पान:आंग्ल प्रभा.djvu/22

20 throughout the whole period, confinment in the forts, or confiscation of property. As regards persons convicted of political treason by way of attempts on the person of the Peish was, or Waging war against the State, the punishment meted out was that the criminal was trampled under the foot of an elephant. In dealing with armed dacoities, Madhaorao I and Nana Fadinavis inflicted more cruel punishments than in the case of private murders. Mutilations of hands and feet, which apparently disfigured the annals of criminal administration up to 1760, were first ordered in Madhaorao's reign, and in Nana Fadnavis' time whole-sale executions were ordered of the criminals locked in the gaols and convicted of this. charge. In one case, 20 men were beheaded, in another, 13 men had their both hands and feet cut off, and in the third case, 18 men had their either hand or foot or ear cut off. These cruel punishments appear to have been extensively resorted to with a view to strike terror. Later on, these extreme penalties were inflicted even in cases of robberies, which dia not come under the head of dacoities, or in which the members of the criminal tribes were not concerned. The punishment for robbery generally was fine or imprisonment in the forts. For adultery 鸭 ■ in the case of women, the punishment was imprison Adultery. Dacoity. Robbery. ment with penal servitude in the forts or in the Kothis, i. e. State stores, where they were made to grind corn, and in the case of men, imprisonment or fine. As regards women convicted of adultery, condemned to penal servitude, or service in the Kothis or Stores, it may be noted that they lost their status and freedom, and were treated as slaves. Their progeny especially was regarded as the children of no father, but were only known by their mother's names. The ranks of these condemned slaves had accession made to them of other persons from the lowest classes who lived by prostitution, and children captured in foreign territory by Banjaris or Lamans, who brought them for sale in Peishwa's territory. Slav ey so recruited thus became a recognized institution, and men and wome-slaves Were t ferrable like the dumb cattle from one OWher to another sideration. When the slaves grew old, some of them we prisons, and the private slaves were alsosetf charitable considerations. The slaves, on th been kindly treated, especi work in the Peishwa's Kotl Slaves. RTSfor noney con'e released from ce by their owners from e Whole, an PPear to have ally those women-slaves who were nade to S; or in private houses.