, 1889-03-14
THE HERO OF KBARrOUM.
The Brave Gordon's Death M Seen by an
Eye-Witoess.

THE HERO OF kHARTOUM.
The Brave oordon's Death as Seen by IN
Eye-Wituoss.
| A London dispatch says: The mail
from Suakjn tonight brings dispatches
from General Grenfell among which is the
latest, and this time an absolutely authen.
tic account Of the last hours of General
Gordon, the hero Of Khartoum, whose
lonely tomb in the center Of the Soudan is
now venerated even by the Mahdists as
that Of q saint. The account which has
been collated With various, documents and
reports, and officially declared TO be true,
is furnished by Demetrio Georgia, q
Greek, who recently arrived at Suakiu
from Khartoum. Georgia was born at
Berber, and was present at the capture
and sack of Khartoum. Here is his story
a. told by General Grenfell:
III was at Khartoum the night 1t was
taken. The Nile had gone back so that q
part of the city was open. Gordon did
not construct fresh trenches and ramparts,
because he thought there was sufficient
troops to defend the city. There were
5000, think. The gaps and all around
about were held by large force under
Farie Pasha. That night Farig moved
bis troops, especially the blacks. from the
gaps, saying that the soldiers we're wanted
on the other side. Gordon had perfect
confidence in Farig.
"The attack took place at two points.
At the largest gap there was no resist
ance. If the British army, or even a few
of them, had arrived even one hour before
the attack took place, Khartoum would
not have been takeL, and Gordon's troope
would have fought to the last. FariR had
sent word to the Mahdi: Unless you at.
tack tonight all is lost In that night
all was blood and flames. The city had
passed over from the command of Cor don
to the Mahdi. II was dreadful night.
shall remember II to my dying day. The
air echoed with horrible shrieks, yelis.
lamen tations and wailings, and smet of
blood.
81 had three friends, Greeks. hast
ened to rescue them. l had two Mahdist
uniforms given me by an Arab friend. |
gave one to one friend, putting the other
on myself. It was nearing daybreak when
took my friends to my house. Some
Arabs rushed in telling me ] ought to go
to the government honse-the seraglio,
they called it--at once. asked why.
They replied, "All the great officers OF the
Mahdi have gone there to kill Gordon
Pasha.'
when they saw that the third friend
had no Mahdist garment on they slew him.
1--WE were then taken into the court
yard. saw Gordon Pasha smoking q
cigarette on balcony facing the river.
We had entered at the back of the palace,
entering the yard where the sycamore tree
is. Georgia Demetrio, the princi pal medi-
cal officer of the Soudan and the provinces,
and Nicola Lemindita, the Greek consul ,
were with him. Five hundred dervishes,
who had been sent by the Mahdi with
special orders to take Gordon alive, stood
at the foot of the staircase. l went upthe
stairs, being sent by the men below, who
were vociferating: Gordon Pasha! Cor
don Pasha!
Gordon cooily left the balcony. Fly.
said the other two, while there is vet
time. Go in at the little door and take
the boat"
"Shall | fly and leave my post {
Cord on replied Indignantly: That,
indeed, would be disgrace. shall not
ey:' .
donned his full uniform and sword. Then
he came out and gradually drew himself
up to his full height. On his visage was
look Of scorn.
"Whom seek YEP he asked on gazing z
at the sea of angry faces.
"'Gordon Pasha!' they cried.
"'You want him, do youp | am he
SOtue up ultuci, oOtuou Icpico'
ION being again urged by Demetric
and the Greek consul to fly, Gordon re
piled: For shame! Would you have me
| abandon my post ignomi niouslyT HI
could easily have escaped at the real
then.
"As Gordon stood boldly facing the der
wishes several superior Mahdist general
came up. The dervishes allowed them Il
pass. They assembled the stairs and aske'
for the pasha. Gordon met them, saying
Il am he, and handed them his sword ii
military fashion, intimating that he knew
they had taken the place and that conse
quenty he surrendered according to tn
one of the generals, snatche
hold of his sword, at the same time in
brutal and most cowardly manner strikin
Gordon an unexpected blow. The pash
would have fought desperately had
thought he would not be treated in a
honorable manner. He fell rolling dow
the stairs. As he rolled another genera
speared him on the left side infiicting
dangerous wound.
Thus died Gordon. got out of I'll
way when he rolled to the bottom of tt
stairs. Some say that Gordon was cut u
to little pieces. but others say that the
embalmed his body and took it to Il
mahdi There were bodies cut up, but
am inclined to believe that these were b
bodies of the consul and the DOCTOR"
ACCUSED OF FORGERY AND BIGAM