2-979-749 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Trial of Native Prisoner by General Court-Martial, at the Main Guard, Fort William, Calcutta, 1857. '...a native was tried for attempting to seduce the sepoys of the 70th Native Infantry in Calcutta from their allegiance, by holding out to them promises of arms, ammunition, and aid from 18,000 of the native population; and that a similar scene might be enacted by them as that performed by their countrymen at Cawnpore. He was, however, reported by one of the sepoys, and brought to justice. He called himself a moulvie, or hafiz, of the regiment, and made that his excuse for being among the Mussulmans; but it appeared he had only recently arrived from Delhi, The prisoner was sentenced to death, which was afterwards commuted to transportation for life'. From "Illustrated London News", 1857.