THE EXECUTIONS AT CABUL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6003, 12 February 1881, Page 7

THE EXECUTIONS AT CABUL.

:hk Bombay Gazette contains a statement so tartlin>; as to compel us unwilling to refer to . painful episode in our recent occupation of he Afghan capital. This journal declares hat before Mr. Lepel Griffin left India lie orwarded a very strong report to the Government of India concerning the. execuious at Cabul, The tenor of this report, if t be correctly stated, will create such a proouml sensation in this country as to compel mmecliate action on the part o' the Home joveniment. Mr. Lepel Griffin, in his re- ; iort, the Bombay Gazette asserts, plainly ays that "a corrupt (native) subordinates ves trusted by the generals, and thit execuions were compassed by this official, who in nost cases suborned evidence, and then liimelf pressed the case against the unfortunate coused. Sirdars who were suspected of lossessing weal thare said to have been threateledwith the gallows, and 011 pain of execution nade to lianil over large sums of money, lOrses, and jewellery. No man of substance scaped his rapacity. He is believed to have xtortcd altogether a fabulous sum from liis •ictims." Taat is bad enough but there is i'orse to follow. The Bombay Gazette delares that although Mr. Lepel Griffin inluded in his report specific instances of this ifficial's systematic villainy, and followed hem up by a. recommendation couched in ' the most emphatic and unqualified terms" .hat he should be tried "oy law for his crimes, he man has not only been punished, but is ictually at this moment in Government iinployment. That is to say, that this misireant, who abused the confidence of General Roberts in order to employ the gallows as an nstrument of extorting bribes from vanished oes, is actually at this moment employed uid paid by the Indian Government, which lolds in its hands full proofs of his guilt. Although such a story cannot bo credited, it night not the less to be authoritatively efuted.—Pall Mall Gazette.