(२२० ) मल्हारराव महाराज गायकवाड यांचा खरा इतिहास. झी भेट करवाळ तर त्यांजकडून मी अपराध कबूल करवीन असा देखील विडा उचलला होता; आणि त्याबद्दल सूटर साहेब यांस एक वेळा नाहीं पण अनेक वेळां सांगितले असून त्यांनीही त्याबद्दल सर लुइस पेली यांस विनंती केली होती. पण त्या राज्यकारस्थानी व सद्विचारी पुरुषास ती गोष्ट कोठून मान्य होणार? त्यां- नीं सूटर साहेब यांस ठपका दिला कीं, तुझी रेशेसिडेंन्सीत माझ्या भेटीस आला
- होता तेव्हां सहजरीतीनें ही गोष्ट मला तोंड़ानें कळवावयाची होती. अशा गोष्टी
लेखी कळविल्यानें गैर सोय अथवा घोटाळा होतो. * सारांश दामोदरपंताचे संबंधानें लिहितांना माझी लेखणी मला अनुकूल नाहीं. तिला आपल्या अग्राला त्याची नामवर्णमालिका स्पर्श झाली झणजे थरकांप सुटतो; ह्मणून त्याच्या विषयीं जास्त लिहिण्यास मी शक्तिमान् नाहीं. मल्हारराव महाराज यांनीं, राजपद मिळाल्यानंतर ज्या कांहीं वाईट गोष्टी केल्या त्यांत दामोदर पंत यास खासगीचा दिवाण नेमून त्यास आपल्या गाडींत घेऊन फिरलें. या सारिखें वाईट, अविचाराचं, आणि आत्मघातक असें दुसरे कोणतेही कृत्य केले नाहीं; आणि हैं दामोदरपंताने महाराजांचे विरुद्ध साक्ष दिल्यावर आम्ही ह्मणतों असें नाहीं. त्याच्या समागमापासून काय परिणाम होईल तें लोकांनी पूर्वीच ताडून ठेविले होते. FROM FRANK H. SouTER, TC COLONEL SIR L. PELLY.
- “ I have the honor to report, that while engaged yesterday in taking down the
deposition of Dhmodhur Punt, I got into conversation with him which ultimately led to his cautiously stating he felt sure that if the Maharaja Mulhar Rao were promised that his punishment would not be more severe than eonfinement as a State Prisoner in some part of Hindoestan, and that the society of one of his wives or conenbines would be allowed him, he would at once make a confession and acknowledge his gult in having instigated the attempt to poison Colonel Phayre. Damodhur Punt added that a day or two previous to Mulhar Rao's being arrested, he, the Maharaja, had asked him, Damodhur Punt, whether it would not be best for him to confess his crime at once. Damodhur Punt is most sanguine that if he is allowed access to the Maharaja, in order that he may make him aware of his real position and permitted to assure him that his confession would not lead to worse consequences than above stated, he will freely confess the crimes for the commission of which he is now held a prisoner. I have deemed it my duty to report this circumstance, as it appears in my humble opinion that if such confession be voluntarily and freely made, it would in all respects be a most satisfactory solution of all difficulties. FROM COLONEL SIR E. PELLY, To F. H. SouTER. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 7, dated the 6th instant, and in reply to state that Damodhur Punt has repeatedly during the past 10 days made similar offers of inducing His Highness to confess; in the first in- stance the confession was to be unconditional, subsequently conditions were attached. 2. I think I mentioned these circumstances to you on your return from Bombay. 3. I could have preferred that you should have communicated to me this re- newed offer on the part of Damodhur Punt in an oral and casual form when you attended at the Residency on the morning of the 6th instant to hear Damodhur- Pant's concluding statement read out in my presence; prematurely giving written official form to matters like those now under notice is liable to entail embarrassment on other inconvenience." (Blue book No. 6, Page 120.)
