MAHARAJA’S GALLANTRY

Evening Star, Issue 19942, 11 August 1928, Page 12

MAHARAJA’S GALLANTRY

GOVERHOR’S LIFE SAVED Loyally to tlio British Kaj is tho outstanding characteristic of tho Maharaja of Burdwan, Bengal, whoso outspoken speech in London recently electrified Indian resident in Britain. His announcement that ho intends to stand for tho House of Commons has also aroused great interest in political circles. Tho Maharaja lias been British from tho beginning, says a correspondent of tho ‘ Weekly Dispatch.’ Who n quite a young man tlio anarchists in India seized on Lord Curzon's ill-starred ordinance partitioning the province of Bengal as a pretext to inaugurate a campaign of brigandage and secret murder. Tho Maharaja was brave enough openly to denounce the movement, and it had not long been in progress when he offered Ids life to save that of Sir Andrew Fmser, then tho : Lieutenant-Governor.

Sir Andrew had been hilled to speak at Overton Hall, the headquarters in Calcutta of the Indian branch of the Y.M.C.A. The building was crowded with students and educationists be-, longing to tho score of colleges in tho vicinity when Sir Andrew arrived with his staff and entourage, of which the young Maharaja was ouo The Lieutenant-Governor eamo into the hall smiling and chatting with Lady Fraser, and the procession moved along tho narrow aisle toward the plat, form, when a youth stopped out from his seat and, confronting Sir Andrew, drew a pistol from out of hi.s voluminous clothing. Sir Andrew stopped suddenly and was about to speak to the armed fanatic, when tho latter pulTcd tho trigger, aiming straight at the victim. 'Tlio sudden drama Iclt all present breathless, and tho fraction of a. second in which they ivaited for tho flash of tlio revolver and tho fall of tho LieutenantGovernor seemed a year. Then they realised that by a merciful act of Providence the weapon find misfired. Tho would-be assassin pointed tho revolver a second time, but before the trigger could bo pulled a man interposed himself between the weapon ; nd Sir Andrew and grappled with tho stu dent. That man was the Maharaja of Burdwan. '

A police officer tool; the youth away to the police station. The present cor respondent accompanied them and was present when the weapon was tested When it was fired a second time there was no doubt of its business-like clmr actor. It did not misfire. The first cartridge was defective, but the other five were in perfect order;

Tho Maharaja, who is a giant in height and build, is not a ruling chief, but ho is an extremely wealthy man, and if hi.s ambition materialises ho would bo the richest of the members of the House of Commons. Hu came to his title and fortune unexpectedly, like the more famous Gaekwar of Bnroda.-. There was no heir, and the question of. adoption came up. Another branch of the family produced a rival candidate, and after a bitter controversy the Government of Bengal ohoso the .present Maharaja.-