Enclosures of letter to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No.11, dated 15 January 1875: Nos. 3 to 45 of Abstract of Contents, from the Officiating Under-Secretary to the Government of India, Fort William [‎87r] (73/100)

different dates, and kept quite separate one from the other, and therefore that
no intercourse could possibly have taken place between them, yet their deposi
tions corroborate each other on almost all material points in a manner that is
remarkable; it is true that there are some minor incidental discrepancies, which,
however, I would submit, rather add weight and conviction as to the truth of
the statements, and remove any doubt that might be advanced of combination
and conspiracy.
23. Further in corroboration of these confessions there are the statements
marked I. and J. made by Jugga and Kabhai bin Amer Sing, who both
state that they on various occasions accompanied Rowjee from the Camp to
the Palace at night; that they usually went first to the house of Yeshwantrao,
who with Salim used to accompany Uowjee to the Palace, and that Nursoo
Jemadar also came sometimes. Jugga has further stated that he was present
when llupees 500 were paid to Rowjee at Yeshwantrao's house by a Karkoon.
24. There is also further additional corroboration of Rowjee's and Nursoo's
confessions in the statements appended and lettered M., N. and O., which go
to prove that within the last year Rowjee had made up jewellery of the value
of upwards of Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 500, though his salary has only been Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 10 per
mensem.
25. In the confession made by Rowjee Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. , Appendix G., he has
also stated that he was*m the habit of writing or causing to be written by
Jugga, a daily report of all that used to transpire 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 that
these reports were usually taken home by the Jemadar at night and sent
on to the Maharaja through Salim. On Salim's house being searched on
the 24th December the papers found in his house were sealed and brought here
for examination, and amongst them three such reports marked Nos. 5, 6,
and 7 were discovered, one of which marked No. 5 has been found to be in
the handwriting of Jugga as admitted in the further statements of Jugga
and Rowjee, respectively, lettered P. and Q. The house of Salim was searched
by the Gaekwar's Police in the presence of a Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. of the Bombay Police,
and the packet of letters delivered to the latter sealed. The seal was broken,
and the packet opened by your Native Assistant as per their statements ap
pended and lettered R. and S.
26. On the 25th December just before resuming Rowjee Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. 's
examination the detective officers happened to enquire of him where he was
in the habit of keeping the poison powders. After a little consideration he
replied that he used to put them in a secret pocket attached to the end of his
official cross belt, and on being asked where the belt was, he said it had been
made over to a peon A low-ranking infantryman, orderly or assistant (South Asian context). named Boodur Nursee. who was at once called, and on his
stating that the belt he was then wearing was the same which belonged to
Rowjee, it was taken from him, and on a very careful examination of the
pocket a piece of paper was observed, this was with difficulty extracted from
the reverse end by cutting the stitches which kept the pocket together, a small
white powder was then taken from it, which Rowjee at once recognized and
acknowledged as being a portion of one of those first given to him by Nursoo
Jemadar to be administered to Colonel Phayre. I at once took down Rowjee's
statement to this effect, docketed and sealed up the powder in a cover, and
on my proceeding to Bombay on the 29th December, I lost no time in forward
ing it to the Chemical Analyser to Government for examination, and beg now
to attach his official report lettered T in the Appendix, from which it will be
seen that the powder consisted of seven grains of white arsenic. Prom the
manner in which this powder was discovered I have no doubt whatever that it
was one ot those referred to in Rowjee Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. 's confession, and received by
him from the Gaekwar through Salim and Nursoo and intended for the purpose
of poisoning Colonel Phayre.
27. The name of Pedro De Souza, Butler to Colonel Phayre, having been
referred to in the confession of Rowjee Havildar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. as one of the servants who
used to visit the Gaekwar from 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 who had been asked bv the
65 17