The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-04
HE FATE OF GORDON.
Alleged Details of His Defeat and
Capture by the Mahdi.
y Disastrous Attempt to Escape by
'ae Rtvcr-ghe News Not
Credited in HritIsh eft,
etal Circles.

LONDON, Nov. Great excitement exist
hero over tie publication OF the dispatch
from DoHgola TO the shodIve announ s4ng that
kEa toum had fallen and that Gen Gordon
was II prisoner i'll the hands of the rebels
HE Conservative members of parliament arr,
uSlH1 the khedive message to damage the
government 1t is openly asserted the war
Office received the dispatch Oh Saturday, but
refused to make it public and in support OF
the charge Conservatives point to the fact
that the United ProSs published tho khe-
dives telegram in all their Sunday morning
papers in America, and had the substance OF
the sheiks story of Gordon's capture in the
early editions of their afternoon papers on
Saturday.
PARIS, Nov. A dispatch from Cairo to
The Morning News says: THE mahdi, in the
beginning of September, hearing of the ad-
vance OF tie British forces, made II supreme
effort to reduce khartoum, which place, at
the end of September, was surrounded by
100000 rebels. Supplies failing, the garrison
began to waver. A deputation of officers
complained bitterly to Gen Gordon that they
had been deceived by a promise of British as
sistance, and they accused him OF
aiding in the deception. The deputation alsc
demanded that retreat be made to Dongola
and threatened if this action was not taken
! they would Join the mahdi Gen. Gordon
thereupon consented to the plan proposed
| Meanwhile "a panic arose, and 5000 soldier.
| and civilians deserted in n body. Two
! thousand men remained faithful and
| embarked with Gordon. The rebels were
! advised Of what had occurred anC
| harrassed their retreat to Shendy, where
masses of rebels, provided with artillery, dis
| abed the ilotilla. Only Col. Stewards vesse
succeeded in passing Berber, and shortly
| afterward it was wrecked. The remainder
! of the flotilla was obliged to return south
ward, and on reaching Shendy the entir,
force was captured About the 9th of DC
tober Gen. Gordon was sent under strong
escort to the mahdi's camp, where he is now
close prisoner"
| LONDON, Nov 4-The Times states tina
the queen and the prince of Wales have re
| ceived kilograms from the khedive announc
ing the fall of Kartoum and the capture o
Gen. Gordon by the mahdi's army. Th
| governments failure to officially annouuc
the capture of khartoum is supposed to b
| due to their hope that some information ma,
SObll Will ltSStil lilh
ness of the disaster, and relieve them iron
part of the odium involved in the failure +
rescue Gordon.
The Times considers the news reporte,
| from Cairo TO The Paris Morning News +
the effect that Khartoum had fallen into tn
hands Of the rebels and Gen. Gordon take
prisoner as extremely doubtful This view
it Thinks is especially reasonable in the al
sence Of advices on the subject fror
Wolseley The Times traces the report t
The Eosphore Egyptien, a dubious Frenc
organ, which may have given a European
lied version of Arab rumors which recent
gained some currency in Cairo
Earl Granville, secretary of state tor for
cign affairs. assured the Press Associatio
that the government had received no cor
frmation Of the news Up to noon nothin
had been received at the government office
in regard thereto. A dispatch from DOngOl
to Reuters Telegram company makes n
mention of the reported fall Of Khartoum.
says, however, that the mahdi at la:
accounts was collecting his force
around khartoum, and had called o
Gen. Gordon to surrender. The troOI
of the mabdi had intercepted two messenger
| aus lLdI CEt'u ny LIt IbFIblSh 10 fNLaTLpuHl IL
same dispatch declares that a large force
rebels was at Berber, and that the rebels ha
possession of the wells on the caravan ROM
between Debbeh and Ebartoum. After Il
crops are harvested the mahdrs forces wi
be largely increased.
IATER-The rumor that the khediye ha
sent a telegram to the government 0nuoun
ing the fall of khartoum and capture
Gen Gordon has been authoritatively denie
nnd the denial published.