This page was last updated on 12 October 2021 Click here to  Print this page Biography finder A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z     Index of first names Robert Scott Douglas                   This article forms part of our Rogues and Vagabonds section. Indigo plantation murder trials In the summer of 1810 a group of European indigo planters was brought to trial in Calcutta. John Lathbury Turner, James Tichborne, Thomas Gardiner, Thomas Clarke, and Robert Scott Douglas, of Pepra (or Pipra), were accused of murder and serious assaults by their native contractors, employees, and servants. East India Company officials recorded the gruesome accounts of witnesses detailing atrocities committed in the interior of the country. John Lathbury Turner was indicted for the murder of Mootty Roy who was expected to supply indigo to Turner’s factory at Suvoonny. Turner sent for him and other ryots to ask why they had not sown indigo. To teach Mootty Roy a lesson, Turner punched him in the face and kicked him repeatedly. Mootty Roy and his companions were then put in the stocks for the night. Mootty started complaining of horrible pains in his belly and was eventually released from the stocks and laid on the ground. A mysterious ‘Mussulman’ appeared, claiming that Mootty Roy had been bitten by a snake, praying and casting spells to cure him. Poor Mootty Roy died in agony. Witnesses swore they had not seen any snakes, that Mootty Roy did not complain of any bites, and there were no signs of any on his body. However the jury believed the evidence about the bite and Turner was acquitted of murder. James Tichborne was accused of murdering a gomasta (native agent) employed in the timber trade. He summoned the gomasta to adjust his accounts although the man was very ill, confining him for fourteen days in an out-house used as a bath house and privy. In all that time the man only ate a little sherbet, saying he could not eat food in a privy and asking to be moved to a Hindu house. When he died, Tichborne was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to twelve months in prison and a fine of 400 rupees. At the next sessions, Tichborne was charged with assault and false imprisonment by gomasta Ram Gholam. There was a dispute over a sum of 5,000 rupees for wage advances to woodcutters, and Tichborne confined Ram Gholam to a boat for three months and subjected him to violent beatings. Tichborne was found guilty and sentenced to twelve months in prison and a fine of 100 rupees. Thomas Gardiner beat an employee with a ratten and then had salt applied to the wounds. The man fell ill with a vomiting and bowel complaint the next day and died shortly afterwards. Gardiner was charged with murder but the grand jury threw out the case. Thomas Clarke was charged with murdering a ryot by punching and kicking him after a dispute over some bullocks. Clarke was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to twelve months in prison and a fine of 400 rupees. Robert Scott Douglas was tried as an accessory to arson when a rival indigo works was burned down. He was found guilty of harbouring the men responsible and sentenced to twelve months in prison and a fine of 1000 rupees.. The Bengal Government reacted by alerting magistrates to the ‘ illicit and improper means’ being used by European planters to compel ryots to cultivate indigo. Offenders might lose their licence to reside in the interior.     Any contributions will be gratefully accepted     Errors and Omissions The Forum What's new? We are looking for your help to improve the accuracy of The Douglas Archives. If you spot errors, or omissions, then please do let us know Contributions Many articles are stubs which would benefit from re-writing. Can you help? Copyright You are not authorized to add this page or any images from this page to Ancestry.com (or its subsidiaries) or other fee-paying sites without our express permission and then, if given, only by including our copyright and a URL link to the web site.   If you have met a brick wall with your research, then posting a notice in the Douglas Archives Forum may be the answer. Or, it may help you find the answer! You may also be able to help others answer their queries. Visit the Douglas Archives Forum.   2 Minute Survey To provide feedback on the website, please take a couple of minutes to complete our survey.   We try to keep everyone up to date with new entries, via our What's New section on the home page. We also use the Community Network to keep researchers abreast of developments in the Douglas Archives. Help with costs Maintaining the three sections of the site has its costs.  Any contribution the defray them is very welcome Donate   Newsletter If you would like to receive a very occasional newsletter - Sign up! Temporarily withdrawn.

Back to top

The content of this website is a collection of materials gathered from a variety of sources, some of it unedited.

The webmaster does not intend to claim authorship, but gives credit to the originators for their work.

As work progresses, some of the content may be re-written and presented in a unique format, to which we would then be able to claim ownership.

Discussion and contributions from those more knowledgeable is welcome.

Contact Us

Last modified: Friday, 02 August 2024