Extracts from Letter to "The Natal Advertiser" (Before 22-5-1895)
[Before May 22, 1895][11]
The report states that the Indians were observed “with portions of sleepers on their heads”.[12] The evidence was that. . . seven charged had on their heads portions of sleepers together with. . .{ref|13}} Although the sleepers were called for they were never produced. The report says, “On attempting to arrest them 71 of their number turned round with sticks, tins, pieces of iron and cooking utensils and plied them freely on the police making them fly for safety. P. C. Madden arrived on the scene with further assistance.” The evidence went to show that the seven charged turned round with sticks, and two of them incited to oppose. There was only one policeman at first and that was the Native constable. Then P. C. Madden alone, not with any assistance, came on the scene. While the Native constable is alleged to have been resisted, P. C. Madden distinctly said he was not resisted at all. The report goes on: “The rest followed by a body. . . saying they would not leave until their colleagues were discharged.” The uncontradicted evidence of Mr. Mason, who knew what he was talking about, went to show that “the rest” were under arrest and were, Mr. Mason was informed by Mr. Madden, going to be charged by the Railway Department with desertion. They have gone now for the second time to Mr. Mason to complain that they were starving. The report says, “Three or four constables appeared in the court with their faces bruised and their clothes torn.” The facts are that there was only the Native constable who said he was beaten with sticks. When asked if he could show any marks, he said it was”somewhere” on his head that no one could see. He had no bruises. His clothes were neither torn, nor did he complain that they were. So far as my memory can be trusted, I believe there was not a single word about “utensils and irons”. And if all had bundles of sticks on their heads it is not easy to understand how they could carry utensils, etc. P. C. Madden was the only other constable who gave evidence. But he was not interfered with and he could give no evidence of his own knowledge as to the Native constable having been beaten. . . .[14]
This is not the first occasion on which I have found the facts in your reports mis-stated or exaggerated, and I am sorry to say whenever this has happened, they have been mis-stated and exaggerated much to the disadvantage of the Indian community.[15]
The Natal Advertiser, 22-5-1895
- 11↑ Referring to a report in The Natal Advertiser, 20-5-1895, Gandhiji wrote “a long letter”, pointing out its inaccuracies. The original not being available, the extracts as published in the Advertiser, 22-5-1895, are reproduced here.
- 12↑ According to the report a large number of Indians, leaving the railway yard, were noticed in possession of portions of sleepers. Earlier the railway authorities had ordered that coal instead of firewood be supplied to them which they resented.
- 13↑ Some words here are undecipherable.
- 14↑ The
