New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 13, 1928, Page 19

Nancy Ann Miller, Pretty and Obstinate Seattle Society Girl, Who Flouted the Protests of Friends by Planning to Become a Hindu and Marry an Despite Dire Warnings, | She Vowed SheWould Wed the Rich k& Rajah Who Quit His Throne 48 Aft:r the Notorious Malabar Hill Murder. — m— — “Immediately the monarch's hoart capitulated. He wanted her—wanted her more than “thi . Indian Prince. anything on earth. ¥ First Photo Taken of the American Beauty and the Rajah Together. At That Time, He Was Touring the U. S. Under the Assumed Cognomen Ann Miller, socially ttle society girl, left land with the expressed Intentlon of invading India and marrying the Maharajah of Indore, audible sighs of amazement and regret could be heard issuing from many an Anglo-Saxon i “What!"” exc ed prim dowagers from Ban Francisco to ) York. “An American debutante prepar to wed an Oriental! And one whose name has been linked officially wi notorious crime! his a little too muc It's high time something was done about it. As a matter of fac! ething” was very speedily done about Representations were politely, but vigorously, made by the United States consular agent at Bombay to Miss Miller that the marital course she had would prove a hazardous one, ationrvas indicated that she would The Prince in Native Costume, When He' Ruled the Province of Indore. His Jewel- Bedecked Coat Indicates His Noble Birth, The Indian Potentate in the Occidental Garh He Assumed Daring His Courtship of Miss Miller in America. ah of Indore, in addition to having two wives already, had been a focal figure in the famous Mumtaz Begum case that set even case-hardened India ears and brought a speedy investigation by the British Government. The outcome of that in- igati 's abdication rather 2nd his subsequent tour of America to forget his woes and solace his humiliation by mingling with the fairest flower of young womanhood in the various cities which he visited. While in Seattle, cloaked by the incognito of “Mr. T. Raj,” the Indian prince met Miss Miller. Their infatnation was instantaneous, and, while a vague rumble of protest arose even then from those who saw how the matter might end, it did not disturb the two who had fallen in love. Fearful friends said, in effect, “Well, vou've been warned,” and let it go at thal. Keener observers, however, traced in Miss Miller's decision the brave figure of high ad- venture. Certainly her native American folk lore is dry enough of enchanting legend and subtle meaning — flashing splendor and soft mystery, the qualities which make India & shrine for the romantic. The trail of romance is a strange one, these observers pointed out. But the goal is worth ning too, they declared emphatically, and they expressed admiration for an American girl courageous enough of heart to flout con- vention and press on to a strange and luring land in the full face of objections from organ- ized society. To become a princess in the Eastern land Miss Miller must renounce the orthodox Chris. tian faith for that form of Buddhism which her fiance embraces. That, in itself, was calculated to startle and horrify her American friends. This horror was deepened by their knowledge of the Rajah's pa: For Sir 'I’u jiras Holkar of Indore is no stranger to the publi¢” prints. Five years ago he waa & mighty Indian potentate and exercised 2ll the majesty of his rank. His court was one of the most colorful to be found, flashing with jewels and plumes, and made Tively by the crash of cymbals, the graceful posturing and whirling of dancing girls and the tinkling splash ‘of perfumed fountains. In his realm the Maharajah was supreme -—all wills bowed to his own, his word was law, his every wish a duty to his followers. Wherever he went there was nothing which he could not possess, and his was an ex- istence of the fulfillment of heart's desire. But then love took a hand in the proceedings. Out of the thousands of dancing girls who erformed before him in his court e had selected two wives, Then he met Mumtaz Begum, lithe and seductive dancer, of violet eyes and haughty, proud bearing. Immediately the mon- }% arch’'s heart capitulated. D He wanted her—wanted her more than anything ' on earth, and she scorned § him. In the end she fled from his courtand sought refuge with a wealthy and powerful merchant of Bombay, one Abdul Bawla. Such an offense against his dignity could not be tolerated by the Prince of Indore, and he #et about avenging it in true Hindu fashion. There would be no graceful re- tirement—no bowing to the will of this woman. She must be brought back, and properly punished. of “Mr. T. Raj. Agents were dispatched to Bombay with instruc. tions to capture her at all costs. Full details of the resulting intrigue never will be known. The furtive agents of the Prince kept watch upon the dancing girl. Abdul Bawla knew well that his act in offering protection to the beautiful dancer would rouse the potentate to anger, and also that the Prince would seek her out for punishment. t he was not frightened < he sur- rounded vith a carefully eelected guard, » he himself headed. Matters went alongthus for a while, and every time Mumtaz Begum went out she was accompanied by a formidable cordon of strong men. Whether Abdul Bawla relaxed his