Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Thugs thŭgz [key], former Indian religious sect of murderers and robbers, also called Phansigars [stranglers]. Membership was primarily hereditary and included both Hindus and Muslims, but all were d...

(Encyclopedia) Randolph, John, 1773–1833, American legislator, known as John Randolph of Roanoke, b. Prince George co., Va. He briefly studied law under his cousin Edmund Randolph. He served in the U.S. House of R...

(Encyclopedia) Merckx, Eddy (Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx) mûrks [key], 1945–, Belgian bicycle racer. He won the world amateur cycling championship in 1964 and became world professional champion in 1967. H...

(Encyclopedia) Allingham, Margery ălˈĭng-əm [key], 1904–66, English detective-story writer, b. London. Most of her novels feature Mr. Albert Campion, a scholarly detective of noble birth, bespectacled, mild, a...

(Encyclopedia) Jamnitzer, Jamitzer, or Gemniczer, Wenzel vĕnˈtsəl yämˈnĭtsər, yäˈmĭtsər, gĕmˈnĭtsər [key], 1508–85, leading member of a German family of goldsmiths and engravers. Born in Vienna, he ...

(Encyclopedia) Gold Coast, city, Queensland, E Australia, on the Pacific Ocean. The city, a major resort, stretches for many miles along the coast and extends into New...

(Encyclopedia) Gurney, A. R. (Albert Ramsdell Gurney, Jr.), 1930–2017, American dramatist, b. Buffalo, N.Y., B.A. Williams College, 1952, M.F.A. Yale School of Drama, 1958. He is best known for often humorous anal...

(Encyclopedia) Gallatin, city (2020 pop. 44,431), seat of Sumner co., N central Tenn., near Nashville; inc. 1815. It is a livestock and agricultural center that produc...

(Encyclopedia) Carson, Kit (Christopher Houston Carson), 1809–68, American frontiersman and guide, b. Madison co., Ky. In 1811 he moved with his family to the Missouri frontier. After his father's death, he was ap...

(Encyclopedia) Cooper, Samuel, 1609–72, one of the greatest English miniaturists. A student of Hoskins, he worked in London from c.1642. He painted portraits of numerous celebrated Englishmen. His draftsmanship an...