50 



THE PREDECESSORS OF THE 



"Ona full examination it appeared to the whole Board that 

 there was sufficient reason to put the prisoners upon trial for their 

 lives for murder and robbery, and it was accordingly agreed that 

 they should be tried in the Mayor's Court according to the Charter, 

 and that an order be given the Mayor in the following manner : 



" Ona full examination of Cadogee, Perseram, and Kisnados, 

 who stand charged with the murder of Trivadee and his servant 

 on the night between eighth and ninth instant, and several other 

 witnesses concerning* that murder; we do find full and sufficient 

 cause to put the said Cadogee, Perseram, and Kisnados on trial 

 for their lives, and in order thereto we do hereby authorize you, 

 the Worshipful John Legg Esq., Mayor, to summon a Court 

 tomorrow being the 12th instant, for the trial of the said prisoners 

 and to acquit them, or on their conviction of murder and robbery 

 to condemn them to suffer death in such manner as shall seem 

 to you most proper to deter others from committing the like 

 crimes. 



" Friday, 13th June. — This morning about 9 o'clock Cadogee, 

 Perseram, and Kisnados were executed upon the Island." 33 



In the case of European prisoners the proceedings seem 

 to have been somewhat different. Two soldiers, named 

 Robert Grott and Richard Righty, were accused of the 

 murder of a Native, and the whole of the enquiry appears 

 to have taken place before the President and Council, who 

 after examining witnesses, and interrogating the prisoners, 

 debated upon the affair for some time, the prisoners being 

 all dismissed the room, and then unanimously pronounced 

 them guilty of the murder. " But the Honorable Company 

 having not yet j)rocured a power to bring to an execution, it 

 was agreed they should be continued in prison and whipped 

 very severely every week, as a punishment for the disorders 

 they committed as soldiers." This was on Monday the 

 1st August 1720. 34 



33 Wheeler's Madras, vol. ii, p. 290. 

 31 Ibid., p. 332. 



