St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-05
A Moorish Peasant Swindled
by the Representatives Of
Uncle Sam.
Ex-Consul Lewis Peculiar
Schemes for Filling His
Own Pocket Book.
Bogus Certificates of Partner
ship Palmed OFF as Chris
tian Projections.
In Cahoots With a Gang Of
Sharks Who Levied )
Tribute.

IANGIER, Jan. 1.-The Times of
Morocco to-day, under the caption of
"a Plain Unvarnished Tale" prints the
following as leading article: A few
days ago a poor Moor came to US in
great distress and asked our assistance.
He said: "In the month of February
last, had been much oppressed by the
sheikh of my district, and, having
heard that Christian projections were to
be had in Tangier at moderate price,
my family desired me to go to Tangier
and make inquiries with a view to
purchasing one, if found the
price within our means. So | arose
and took present in my hand and
came to Tangier. | was directed to the
house of one Solomon AZogue. Jew,
with whom | found two other persons;
one was his brother, called Yakoob, and
the other, Abraham Amselem. l never
saw any of them before. In answer to
my inquiries. they told me that they
could sell me very strong protection
for 500 which would cover myself and
all my family. told them that we
were very poor, having been greatly
OPPRESSED BY UNFAIR EXACTIONS;
in fact, that we had scarcely any ready
OuU HO MCIO anu
willing to work hard. if we could be
sure that the result of our labors would
not be taken from US. l told them
plainly that we could not pay any money
down, but that we would give our pro-
tector part of our crops and the in
crease OF our sheep and cattle, year by
year. After some conversation they Of
fered me strong protection for SS5,
aud gave me five years to pay it IN. l
was rejoiced at these liberal terms.
and accepted them without hesitation.
''They then took me with them to the
private house of Consul Lewis, on the
Marshan. They had some conversation
with the consul which did not under
stand, and then told me that he was
very reluctant to give me protection
for less than 500, but that, by reason of
their pIeadingS on my behalf, he had
consented to take $S5, cash down, and
that they had agreed to pay the money
for me. but it would be necessary for
me to make paper, pretending to
sell all my property to them
for that amount, so as to Sc
cure them, but that they would
take the payment in five annual INSTALL
mentS. They then fetched bag con-
tanning SS5 in silver, and we proceeded
together to the public notaries, who,
by their directions, drew up two dOcu-
ments. One recited that Solomon
Azogue had then and there advanced to
me the sum of $3.50 in good silver
money, and taken as security the
HALF OF MY PROPERTY,
movable and immovable. The other
was exactly simil ar. so far as | can re-
member, only it recited that Abraham
AmSelem had advanced to me another
sum of $3.50 upon the remaining half
of my property. The money was then
counted out to me by the nOtaries, and
put it back into the same bag. and
after signing the documents | took it
away in my hand. When we got out
side AZogue said: Now the transaction
is complete. Here is your protection
paper; you see that it is duly sealed.
take it to the consul. and you can go
home to your family, lucky man. and
this is the document which he gave me:
UNITED STATES CONSULATE, TANGIER, Mo-
rocco, the 1st day Of March, 19S9.-Certif-
cate of partnership between Abram Amse-
lem, of Tangier, citizen of the United
States of America, and Sid Mohammed Ben
Ell Mahalem Ell Hassen judd Ell Emsawry, Of
Tangier, a subject of the Sultan
Upon the application of the above named
citizen of the United States. this certificate is
issued for the information of the Moorish
of treaties covering the above named Moor
ish subject may be violated by Moorish Off
Gals WIN. REED LEWIS
United States Consul for Morocco.
Il went home rejoicing and my family
was very happy for about twenty days,
until received two letters from AZogue
and Amselem, asking me to come at
once to Tangier and pay my debts,
amounting to SS5. l fastened to Tan
gier to seek an explanation from them,
when they treated me harshly and told
me that must pay up the whole amount
at once or go to prison. / reminded
them of their promise to allow me to pay
the money in five annual installments,
but they would not listen to me. |
then went to Consul Lewis, and Solomon
AZogue came as interpreter, acc pam
led by his brother and Amsele Ill, but |
objected to him, and q young Christian
called Juanito interpreted. The consul
then left the Office with the two BROTH
ers, Azogue and Amselem. and they all
went into another room. They did not
call me. / waited some time at the door
and saw the thr ee Jews come out. AS
they passed me
THEY SHOOK THEIR HEADS
ominously and said, the consul is going
to punish you severely l became
alarmed and hurried home to tell my
family what had happened. About
fifteen days later a soldier came with
orders from the basha to the sheikh to
arrest me. The sheikh took from me
what little money possessed and sent
me a prisoner to TangieT, and at the
same time the sheikh seized all my ami
mails, consisting of twenty goats,
twelve sheep, three cows and a calf,
which he sent to Tangler after me.
About three days after L had been in
prison my two brothers, who had fol-
lowed me to Tangier. succeeded in
borrowing SS5 from two Jews named
Moses Pelho and Moses Mirghi, for
which they gave mortgage upon all
our family property for SlS5. payable in
three months from the date thereof.
$50 more to pay for the expenses at
tending my arrest and imprisonment
and the seizure OF my property. The
$50 we were obliged to pay as soon as
possible, and that is all that we have
been able to raise at present, and now
we are in worse difficulty than ever.
The Jews demand their money, and
have the right to
TAKE ALL OUR PROPERTY
and put all three of US in prison until
the whole debt is paid. together with
all the expenses, which would of course
be three times as much as before. and
all our property may be seized and sold
at prices far below its value, and if we
get into prison there is no hope of our
ever living to come out again, because
there is now no one left to help us.
What can we do. Tajirk?" Abraham
Amselem is the same who beat his
wife Rachel shortly afterwards, and
was flogged by order of Con-
sui Lewis. and then sentenced
to twelve months Imprisonment,
and is now out on bail. The only thing
to be done to save this unfortunate
Moorish family from ruin and death is
for the United States government to set
tie the claim of the Jews, and pay all the
expenses that have been incurred in and
about the matter. They had no manner
of right to send representative here
and maintain him in his position year
after year to swindle and then imprison
poor Woodworking people.