vigilance some- what after a time, or whether the Prince’s agents became convinced that their only hope of capturing the girl lay in a mass at- tack, is not known. At all cvents, the little caravan pro- tecting the dancer ‘was set upon one Childhood Study ef Mumtaz Begum, in the Protecting Embrace of Her Mother. evening just outside of Bombay. The dancer screamed and ran for cover. Abdul Bawla ordered his guard to stand firm. Brutal battle ensued. In the {ray the merchant was stabbed, dying almost instantly. The dancing girl escaped. This tragedy precipitated an official in- westigation, and all trails led to the mi Prince of Indore. The British Govern outraged by the tragedy and goaded on many friends of the dead merchant, fina livered an ultimatum. The Prince must al or face trial for murder. He chose t course, renounced his throne, and since t has been living merely as an Indian gent! Much of his vast wealth was retained. and still numbers two wives among his posses One of them, the younger, was said hysterics after receiving news that her contemplated marriage with an woman. , According to dispatches from Bombay, Miss Miller, raised a Christian, planned to embrace the Hindu faith before becoming the bride of her Prince Charming. As is the custom cf the eountry, the Maharajab has a sen and a junior wife. Since a new wife wo not be allowed to live within the boundaries of the State, she must have a separate establishment in the royal palace st Khasgi, a district beyond that belonging to the other two Maharanees The new wife of a rajah obtains a st 1 the administration of the estate according to the custom established in 1740, when the Holkar dynasty was established as the ruling house of The entry of this pretty Amert girl into one of the ruling houses of India was calculated to upset more than one tradition. Thus far the precedent of the noble house has sanctioned only two wives, & custom calculated to be broken to permit Tukojiras to marry Miss Miller. Three wives are sanctioned by the Hindu faith, and only the tracition of this particular house stood in the way of the marriage. h ’ Until the last five years the priests of Hin duism jealously guarded their faith and secrets from foreigners. Unless one was born a Hindu one never could acquire the faith. But e vears ago this barrier was demolished faith thrown open to converts from T la At that time a ceremony was established fc conversion. According to this ceremony the bride m submit to s purification ceremony. These rites last three days, and during this period she must fast and engage in a number of minor cere monies concerned with fire worship. At the end of the three days she is bathed by special attendants, and she receives the “panchagavya” or purification mixture. 'he next ordeal is a trying one, even for a pluck l who braves the disapproval of her race L e name of romance. The bride must walk across a “sacred fire,” and as she walke she must throw in balls of rice cooked in milk. This rite completed, she will be given Indian clothes. As & spe- : cial mark of distine- tion she will be permitted te wear anklets of solid gold and special rings for the toes. These adornments indicate that she s ready to become a bride. Her graduation into the status of & Hindu %o signified by a last, short service, at the conele- slon of which priests place a red mark upen her forehead. After that she will have e::(fld with every requirement of conversion the marriage ceremony may be begun at omee. The nuptials start with baths for both the bride and bridegroom. After this they are brought before the sacred fire by priests, whe first have arrayed themselves for the ceremomy and participated in a purification of thelr owm. The br wear a special marringe garland s8 opalescent pearls, completely ple then take seven steps esch around i fire, at h step calling upon the Sages to register their “sole eompanion. . Next they offer coconuts to esch ether, and a veil, which thus far has been betweem them, is removed. This ends the actusl map riage ceremony, but the newly-married couple must then journey to the tempn at Jourl, some 150 miles away from Bombay, where il ip at the shrine of Khandobia, the P deity. i During the ceremony the husband must prom@- ise to love his wife, but no promise is extracted 3 the bride, and no further reli ol mposed upon the prince. The chisf oo0r tume for the bride entalls a grest display of rings and necklaces. They all must be massive , mostly of pure gold, and & minimum of twenty rings to each hand is required. e iers raised to Miss Miller's v, and only a dogged pfl‘m of each principal brought the affair te e of matrimony. Miss Miller's a, and some of her relatives, )nm when they heard of the plan. The can Consul at Bombay was asked to intes ade her from her aim. 3 of other Indian menarehs were recounted to her, and she received many arnings. But despite these efforts she per The next obstacle was a threstened uprising of the people of Indore. Hindu religious au- thorities were the next to object. Last in the line of obstacles, the British au- thorities in Indore steadfastly refused to eme In the face of all these obstacles and barriers, nowever, both the Indian potentate aad Mis American sweetheart seemed adsmant. “We love each other and we will marry.” That was their declaration.