Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-17
How Gordon Died.

There is still another account Of the death
Of Gordon, and this time it comes from
Christian, Rosti Penago, Greek storekeeper
at Kartoum. He tells his story half-detiant-
ly, quite desperately, ~ Il man who has lost
his home and fortune, to the DOngola CORE
spondeut of the London News;
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 ammunition. 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 ammunitiOni She WAS
seized, but after while Gordon released her.
| used 10 sit in my shop all day near the bar
racks selling coffee. All spirituous liquor was
gone. We used to sit all day gambling and
playing cards; We had tobacco. There were
AZ of us and 10 Jews; some Of us had our wom-
en- with us-Greek women-that we had
brought with us, but not all. Cuzzi used TO
go and come with messages from and TO Cor
don. Gordon said il ho came again he would
hang him; after that he came no more. And
now the day arrived that was to separate hus-
band from wife, brother from sister, and par
ent from child. The streets were soon TO rnn
with blood l was not at my house. l was
with some Greeks-eight in all-near the
mosque, when we heard a hideous uproar, as
of men shouting and yelling, and of women
wailing around about on all sides. Nearer
and nearer did this long continued roar ap-
! proach, swelling as it we're and now bursting
close on our ears. Men with frightful gashes
on their facos and limbs came flying by, and
toward us women with torn garments and dis
heveled hair shrieking, screaming 'Jesu
| Christol !" l shall not forget that horrible
/ din to the day of my death. 1--WE are lost
/ We are lostl" we cried. The place is takon !"
| 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 a
house, barricaded the doors and windows,
| went upstairs, shut ourselves into a room,
and determined never TO surrender, but die
like Creeks; for we, mindful of our ancestors,
fight to the last. Thus 1t was when our faith
ers we're surrounded by TuTks; we are a brave
nation How we escaped | will tell you.
but listen, 1 pray you. Have you not ask
cd me where Gordon Pasha was slain2 YOu
say everybody has said he was either killed
ON the courtyard steps OF the palace or out
side, going to the Austrian oonsul's house.
They all lie II you choose to believe them,
you may, it matters not to me. am re.
spectabe Greek merchant, not an Arab. You
want the truth; tell it to you. True, did
not soc Gordon slain; but everybody in khRr.
tOum knows where the event happened. Au
Arab rushed upstairs aud shot him with gun
AZ he was reading the Bible. Another Arat
cut of his head and put it on a spear; aud sc
went forth into tho city, carrying it and bran
dishing it on high. The Oopts in the palace
in tho rooms below were slaughtered at tht
same time.
"The Arabs came pouring in; they slew
every man they could find no mercy wal
| shown TO any one. There was no resistance
/ | don't think a hundred shots were fired by
Egyptians or blacks. Mon ran in and shu
themselves up in houses, the doors were burs
open, and spearing, cutting and slashing wen
on bravtly in the streets, in the mRrke
square, in the bazaar II was horrible
/ scene, this bazaar afteTward. l went through
il. Gay curtains crimson. .oolored and or
ange striped, golden-edge satins, silks AM
muslins, lay ameared and splashed with blood
everything was upset and strewed about an'
trampled on. Everything was the wildes
disorder You know how narrow II was AM
how itwinds. One corner was so full OF coTpe
and dying we could not get by. had m,
hands tied, and fell several times in the road
slippery with blood. The havoc went on I'll
8 O'Clock. The MahOmet Aohmet sent owe
word from OmduTman that Allah had reveale
10 him that the slaughter must cease. W
wero told this. IL WAS shouted about tn
streets, and those that we're still hidden wer
hidden 10 come forth. OF ~ Crooks onl
8 escaped. There we're 10 Jews these wer
killed, think. GoTdon's head | saw ON
spear. It was taken over to Omdurman an