Three Interesting Rogues
| Author | P.F. Sherman |
| Published date | 01 April 1992 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X9206500209 |
| Date | 01 April 1992 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
P.F. Sherman
Three Interesting Rogues
I. Po Aung
AIndian policeofficer in his official capacityoften has to visit the
jails he helpsto fill. Taking themall round,Burmesecriminalsare
a cheerylot. Perhaps,subconsciously, they appreciatethemental
comfort of being settledfor the next ten years or so! Certainly, from a
policeofficer's point of view,one and all of them possesssome streakof
interest whichmay be probed to good advantage.
Onemorning, beforegoing to my office in Mandalay, I went along to
thejail. I wished moreparticularlyto pay myrespects to onePo Aung, an
attractive young blackguard whose case presented several points of
interestnot cleared up at the trial. Po Aung had very nearlydone for one
of my best men, a young Pathanconstable called HawabAli. Instead of
Po Aung's bullet, Hawab Ali received the King's Police Medal and
promotion: a story of pluck well worththe telling.
Aftera gossipwiththejailer,Imadeknownmy wishtohavea chat with
Po Aung. The jailer called up another old friend of mine, Nga Hein, a
notoriouscriminalwho was doingduty as convictwarder. Nga Hein was
instructed totake me to the smithy. When we arrived he pointedto the
door: 'Po Aung is in there,' he said and, withthe tact of a mother witha
marriageable daughter,left me.
The convict was busy at hisjail-trade of blacksmith. He greeted me
affectionately, to the astonishmentandamusement of theother convicts.
'You are just in time to see me have my earlybreakfast!' he cried.
Now,His Majestydoesnot habituallysupplyearlymorningbreakfast
to hisguests inMandalayJail, so, 'What the deucedo youmean?' I asked.
Po Aung grinned. 'You shall see,' he said. 'There, on the other side
ofthose bars,theyare grindingwheat. Iget someoftheir flour' -he helped
himselfto a doublehandful- 'mix it witha little water,thus;and makemy
cake. Here is a fire on which to cook it and - we have early breakfast in
jail. But you arenot to let on about it,' he whisperedcautiously.
Bit bybit I got thisrascal's version of thecrime forwhich hehad been
givena longtermof imprisonment. His storyaddedtotheofficialaccount
completesthe tale.
Po Aung had observedthat it was the customof certain devout - and
well-dressed - womento go upMandalay Hill upontheir wayto worship.
Hewasimmediately filled with a desire,forwhichhe was entirelyunable
toaccount,to relievetheseladiesof theirjewellery.As notriedaccomplice
was availablejustthen, hepressed into servicea youngBurman unversed
in crime.
The two lay in wait uponthe hill until a worshipper and two children
camealong. Observingthem to be wellhung about withjewels,Po Aung
April
1992 The PoliceJournal
171
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