The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-12-21
STANLEY IS SURELY A PRISONER.
E,nis Bev and tho Great Explorer Held
Hostages for the Evacuation Of Saucins.

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En,in Bey and tho Great Espsorer Held as
Hostages for the Esacssafton Of Saukins.
London special: In q letter received
at Saukim from Osman Digna, and
which is supposed to have contained the
announcement that Emin Pasha and q
white traveller presumably Stanley had
fallen into the hands of the mahdi, were
inclosed copies of q dispatch from the
Dervish leaders ut Lado to Khalifa
Pasha, giving the date of Emin Pasha's
surrender as October 10, and a letter to
Emin Pasha from the khedive, which
was handed to Henry NJ. Stanley when
he was at Cairo. It is rumored that
Osman Digna in his letter expressed a
and his white companion provided
Egypt would abandon Saulim. If this
proposal is not accepted it is believed
both captives will be killed. The Brit
ish cabinet is now discussing the situa-
ton.
In the this afternoon Smith,
government leader, replying to Wilfred
Lawson, said that so far as was known
to the government the letter written by
Osman Digna announces the surrender
of Emin Pasha and a white traveller,
but the government had no means of
knowing whether these allegations were
founded.
1t is evident from the non-committal
reply of Mr.. Smith that the government
is completely nonplussed, and has no
accurate information in the matter fur
ther than is generally known. 1t is
generally considered that Osman Digna
holds q trump card against which his
opponents are powerless to play, and
that the government can only yield ON
the formers terms.
1t is believed in the lobbies of the
house tonight that England will be
forced to treat with the successful COM
mander for the evacuation of Suakim,
for the government will not dare to sac
rifice the prisoners, whom Osman Digns
threatens to kill unless the town is
abandoned. Public opinion in England
already revolts against the Soudan e1-
petition, and this latest phase of the af-
fair intensifies the feeling. There can
be scarcely any doubt that the white
traveller mentioned as surrendering
with Emin Bey is Stanley, as everything
SO far tends to confirm this opinion.
The balance of opinion has, for some
time past. accepted the theory that
Stanley had been working towards
Emin, and, if not actually with him,
was near him. Intense interest is felt
here in the fate of the explorer, and no
one believes that the government will al
low him to be sacrificed in order to hold
Suakim. Further developments in the
matter are awaited with much anxiety.
Dispatches from Suakim state that Gen.
Grenfell has recognized the letter IN
closed in Osman Digna's as the original
of the one which he drafted for the
khedive, which the latter handed to
Stanley at Cairo. Thus Stanley's cap
ture is virtually placed beyond a doubt.
The authorities of the Congo free state
have received no information regarding
the capture as yet.
The king of the Belgians is exceed
ingly agitated regarding the reported
capture of Stanley and Emin Bay. He
receives numerous dispatches in refer
ence to the matter. The king admits
that he wa the largest subscriber to the
expenses of Stanley's expedition.
The Independence Beige says: eng
land doubtless will do everything that is
possible to be done to iberate the pris-
oners. Mr.. Gladstone, too, bitterly re-
grets abandoning Emin Bay and Henry
NJ. Stanley.
The Emin relief expedition committee
are doubtful of the genuineness of
Osman Digna's letter. They suggest
the khedive's letter may bea copy stolen
at Cairo, but they think it more likely
that Stanley sent on runners to Emin
with the letters and that these Inc
were captured. In any case they are
hopeful that even if Emin is a captive,
Stanley is still free,