defend me. 1 maintain that if it would be patriotic in an Englishman to light against Germans if they were to [occupy this country, it is much mo;e r.istiliablo in my case to fight against the English.' 1 hold the English people responsible for the murder of eighty millions nf my countrymen in the ia«t fifty \cnrs. and they are also responsible ( 0" taking away 'cioll.oofl.oilo every year from India to this country. 1 also hoid them responsible for the hangings and deportations of my patriotic countrymen, who do just the same as the English people here are advising their countrymen to do. Any Englishman who goes out to India unci gets, say, £.lOll per tno-stli. .simply passes sentence o? death upon one thousand of my poor countrymen, because these one thousand people could very easily live on that £IOO per month, which the Englishman epenils mostly upon his frivolities and pleasures, Just as the Germans have no right to oceupv this countrv, so the English people' have got no' right to occupy India, and it is perfectly justifiable on nut part to kill anv Englishman who is polluting our -acred land. I am surprised at this terrible hypocrisy, farce, and mockery of English people when they pose as the champions of oppressed humanity, sneh as in the case of the people of the Congo and Russia, while there are i-ucli terrible oppression and such horrible atrocities in India. For example, they kill two millions oi our people every year, ami outrage our women. If this country is occupied by Germans, and an Englishman, not bearing to see Germans walking with th? insolence of conquerors in the streets of London, goes out and kills one or two Germans, then if that Englishman is hcid as a patriot by the people of this country, then certainly i am a patriot too. working for the emancipation of the motherland. Whatever else f have to say is in this statement now in the possession of the Court."