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She was also a schemer. Mariachi asked Nellattur Kurian, the helper of Chacko in the
store, to give her the accounts and the money, as well as the keys to the store. She
entrusted the money- purportedly a large sum- to her brother Thomman to deposit in the
post office (Anchal at that time). Chacko’s eldest son, Kunjeppu, accompanied
Kaduthody Thomman. But the money was deposited in Thomman’s own name. Soon
after depositing, he withdrew the money and appropriated it for himself. The Pannivelil
household was left with huge debts. Joseph Vellappally, a young and ambitious lawyer
suggested suing Thomman. But Kochokan consulted Mariachi and decided against it.
Mariachi excused her brother’s embezzlement as a temporary financial transaction.
Stories abound about Mariachi’s exploits. She took Naithy, a sister of Kochokan, hardly
twelve years old, by boat to Kidangore. On the way, Mariachi plied her with arrack (a
very strong intoxicant brew). In a drunken stupor, Naithy jumped in the river and died.

Ouseph, Chacko’s father, was devastated, and helpless after the death of Chacko and
Thomman. The Pannivelils had to pay off their creditors. Several fields and lands were
pledged to a rich person in Pala for fourteen thousand rupees, and with that money the
debts were cleared. He came to live in Nellupadathu, as that property belonged to
Maniala Muthuki. In fact it was Maniala Anna’s remaining properties that Chacko’s
children inherited. As a result of these disasters, Ouseph lost his mind and spent his days
standing guard, fearing that Mariachi would come to swallow his grandchildren. He died
in 1924 and was buried in Kaipuzha. Ouseph was a member of the Makil family, which
was at least as prominent as the Tharayils. It was only a short time before his death that
Kuruvilla Tharayil had died and had been buried in the Kaipuzha church. The Makils,
therefore demanded that Ouseph too should be so honored. Bishop Choolapparampil
came to mediate the dispute. The Makil group locked the good Bishop in his room until
he would relent. The Tharayils rescued him down a ladder by the back door and sent him
off to Kottayam. Makil Pannivelil Ouseph was buried in the cemetery meant for the
ordinary faithful.

It was more than a quarter century later, that Mathew; the grandson of Ouseph raised nine
thousand rupees, and redeemed part of the properties so pledged. Dispute ensued between
the Nellupadathu family and the Pannivelil family as to who should get what.
Kochukunjeppachan, a priest of the Makil family, intervened and settled the dispute
without resorting to lawsuit.

Anna, the widow of Chacko had woeful responsibilities. She was only thirty eight years
old when her husband died. Her eldst son was still a boy, though married. Naithy and
Mariamma her two eldest daughters were married. Their husbands – Abraham Pathyil
and Thomas Makil- were to be of immeasurable help as the years went by. A sketchy
description of each follows.

Mariamma: Mariamma was born on March 20, 1902. Her marriage to Thomas Makil
took place on January 8, 1917. Thomas had completed his B.A. under the Jesuits in St.
Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappally, and had taken his law degree from Madras. For the
practice of his profession, Thomas and Mariamma relocated to Kottayam, from where he
commuted to Law Courts in Ettumanoor. But Thomas was more interested in philosophy,

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