St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-25
A MOORISH ABDUCTION.
An american and English Gentleman
Rescue Girl From Slavery.

Are american and English Gentleman
Rescue o. Girl From Slave1.y.
The following incident of Moorish life,
which occurred a few weeks ago, thoroughly
illustrates the state of insecurity to which the
natives are subject, and which appears to be
the normal condition of their existence in
Morocco. One day an American and Eng
lish officer were riding along the beach, and
when about two miles from Tangier per-
| ceived a group of fishermen who appeared to
have some alteration with truculent-look-
lock- On seeing the horsemen approach
some four or five men, accompanied by a
pretty-looking Moorish girl of about II years
of age, separated from the crowd and called
out that the armed Moor had been trying to
carry off the girl by force, threatening at the
same time to kill her if she resisted. While
observation-disclosures going onthe manofwhom
the complaint was being made had taken o
his heels, and, being good runner, had
gained a considerable distance when the two
gentlemen rode after him.
Finding himself pursued he made for a
river, which he waded across up to his mid
die. His pursuers plunged in afterward,
and on being hard pressed the Moor again
waded the river Three times this manever
was executed, but at last the two gentlemen
came up with the fugitive, whom they cap
tured and disarmed. They then gave the
fellow in charge to the fishermen, who had
now arrived on the spot, having followed the
chase on foot, and sent him, accompanied by
the Moorish girl, to the fort, where the kha-
lifa administers justice. The girl, Rachma
HaifsoutZ, by name, stated that, about two
months ago, she was enticed by two women
to take walk with them on the beach.
When short distance from the town two
armed Moors suddenly made their appear
ance and carried her off by force to the vii
lage of Ell Menaar. Here the men were
joined by third, and she was detained by
them, being continually subjected to brutal
outrages.
After about a fortnight she was taken to
the village of Imgogha, and from that to
BENZ Hassan, near Tetuan, where her captors
met party of mountaineers, and now the
girl discovered from conversation which
she overheard that an arrangement was
being made to sell her as a slave to these
men. The bargain, however, not being
completed at once she was taken to vii
lage near Tore Blanquille, on the coast, and
not far from Tangier. During the temporary
absence of two of the Moors the captive con-
trived to elude the vigilance of the third,
and secured his poniard, which she concealed
about her person, intending to defend her
self if driven to extremity. She then slipped
quietly out of the village, and, once clear,
ran as fast as she was able in the direction of
Tangier. After her departure some time
elapsed before the man in whose charge the
girl had been left discovered that she had
made her escape; but then, having armed
himself with a loaded gun, he started in hot
pursuit, overtaking his victim on the beach,
where she had encountered some fishermen,
who were drawing in their nets, and from
whom she implored protection. Judging
from her account, she appears to have re-
ceived the most brutal treatment while a
prisoner, as she was constantly required to
go through the native Moorish dances; but,
not always being able to perform these to the
satisfaction of her prosecutors, they used, she
affirms, to switch her severely, and certainly
the condition of the girls legs bear testimony
to their having undergone very harsh treat
ment. The man, who is now in prison, Ali
Ajneeah, is well-known desperate character.
Before this he has successfully engaged in
the enterprise Of carrying off women for the
purpose of selling them to the inhabitants OF
the mountain villages, and he has also been
guilty of various murders, among others that
of a young native woman, who resisted him
in his attempt at forcible abduction.