Letter from Colonel Sir Lewis Pelly, Baroda to His Lordship Lord Northbrook, Viceroy of India [‎10v] (10/14)

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Besides the above, the four letters identified by Ahdulla, the Ayah's,
husband, as having passed between him and his wife make mention of SaluC^ ha
and Yeshwuntrao as persons with whom the writers had intimate relations, or
from whom they anticipated something further.
The second matter detected by Mr. Souter is of a far graver nature, M
and appears, from the two statements subjoined, to have been a direct attempt m
made by the Guicowar himself, employing the same agents, Yeshwuntrao and th
Salum, to compass the death of the Resident by means of poison to be an
administered by his butler, or by the peons of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . The fact of the 01
attempted poisoning of Colonel Phayre is of course beyond doubt; but Mr. w(
Souter's enquiries led him to conclude that in the investigation which Colonel P*
Phayre had himself conducted he had followed a false scent. Je
The facts elicited in that enquiry, however, pointed to Eowjee, Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard.
of peons, as the last person who had access to the room in which the poisoned ta
sherbet stood, and, acting on this, Eowjee was arrested and questioned. His ar
manner strengthened the suspicion which had been formed against him, and Ei
on promise of pardon he made a very long and circumstantial statement, which ai
is briefly summarized as below;— ^ M
Ptowjee was first tampered with by Salum some two months before the
sitting of the Baroda Enquiry Commission. Salum told him that the Maharaja a
desired to see him, and arrangement was made and carried out by which he was ^
taken to the house of Yeshwuntrao, and thence, in company with him and ^
Salum, to the presence of the Guicowar in a private room in his new palace. 111
The Guicowar asked him to keep him informed of what passed at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , ^
and also whether he could get the Jemadar of peons, Nursoo, to help him,
and to visit the palace. Rowjee agreed to both requests, and paid several ^
visits to the Guicowar before the sitting of the Commission, always in company ^
with Yeshwuntrao and Salum. During the sitting of the Commission he paid ^
three visits, and in one visit asked for money on a plea of marriage expenses, w
and obtained Rs. 500 through Yeshwuntrao shortly after. When he visited ^
the Maharaja he was in the habit of taking with him, as company on the road
at night, either Kharbhai or Jugga, both men employed at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , and rc
Jugga used also occasionally to write notes for him to Salum, conveying U
information to be given to the Guicowar.