The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1882-07-21
Alexandria in Fiainos And
ut In, Mercy OF The Mob.
ALEXANDRA. July 18th.


Al,x,ndr.a. July 18th.
The town lies completely OF tntrcy
of the attackers. All further action
must DO taken on shore where Ara
bis followers expect to be attacked.
TIE FIRE which appeared carly last
evening continued to burn through
out the night, and it ia now ascer-
taincd that the connagration was
moro general than was at FIRST sup.
posed.
The burnt district covers q large
area, although it is impossible al this
no ,r to estimate the number Of build
ipgs sacrificed tu the almos.
Thu scene during the fercest rag
ing Of the fro was grand, impressive
and awful. Tne fpmes lit up the
heavens with an intense glare.
There is no doubt that the fro was
started by The order OF Arab pre-
vious to the evacuation Of the city.
II was started from different parts of
almost simultaneously, so rs to make
il more effective.
P,rties OF marines have secured
the city in several directions, but 30
far their search has not discovered
q single European or rative.-
Seymour has ordered special force
to go ashore and make n thorough
investigation Of the town.
The special force on reaching the
Ottoman bank came upon o horrible
sight; within its walls aud adjaccnt
buildings the dead bodies Of ll6 Eu-
ropeans and Christians were found.
The fro is spreading and raging
furiously, ard the flames produce a
terrible heat. B,ioro the cnlaagra-
,ion was started, oil the jails were
opened and tho prisoners liberated.
Tden began q sa,urnalia Of pillage
and mass zero. Tie town was turn.
ed over completely to the mob, who
went about firing, plnnderiug and
committing atrocities OF every char
ac'er.
The scene was sickcniug and indc-
scrioable. Every species of bartar-
i.ies was reaor,ed to- The nch ran
from street to street rioting in car.
nivslof robbery and murder. lI,uses
were entered and whatever OF value
could be found was quickly appro-
priated and the building set on frc.
Every European or Christian who
fell into their hauds was brutully
murdered. Oac hundred Europeans
had narrow escape from bu,chcry.
They barricadod themselves in u
strong building and fought their way
out as soon as they became aware
that tho British had landed.
Tuey were received by armed boats
and tak,n to ap!ace of safety. They
report they had a terrible fight for
their lives.
All night long they had to stand
seige from the mob. which tried time
and again TO break their barriers.
On several occasions their position
was most critical and every moment
it looked as if the assailauis would
effect an entrance. bat they were re-
pulsed each time with considerable
losR OF lie.
Their story OF the scenes Of slaugh.
ter Witnessed while guarding their
own stronghold is hcartrending.
They say that they cav hundreds
OF Europeans aud Christians inassac-
red, dragged through the streets and
horribly mutilated. The atrocities
pariook OF every nature that suggest
ed itself to the mob.
The mob spared neither rncn wo-
mon or children. In many cases
dead bodies were hauled through the
streets and stamped on by hundreds
of feet, while the slaycrs uttered loud
shouts of triumph. In other iustan.
ces the hands and feet OF tie victims
were tied together and their bodies
were thrown into burning buildings
and burned to ashes. The r,scued
party declare that tho atrocities ex-
ceed all belief in cruelty and vindict-
iveness.