The methods of the Sanaurhias as described by Mr. Seagrim show
considerable ingenuity. When they desire to steal something from a
stall in a crowded market two of the gang pretend to have a violent
quarrel, on which all the people in the vicinity collect to watch,
including probably the owner of the stall. In this case the _Chauwa_
or boy, who has posted himself in a position of vantage, will quickly
abstract the article agreed upon and make off. Or if there are
several purchasers at a shop, the man will wait until one of them
lays down his bundle while he makes payment, and then pushing up
against him signal to the _Chauwa_, who snatches up the bundle and
bolts. If he is caught, the Sanaurhia will come up as an innocent
member of the crowd and plead for mercy on the score of his youth;
and the boy will often be let off with a few slaps. Sometimes three
or four Sanaurhias will proceed to some place of resort for pilgrims
to bathe, and two or three of them entering the water will divert
the attention of the bather by pointing out some strange object
or starting a discussion. In the meantime the _Chauwas_ or chicks,
under the direction of another on the bank, will steal any valuable
article left by the bather. The attention of any one left on shore to
watch the property is diverted by a similar device. If they see a man
with expensive clothes the _Chauwa_ will accidentally brush against
him and smear him with dirt or something that causes pollution;
the victim will proceed to bathe, and one of the usual stratagems
is adopted. Or the Sanaurhia will engage the man in conversation and
the _Chauwa_ will come running along and collide with them; on being
abused by the Sanaurhia for his clumsiness he asks to be pardoned,
explaining that he is only a poor sweeper and meant no harm; and on
hearing this the victim, being polluted, must go off and bathe. [603]
Colonel Sleeman relates the following case of such a theft: [604]
"While at Saugor I got a note one morning from an officer in command
of a treasure escort just arrived from Narsinghpur stating that
the old Subahdar of his company had that morning been robbed of his
gold necklace valued at Rs. 150, and requesting that I would assist
him in recovering it. The old Subahdar brought the note, and stated
that he had undressed at the brook near the cantonments, and placed
the necklace with his clothes, about twenty yards from the place
where he bathed; that on returning to his clothes he could not find
the necklace, and the only person he saw near the place was a young
lad who was sauntering in the mango grove close by. This lad he had
taken and brought with him, and I found after a few questions that he
belonged to the Sanaurhia Brahmans of Bundelkhand. As the old Subahdar
had not seen the boy take the necklace or even approach the clothes,
I told him that we could do nothing, and he must take the boy back to
camp and question him in his own way. The boy, as I expected, became
alarmed, and told me that if I would not send him back with the angry
old Subahdar he would do anything I pleased. I bade him tell me how
he had managed to secure the necklace; and he told me that while the
Subahdar turned his back upon his clothes in prayer, he had taken it
up and made it over to one of the men of his party; and that it must
have been taken to their bivouac, which was in a grove about three
miles from the cantonments. I sent off a few policemen, who secured
the whole party, but could not find anything upon them. Seeing some
signs of a hole having been freshly made under one of the trees they
dug up the fresh earth and discovered the necklace, which the old man
was delighted to recover so easily." Another device which they have
is to beat the _Chauwa_ severely in the sight of a rich stranger. The
boy runs crying and clings to the stranger asking him for help, and
in the meantime picks his pocket. When the Sanaurhias are convicted
in Native States and put into jail they refuse to eat, pleading that
they are poor Brahmans, and pretend to starve themselves to death,
and thus often get out of jail. In reply to a letter inquiring about
these people from the Superintendent of Chanderi about 1851, the Raja
of Banpur wrote:
"I have to state that from former times these people following
their profession have resided in my territory and in the states of
other native princes; and they have always followed this calling,
but no former kings or princes or authority have ever forbidden the
practice. In consequence of these people stealing by day only, and that
they do not take life or distress any person by personal ill-usage,
and that they do not break into houses by digging walls or breaking
door-locks, but simply by their smartness manage to abstract property;
owing to such trifling thefts I looked upon their proceedings as a
petty matter and have not interfered with them." [605] This recalls
another famous excuse.