Letter from Colonel Sir Lewis Pelly, Baroda to His Lordship Lord Northbrook, Viceroy of India [‎11v] (12/14)

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had been arranged that the poison to be administered should be mixed in some
sherbet which the Resident was in the habit of drinking on his return from yds
morning walk. Accordingly Rowjee, two or three days after receiving the
powders, put them into Colonel Phayre's sherbet \ but as no result apparently
followed, the Guicowar sent again for the Jemadar and Rowjee, and blamed
them for not acting according to their instructions. Rowjee said he had done
what was wanted of him, but supposed that the poison was not strong enough.
The Guicowar said he would give another, and Salum gave the Jemadar a packet
accordingly; this the Jemadar gave Rowjee the next morning, and a day or
two after Rowjee mixed the contents in the Resident's sherbet, dissolving them
first in water in a small bottle, as he had been directed to do. On Colonel
Phayre's return he drank the sherbet.
Rowjee divided the contents of the first packet into three doses as directed,
and put them up in paper, and kept them in a secret pocket in his belt. He
identifies a small packet containing a powder found in the pocket referred to as
one of the powders which was left. Rowjee identifies ornaments of the value
of about Rs. 420 as made out the money received from the Guicowar. The
Jemadar Nursoo states that he was first solicited to visit the Guicowar by
Rowjee, but eventually was prevailed upon by the united solicitations of
Yeshwuntrao, Salum, and Rowjee, that he went as stated by Rowjee, paid the
visits as detailed, and in the later interviews became, also as described by
Rowjee, an accomplice in the scheme for poisoning the Resident. The differ
ences in the statement of the Jemadar consist in an addition to the narrative
of the last interview to the effect that, as they were leaving the Guicowar's
presence, Yeshwuntrao gave something—a small bottle or something of that
size—to Salum, who passed it on to Rowjee, and in the statement that the
money which he received to be shared with Rowjee was Rs. 800, the half
of which would be Rs. 400, and Rs. 300 as stated by Rowjee; the
Jemadar adds that of the Rs. 400 given to Rowjee the latter was to pay
Rs. 100 to Jugga, which reduces the discrepancy materially.
Besides these two statements, those of Jugga and Kharbhai were taken,
and corroborate the evidence of Rowjee and the Jemadar as to the part taken
by them in the proceedings narrated.