The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-25

~''''i NV lpilo Va
Northern Africa was secretly landed
near Yorktown. This cargo was de
liVered to agents, and thus 800 intel
ligent Mohammedan light skinned
Africans were distributed among the
planters of Eastern Virginia. Fierce
as untamed tigers, these wild follow
ers of the Prophet of Mecca gave the
slave-Owners more trouble than any
other 500 bondsmen south of Mason
and DiXOn's line. Many of them es-
capped to the North, and their de-
scendants live in Fayette county, in
that State. Among them are the
Blues, JacksOns, Mundys, Palmers,
ManaWayS and others, whose thin
lips, high fOreheads, aquiline noses,
superior intellectual capacity and
splendid physique distinguish them
from full-bloOded negroes. A cores
spOndent has found among these peO-
pie the old home of the Great False
Prophet of SOudan. His story is this ::
Among these scaped MohammedanS
were George johnson and wife.
Georges real name was Beyash FL
Asewah. He was a sheik and priest
of the Order of Ilani. For several
years he lived in the mountains near
ConneIlsville, Tut, fearing recapture,
went to Canada. In 1850 he returned
to Pennsylvania and settled in Union
town. In 1854 he removed to Browns
vile, and subsequently to Pittsbnrg,
where he died in 1877 at a very adj
vanced age. In 1880, while at Con-
nellsville, his son Thomas was born.
At the age Of 10 Thomas had learned
the Koran from his father. No tur-
reted mosque reared its massive
walls, no bearded Mupzzin called the
eX-slave and his family to worship,
but Beyash Ell AseWah never forgot
There is but one God, and Moham-
med is His Prophet and in land of
Christian strangers secretly adhered
to the faith of his fathers.
"ln 1919 Thomas Johnson drifted
to California. to return to Union
town. Two years later, in 1858, he
went TO Paris and Joined the French
army. He was sent to AIgiers at the
close of his term ofservice. He Join
ed a caravan and crossed Sahara
southwark unto Soudan. For several
years he lived among the natives of
that almost inaccessibIeregion. With
his almost perfect mastery of the
Koran, and his superior knowledge
Of the arts of civilization, and esperi-
ally OF war, he forged to the front as
a leader. In 1862, when he heard of
the war of the rebellion, fired with an
ambition to help free the slaves of
the South, he wrote long letter to
President Lincoln Offering to recruit
thousand Arab z0uaYes for the
Union army if the United States
would furnish transportation. The
letter got into the newspapers, and
was published as a great Joke. In
1860 he returned, just as the war
closed, and visited ConneIlsviIle,
UniOntoWn, Brownsville, md then
PittSburg, to see his aged father.
In August he returned to Egypt,
and thence to Soudan, where he
acquired Il greater influence than
ever over the semi civilized peo-
pie of that extensive country, and
claimed prophetic powers. AS time
rolled on his wealth and power in
creased, and when the English in.
Vaded Egypt he proclaimed himself
Imam Mahdi, or the last prophet
Allah Shall send to conquer the enc
mics Of Islam and rule supreme over
the world. While Arab Pasha was
suffering defeat, rumUr has it that the
False Prophet was achieving extraor-
binary victories and Staying thous.
andS Of his foes. According to Mo.
hammedan belief Imam Mahdi is to
come with great signs and wonders
jus! before the Judgment day. He
will appear on a mill-W hite charger.
accompanied by an innumerable
army Of bearded Mussulmans, all
mounted on snow, White stations,
The Imam Mahdi must be a visible
ruler, with power and victory on his
side. If he manages to spread the re-
port that he is killing Jews, Chris.
tians and pagans by thousands, he
may be accepted most willingly by
the M0lems. The defeat of Arab,
who claimed to fight for the cause OF
Islam, may cause all Mohammedans
to turn to johnson as their coming
Prophet.
at may be added that one of thu
False Prophets hundred wives is a
native of Fayette county, an 0ctoroon
from UniOntOwn. She accompanied
him to Mecca and to Africa in 1865
and is said to be mistress of hi,
harem. She, too, is a direct descen.
OHut of the ra hl Of / no SiaVn shin ri