The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-23
MATTERS IN MOROCCO.
THE PURSE STRING HELD ABROAD
. Sultan Subjectto Vizier's Will-Cruel
Ways Of Raising Money-Prison
Horrors that end only in Death
-Interyentions Rare.

Some time ago, writes correspondent
If the London Times from Tangiers, the
Sultan received considerable amount
of new coin from France, and sent it to
Tanlet for safety, it is said, on account Of
the unsettled state of the public mind at
Melney, the governor of Tanlet being
relative of his. When called upon to
pay for some of the Krupp guns re-
Gently ordered from Germany, his mai
esty sent for part of his treasure, but the
treasurer refused to comply with the Or
der, and told the Sultan plainly that it
was in safe keeping where it was, and
therefore it was ineXpedient to remove
il from there. The Sultan then ordered
the kaids, or local governors, to take all
the grain they could get from the farm
ers at very low fixed prices, and to sell
it to the foreign merchants. This is
said to be contrary to the convention Of
Madrid, and is fearful hardship to the
poorer cultivators, who are being liter
ally squeezed to death. The Sultan also
ordered the kaids to buy up all the but
ter they could get and preserve it for
troops in the field. This is a shadow of
coming events, not now far distant;
some say that the end of the drama
dam" few days hence, will be the be-
ginning of a civil war. Although the
Sultan gets the credit of this system of
extortiOn, it is understood to be the
work of his vizier, who is very unpopu-
lar, and, it is said, makes the Sultan do
his will.
The most thriving business in Moroc-
co Just now is the manufacturing Of
claims. The plan Is said to be this; A
.l...tn.taI'i ,,rrnnnl., 70, .tn,,
district and sells his services to the kaid.
The "protected" person then proceeds
to visit the sokos (markets) with two
adools (notaries). Wealthy persons are
there pointed out to him, and their
names taken. Papers are drawn up and
duly attested by the adools, and when
next the victims visit the sOkO on busi
ness, they are arrested and taken before
the kaid, who says that he has been or
dered by the sultan to collect certain
claims made by such and such lega-
ton, and they must pay at once or go to
prison. The victims protest and declare
that they have never heard Of the claim
or claimant before. Then documentary
evidence is produced, and iron
collars are placed round their
necks. These are chained together, and
they are marched oil to loathsome
dungeon. If this torture has not the de-
sired effect, an iron spike is placed in
socket in the collar Immediately under
the chin, supporting the bead in most
painful position. when the agony can
be borne no longer, he victim yields.
Sometimes he really has not got the
money, and has to resor. to the Insurer.
He is not allowed H. export his wheat
and barley-h his chief movable property,
and, without cattle, he cannot til his
ground; therefore, he hold, Oh ~ them
TO the very last. Trinkots, jewelry, and
every species of movable property are
parted with, and last OF all, the cattle are
taken, and the rich man is reduced TO
rags and beggary. ] am told, on good
authority, that thousands of acres OF
abundant crops, now ripe for harvest,
will never be gathered for this reason.
The people are simply driven to despair,
and French protection is the only hope
for them ut present.
Quite recently five poor fellows came
to Tangler to seek French protection,
and applied TO n Frenchman, who de-
manded q large sum of money down.
The poor fellows had not got it, but paid
what they could, and gave bond for
the rest, duly attested. The Frenchman
then proceeded to enforce tho bond. The
men were thrown into the prison here in
Tangier, where two of them still lam
guish, while the other three were liber-
ated in order that they may raise the
money somehow among their friends or
from usurer.
Very recently a number OF prisoners,
with iron collars around their necks,
and chained together, were taken from
the prison of one of tho coast towns TO
be removed to prison in the interior 90
de of hunger and thirst. They
had chance of living where
they had been confined as their
wives and sisters could bring them food
and water enough to sustain life, but In
the interior, far away from home and
friends, there was absolutely no hope.
These were prisoners for debt. Many of
them, it is said, were usurer's claims
where the original debts, il contracted ut
all, had been paid twice over, and the
| claims now pending were for interest
npOn interest at fearful rates, and these
claims arc made by protected subjects,
and enforced by European legations.
As the mOurnful procession, with its
clanking chains, moved through the
! gates, women and children, wives,
mothers and daughters, chung 10 the
wretched prisoners in last, hopeless
embrace, hut were numerically beaten
OH with sticks by the cruel escort of
soldiery, and bleeding and broken
hearted, were driven to their wretched
homes. As the prisoners passed out of
the gates. a Moorish official, with
streaming tears, was heard to says; But
for the intervention of kind English
man, should have been one of the
party" He had been liberated through
lhe efforts OF the correspondent OF the
Globe.