The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-03-03
Ell MAHDI'S RIGHT HAND.
Career in New York of the False
Prophets Chief Aid.
John Swinton's Paper.


One night OF May, eleven years ago,
in dingy back room Of an OLD brick
house in Wooster street, met young
Frenchman who even then had played
part which doubtless had prepared him
for the extraordinary adventure in which
be is now engaged. He wss amid 9
group Of his friends, and bad just reach.
ed the city ss refugee. He had been
an actor 10 the Paris revolt OF March,
1871: be had escaped the massacre that
followed the suppression Of the Com.
mune, he had afterwards been arrested
and condemned to death; his punish.
ment had been changed to that OF ban
dishment to the penal colony of Now
Caledonia in the Pacific; be bad there.
with few companions, got up daring
plan OF escape; they had carried out the
plan amid dangers as great as ever we're
encountered; and IN May OF 1874 the
little party of fugitives had arrived in
San Francisco, from which Mr.. Oliver
Pain FASTENED to New York, where he
spent few,days prior to bis departure
for England as q place Of safety.
When here he looked about 80 years
Of age, and was tall, 1.-THE and hand.
some, possessed OF both the ,ivscity
and the gravity of an experienced world.
ing OF Paris He had done duty ON the
press as an aasailant Of the Empire; be
had done service in the field during the
Franco German war. and subsequently
during the revolt Of Paris: be had suf-
fered the hardships OF French convict
life, and was then in full flight from one
kind OF peril to another; but withal, be
demeaned himself as though his resour-
ces aad not yet been tested.
Well, according 70 the cable dis,
pstches. this young Frenchman. Mr..
Oliver Pain. has for the past year been
the military adviser OF the "False Propb.
et." who is nov leading his wild hordes
Of Arabian spearmen against the British
invaders OF Egypt and the Soudan; and
it is this same Frenchman who led the
storming party that captured Khsrtoum
and put an end to the career of General
Gordon. 1t is a long distance 10 New
CALEDONIA, and from Wooster street to
the Soudan, but Mr.. Pain has measured
it. 1t IS a qneer change from convict
and fugitive to his present rank in the
host Of the Faithful" but he has un
dergone it. As far back as last year tho
dispatches told Of mysterious French
man who was reported to be in the Arat
camp, and who was hi ID in the conf
deDce of FL Mahdi; but il was not til
last January that We were assured y
Mr. Pains being in command OF 13 00(
Of the Mahdi's troops at Metemneh
Now We have the news of his victory a
Khartoum under which the British Gov
ernment is cling
Mr.. Psin had vsried experience af
ter leaving New York He went t.
London and next to Geneva. where b,
was concerned in several newspaper ven
lures. When the Turko- o-Russian va
broke out he entered tae Turkish ser
vice, was captured by the Russians ant
condemed to death as q spy; but th
sentence Was not executed, and he GO
out Of prisor in time to return to Franc
and to Parisian journalism under tb
amnesty OF 1880. 1t was as a CORES
pondent that he penetrated 10 the CAM
Of Ell Mshdi, where his knowledge o
the art Of war brought him to the front
The Eoglish papers have given motto
that he will he hanged as soon as Lor'
Wolseley gets hold OF him.