Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-15
ARAB IN

ARAB IN PRISON.
Ho~ the Egyptian Leader Spends His
Time Ia Confinement.
[Cairo Correspondent of the New York Herald.
"What is to be done with Arabi?" is the
question in every ones mouth. Whether
he is to be hanged or set free is the basis
upon which many betting books are made
up-even betting that he will be hanged,
two to one that he will be set free. What
ever is done should be done at once Gu
riously enough it was the Egyptian minis
tiers who first suggested chat Arab should
have the benefit of an English barrister
for defense. When it became known, how
ever, that Mr.. Wilfred Blunt had sent out a
barrister and solicitor for that purpose the
{ Egy ptian ministers changed their minds
| and took the ground that in "view of the
| present disturbed state of public feeling it
| was imperative that Arabis fate should be
! decided without delay, and the objections
| which would be involved by the presence
|; of English barristers and which would be
incomprehensible to the great body Of
the people"
In the meantime Arab is shut up with
his colleagues and satellites in a large pub
lie building in the European quarter of the
yf,wn. lie is watched by Circassian guards
Who occupy the interior of the house, while
a company of grenadier guards stands en-
try at every possible exit from the extern
ported prison. Arab says that the Cir
c~assians treat him cruelty and eat his
bread and onions and steal his tobacco.
He seems afraid of their assassinating
him. and has asked several times that Brit
ism soldiers be placed in the room with
him. This demand has been refused, but
an officer now sees that the Circassians do
not abuse Arab in any way.
Arab now presents a striking contrast
to the tall, erect horseman who on the 9th
of September. 1881, rode, sword in hand,
up to the khedive who stood at the foot of
the palace steps of Abdin. ~Surroundedb by
four batteries of Krupp guns and 5000
troops the khedive was a prisoner in his
palace. I was an eyewitness of the scene
that then took place. AS Arab rode up
the khedive-regaining for a moment the
imperial demeanor of Mehemet Alex
tended himself to his full height, and draw
ing back his we'll formed head, commanded
Arab, "Put up that sword"
Arab, taken completely by surprise, hes
itated, and his sword hand trembled pal
pably. I then felt convinced that Arab
lacked physical courage. The khedive,
profting by the hesitation, made a SOM
manding gesture with his right hand. Ar
abb then swung up the hilt of his saber and
replaced it in it's scabbard. The khedive
thea commanded, sect off that horse"
This order Arab also obeyed. 1t was then
that Sir Auckland (then Mr. Colvin BENT
forward to the khedive and said, 'Order
him shot!' Instead of this the l;hediye
said to Arab, what do you want?" Ara
bi seemed now to have completely recOv-
cred his presence of mind, and with six of
his officers by his side said, Il have three
demands to make of you, and if they be
not granted I have your successor ready. l
first insist that the present ministry (the
Riaz ministry be dismissed; second, the
pay of the army must be increased, as pro-
posed by the military commission. and
third, an Egyptian parliament must be es-
tablished." The khedive, after a short and
rapid discussion with the ministers, re-
piled: 81 grant the first demand. l dis
miss the ministry. The other two demands
I cannot decide upon without first refer
ring them to the sultan"
As soon as the decree dismissing the
Riaz ministry was signed and handed to
Arab the troops, with music at their head,
triumphantly from the Palace
square, and thus began the drama which
ended in the cast-iron picnic of a British
army and a "march past, of of Highland
ers, BelOOchees,. Guardsmen n
Bengal cavalry in the same Palace square
just one year later. The Arab VIC
and triumphant was a large, very
dark, powerfully built man::with elastic step,
p%resence---a man who resem-
bled Dawson, the famous German TRACE
dian, and whe could make a fortune if he
had chosen to act Othello instead of play
ing the role of a military pretender or, at
best, a tenth-rate Cromwell. Such was the
Arab of a few months ago. The Arab of
to-day is a pale cafe Gu lait, blOated and
haggard fellah. His eyes have lost their
brilliancy and extraordinary power. His
hair, instead of being raven black, is
stresked with gray. His once black but
now gray mustache is reinforced by a
study, streaked beard. He now stoops,
and walks with a shufiiing, uncertain step.
He passes his time in praying and washing
two inseparable rituals in Islam. He also
suffers from a sever attack of diarrh9a.
He has in his room a large silver basin,
and a pitcher with a long nose like a tea
pot. He constantly pours water, which is
scented, ever his hands. The poor man,
although now treated with the greatest
kindness, is evidently suffering severely,
both mentally and physically. The sooner
the trial beyius the better for everybody.
A MURDER by MISSIONARIES.