The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-04
TIE MAHDT SPRIS0NERS.
Some Escape and Tell THOR Sad
Story, Which Confirms
7HN7TOLDBY FATHER OHRWALDER.
Forty Europeans still In Captivity.
They arc Held In Slavery and Treat.
ed Cruclly..-Thc Empire Declining.
Internal Discussions DIsruptlng 1t.

loypoy, Jan. 3.-TelcErams have been
received hero from Congo which con-
firm tho statements made by Father
Ohrwaldor, tho priest Of tho soudan
Austrian Klssion. who was taken pris-
oncr BY tho Mahdists some nine years
a.o, but who recently escaped from
Omlurman and made his way to kor.
osko. u
Father Ohrwaldor, who was accompa-
MED in his flight by Sisters Chincarindi
and Vcnturini, said forty Europeans
arc still in Tho hands OF the Nlahdists
Mt Omdurman. lie added that they arc
loaded with manaclcs anf cruelty
beaten. They arc 30 closely watched
That they had lost all hopo OF escape.
Among tho prisoners arc - Greeks, s
SyriNns, s Hebrews, . Austrian mis-
eionarics, Slatin Boy and Herr Ncufcld.
The last named prisoner was cap
turcd in 1856 at Selma. Ills imprUd-
cncc WIS the cause OF the capture by
Npiumni OF tho convoy OF arms and am
mInition sent by General Grenfoll to
soah, the chioi OF the friendly Kaba.
bisll tribe. Ito is now employed i'll
making snltpcLer.
cAprIvEs Earn rlIElE own LIVING.
In telling OF his mode OF lie while in
captivity, Father Ohrwa!dor said the
Madli granted no provision for thesub.
sistcncc Of tho captivcs, but allowed
them sufficient liberty to earn 4 living
Ms bcstttcy could. Father Ohrwaltlor
lived By tailoring and weaving and the
sisters by baking and selling bread.
The three refugees show tho traces OF
the suffering which they have endured
during their nine years captivity, and
they state that tho latest news which
they received from tho civilized world
was in 1852 BIZ an Arabic newspaper,
relating to the bombardment OF Alex
andria.
During the last eighteen months tic
iugitiycS lived i'll mud huts, but previ-
ously their only shelter was made with
their own hands from canes and Indian
cornstalks. They say khartoum is en-
tirely destroyed, except the Austrian
church and General Gordon's palace,
and vegetation Is covering the sites OF
the houses. GA
During two years famine and small
pox made fearful ravagcs in the Soudun.
Indian corn rose to ten times its nor
nal value, but now food is plentiful
and cheap. Dariur is nearly deserted
by the Dervishcs, who have steamer
ut FNshoda, but they do not adventure
beyond short distance from the Milo
bank.
THE MA1tDl EMPIRE on TIE wiSE.
y short time ago the Shiliuks killed
800 Deryishcs at that place, and conse.
quently re-enforccmeats have been sent
there from Omdurman.
The khcdivc's visit to the EGYPTIAN
frontier last winter has produced 4
favorable impression among the Soudan
tribes. The Dervishes still retain 4
monopoly OF the trade in gum, ivory
aud feathers, which they sell at large
profits to merchants, who send the
goods to Suakim.
To-days advices from tho Congo cor
roborato Father Ohrwaldcr's report OF
the waning power OF the Dervishcs in
the southwestern part OF tho Soudan.
Frequent conflicts have occurred be-
tween the Alahdists and native chiefs,
and the latter have often been victo-.
rious.
Father Ohrwnlder and the two sisters
travelled direct from korosko to Cairo,
and the priest had said that the .numer-
Gus widows OF the Mahdi arc complain
Ing that the Ksalifa Abdullah does not
provide Thorn with maintenance belit-
ting their station. Discussions are
Weakening the power OF Mahdism, and
the people generally, Father Ohrwaldcr
said, would welcome any change bring
ing them relief from its tyranny.