The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-07-24
GENERAL GORDON'S FATE.
SHOT DEAD by AN ARAB WHILE
READING THE bible.
A Greek Merchants story OF the Hor-
rib1e MASSACRE at KhartOum-
SICkcning Scenes OF Slaughter.

the fall of that city and of Gordon's
death, which differs from any yet given
to the world. OF this Greek the CORE
spondent says: "Another voice from
Khartoum is heard-a Greek who was
made to wear the Mahdi's uniform, and
in this costume walked down to Berber,
no man forbidding him. lie then re-
solved to escape altogether, and then his
troubles commenced. He had no money,
but begged his way from village to viii
lage. Sometimes he was hunted and had
to hide away; at others he was made to
work as q captured slave by men who
knew him to be q Greek. At length,
after a period of % days from Berber, he
reached Aboudom, where, suspected at
first as a spy, he was made prisoner. He
was then sent down by Colonel Butler to
General Butler, and arrived at Dongola
last Saturday. His very disjointed story
l will give you in his own words, trans
lated for me by the Greek Interpreter of
the transport department. 1t will be
observed that he cmphatically declares
that Gordon was killed in and not out
side the palace" We quote from the
Greeks story:
"Boom Boom! Boom! was the sound
that greeted us from dawn to sunset.
We were sad, sorrowful and depressed.
Power was in the magazine in the church,
guarding and looking after the ammuni-
ton. You say you know all am telling
you. Do you know that a woman once
got in and nearly succeeded in blowing
up all the ammunition. She was seized,
but after while Gordon released her. |
used to sit in my shop all day near the
barracks selling coffee. All spirituous
liquor was gone. We used to sit all day
gambling and playing cards; we had
tobacco. There were forty-two of us and
ten Jews; some of us had our women
with us-Greck womcn-that we had
brought with us, but not all Cuzzi
used to 90 and come with me ssages from
and to Gordon. Gordon said if he came
again he would hang him; after that he
came no more. And now the day ar
rived that was to separate husband from
wife, brother from sister, and parent
from child. The streets were soon to
run with blood. l was not at my house.
l was with some Greeks eight in all
near the mos que, when we heard hide
Gus uproar as of men shouting and yell
ign, and of women wailing around about
on all sides. Nearer and nearer did this
long continued roar approach, swelling
as it were and now bursting close on our
ears. Men with frightful gashcs on their
faces and limbs came flying by, and
toward us women with torn garments
and dishevelcd hair shreking, screaming
'Jcsu Christon | shall not forget that
horrible din to the day of my death.
'We are lost! We are lost' we
cried. The place is taken" But no
one would tell us exactly what was the
matter. We ran up to the top Of the
mosque, and saw that the town was
given up to massacre and bloodshed.
We ran to house, barricaded the doors
and windows, went upstairs, shut onr-
selves into a room, and determined never
to surrender, but die like Greeks; for
we, mindful of our ancestors, fight to
the last Thus it was when our fathers
were surrounded by Turks; we are a
brave nation! How we escaped l will
tell you.
"But listen, pray you. Have you not
asked me where G ordon Pasha was slain
You say everybody has said he was either
killed on the courtyard steps of the
palace or outside going to the Austrian
y
choose to believe them you may; it mat
tiers not to me. | am a respectable Greek
| merchant, not an Arab. You want the
truth; tell it to you. True, [ did not
see Gordon slain; but everybody in
Khartoum knows where the event hap
pcned. An Arab rushed upstairs and
shot him with a gun as he was reading
the Bible. Another Arab cut off his
head and put it on spear; and so went
forth into the city, carrying it and
brandishing it on high. The Copts in the
palace in the rooms below were slaught.
cred at the same time.
The Arabs came pouring in; they
slew every man they could find; nc
mercy was shown to any one. There
was no resistance. | don't think hun
dred shots were fired by Egyptians or
blacks. Men ran in and shut them
selves up in houses; but doors were
| burst open, and spearing, cutting and
slashing went on bravely in the
| streets, in the market square, in the
bazaars. 1t was horrible scene thi:
! bazaar afterward. | went through it
! GAY curtains, crimson colored and
orange striped, golden-edged satins
] sims anu SiiiNH'No NHN
splashed with blood; everything wa,
upset and strewn about and trampled on
Everywhere was the widest disorder.
You know how narrow it was and how
it winds. One corner was so full oil
corpses and dying that we could not get
by. had my hands tied and | fell sew
cral times in the road, slippery witt
blood. The havoc went on till s o'clock
Then Mahomet Achmet sent over wore
from Omdurman that Allah had revealed
to him that the slaughter must cease.
We were told this. 1t was shouted
about the streets, and those tina
were still hidden were hidden to come
forth. OF forty-two Greeks only eigh
escaped There were ten Jews; thes,
were killed, think. Gordon's head
saw on spear. 1t was taken over Il
Omdurman and shown to Mahome
Achmet. 1t was laid before him. 4
grim, savage smile passed over his face
He gazed long at the countenance OF hi
late enemy. God be praisedn he cried
can this he hisY He did not eXDrcs