The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-14
GORDON'S DEATH.
The British Government Charged with Al
lowing Him to Perish.

lowing hlm 10 IeriSh.
LONDON, July I'm. Henri Rochefort's pa
per, LIntransigeant, Of Paris, has a sensation
which is expected to send thrill of horror
through the civilized world It amounts to
charge that the. British government deliberately
allowed General Gordon to be beslaughtered when
his safety could have been guaranteed for a pay
ment of 100000. The charge is made in the
form of letter of Baron de Billings to M. Roche
ff44aHht f44Hf mf during the siege of Khar
toum with certain authorized agents Of Ell
Mahdi, who had their headquarters at Paris ard
were engaged in promoting the interests Of the
MahGi in a variety Of directions. Notwithstand
ing the warfare in the Soudan and the alleged
impossibility Of obtaining intelligence from
Khartoum, Of which Wolseley was constantly
complaining, this Partisan agency was in pos
session Of direct communications with Ell Mahdi
at least once week. which detailed the progress
of the campaign, told of Ell Mahdi's plans
for the future. and gave directions as to
what should be diyulged and what SHOULD be
kept secret. Last summer when General Cor
don was securely cooped up in Khartoum, the
False Prophet sent q very important dispatch by
a spy who went in a variety Of disguises all the
way from Omdurman to Cairo whence the dis
patch was transmitted in a telegraph cipher to
Paris. This dispatch stated that the city of
Khartoum, with General Gordon, Colonel Stew
u
were at the mercy of the Prophet; that the re,
lief expedition which General Wolseley was
bringing up the Nile was a foolish enterprise,
because Khartoum could be captured at any mo.
ment and would be taken just before the expe
dtion could get there. The Mahdi professed
desire to avoid the wholesale slaughter which
would be involved in the sack of Khartoum,
wherein be said he could not restrain the en-
thusasm of his faithful followers. He was
therefore, willing to come to an agreement
wit tha RpI+i ich 11yr
which he would guarantee the safe conduct Of
General Gordon and Colonel Stewart down the
Nile as far as Assouan, if necessary, in consid-
Grafton of the payment of ESQ, 600. The money
was to be put into the hands Of trustworthy and
confidential agents, and was not to be paid until
General Gordon was delivered safe and sound
within the British lines The garrison and in
habitantS of khartoum were to be unharmed
but were to be converted to the Mahdis faith
and be subject TO his government. The Mahdi
authorized his Paris agents to open negotiations
to this effect with the British government. The
Paris agents asked Baron de Billings to conduct
the negotiations, and he consented to do So
being actuated, as he says by desire to avoid
bloodshed and 20 save the life of the heroic
General Gordon. The Baron broached the
proposal to Lord Lyons, the British embassa-
DOR at Paris, who referred tho subject to the
British government special Cabinet council
was held to consider the proposal. and it was
rejected. Lord Eyons was instructed to reply
to Baron de Billings that the government looked
upon the proposals trap. and refused to
enter into any negotiations. Soon after this
reply was sent to ElMahdi, General Gordon sent
| Colonel Stewart down the Nile to make his es-
cape, the General being resigned TO sacrifice his
own life, but wishing to have his sole English
companion and friend spared. Colonel Stewart
was promptly killed by Ell Mahdis soldiers, and
| the offer of ransoming General Gordon for $50,
600 was renewed to Lord Lyons. 1t was again
referred to the British government and again
refused on the same grounds as before-that the
offer trap and that the NIahdi could not
| fulfill his proffered contract
| The story has been eagerly seized upon by the
Parsians as another proof of Alhions perfidy
and the British greed of gold, but it is only Just
to say that it finds few if any believers in Lon
don, even among the bitterest enemies of the
| late government
LONDON, July 1.-The government is ig-
norant of the reported offer of Ell Mahdi,
through NJ Billing, to release General Gordon
| for 95 900.