Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-08-24
An Egyptian Execution,

An Egyptian Execution.
a letter from Alexandria under date of
July 2S gives the following graphic dcscrip-
ton of an Egyptian execution:
AS was driving this morning to the Ras-
el-Tin Palace met Major French. Of the
Royal marines, and about thirty Egyptian
policemen, each with blue ribbon tied
about the left arm rs sign of loyalty to the
khedive. Behind these policemen were
three Egyptians handcutled and being led
along by ropes tied around their necks.
They wore nothing but long blue gowns
the galibich-,t,nd the middle Egyptian
strongly resembled Barabbas as represented
in the Obcr-Ammergau Passion Play Be
hind the three Egyptians was " carriage
contalnlnlng u physician-Dr. Londinski-
my carriage to follow the procession in or
der to see an Egyptian execution, andalso to
sec how the Arab population Of Alexandria
would behave when they saw one Of their
brethren shot by Egyptian soldiers at the
tilctatlOn OF an English subaltcrn
The procession passed through ali the
streets OF Alexandria, and before VIC had
proceeded II quarter of Il mile we were fol-
lowed by about six hundred Arabs. In the
Rue des SCrurs-wherc the famous massacre
OF Europeans commenced last month, and
where the principal malclactor ut the
head Of our procession was proved by the
Mixed Police Tribunal to have murdered
ut least three Europcans--wc made Il
short halt Proceeding again to the place
des Consver, and marching through the
Boulevard de Ramleh, we passed through
the Eastern Gate, and arrived ut
pompe's Pillar, where another short halt
was made We then marched through the
small Arab village of Carmoos. and arriving
ut Il hollow among the Roman catacumbs
we found Il newly grave The princi
pal maletactor-thc man who resemblcd
Barabbas-was then blindfolded and forced
to stand at the end Of the grave that had
been dug for him. At the English subal-
terms directions five Egyptian gendarmes
advanced to within ten PAGES Of the man
condemned to death. The other two crimi-
nails, who. had been covicted Of stealing
were made to stand facing the grave and 50
that they could best appreciate the example
that was about TO be offered them. The
five Egyptian gendarmes levclcd their Rem
ington rifles ut the man sentenced to death.
But at the command "Firc - from their SER
geant the hammers of their rifles simply
Cllckeu upon inc clllluSeS, winch turned
out to be damp and useless.
After u delay of five minutes-which
must have seemed like five hours to the
malefactor-neW cartridges were obtained
and the five gendarmes again levelled their
rifies-but with the same result. The car
tridges turned out to be spoiled. New car
tridges were then distributed. The command,
''Fire! was third time given. And for.
hnt brGt horn f,l o ali I l,o.
pan, and the wretched malefactor still stood
at the head of his grave trembling with
suspense. New cartridges were then OBJ
tanned from the magazine-about milcdi
tant-and now for the fourth time the five
Egyptian gendarmes advanced, aimed their
rifles at the unfortunate devil, and at the
command, ''FTe!' rattling report was
heard, and the convict fell into his grave
The doctor stepped forward and found
that he had only been hit by two bullets
one tearing through his cheek and the other
making hole in his leg. The man was
now pulled out of his grave and propped up
so that he could be again shot at. In the
meantime he begged and implored orsomc-
body to come and run bayonet through
his heart The five Egyptian gendarmes,
however. again advanced, this time to with
in about eight PAGES of their target, and for
the fifth time the command was given to
fire. The result of this fusllade was that
he was riddled with bullets, not one of
which, however. had struck him in vital
spot and the man was still writhing in the
dust, covered with streams of blood.
The sergeant of gendarmes then came for
ward, put the muzzle of his rifle to the poor
wretch's car. pulled the trigger, and, the
cartridge happening to be II good one, the
mans head was blown to pieces. Just as
the remains of the convict were being buried
man quite near me shouted in Arabic,
s'Now is the time to kill more Christians !"
Looking around me | found that besides
three English officers, few newspaper cor
respondents and some dozen European spec
tators, the whole assembly, Of perhaps a
thousand persons, were all Arabs. There
was no English post within the distance of
half Il mile. A young employee of the East
ern Telegraph Company promptly collarcd
the Arab who had uttered the dangerous
cry and the gendarmes took him in charge,
and, together with the two thieves who had
been brought out to witness the execution,
he was handcuffed and marched to the po-
lice station in Alexandria.