, 1896-04-25
ABYss1N1AN ATROCITIES.
Horrors That Marked the Defeat Of the
Italians at Abba Carima.

His legs and arms were cut on, and
then in mockery the legs were bound to
the stumps of the arms. while the arms
were tied to the stumps Of the legs, be-
sides which his nose and ears were
sliced off and he vas subjected to other
frightful mutilations." This is the de-
scription which the we'll known states
man and member Of the chamber Of
deputies, Sacconi, has just given me,
with tears streaming down his cheeks,
of the fate of his youngest brother, who
was n of the officers of the Italian
army in Abyssinia, who took part in
the battle Of Adoua or Abba Carima.
which resulted in such an overwhelm-
ing defeat of King Humbert's troops.
Signor Sacconi added that his broth
er, thus literally carved to pieces. had
lain by the roadside dying, entreating
the fugitives to blow out his brains in
order t put an end to his terrible suf-
fering. They were toe much p%reoccu-
pied about their own safety to pay any
heed to his appeals, until at length one
Of his fellow officers, who had been his
schoolmate as a boy, took pity on him,
applied the muzzle of his revolver to a
spot just behind where poor Captain
S~acconi's ear had been, and fired.
One hears stories of this kind on
every side, especially among the patri-
clan and the well-to-do classes. This
is attributable to the fact that in the
route Of Abba Carima the Abyssinians
devoted their attention almost entirely
to the officers and to the trumpeters
and buglers. whom they evidently took
suers appear to have passed by the
mere %privates, who were endeavoring
to escape, and to have permitted them
to get away unframed, merely with the
object Of securing the officers. for whom
every species Of %frightful torture that
can be imagined was reserved. Thus
Prince Chiri, who is a brother-in-law
of Prince Hohenlohe, the chancellor of
German empire, and who is himself the
grand marshal Of the papal conclave
and of the holy Roman church. has just
received news from Abyssinia that his
eldest son, the gallant young prince Of
Farnese, was cast, after being cut to
pieces much in the same manner as
Captain Sacconi, ito a blazing fire and
burned to death. suffering. as far as can
be Judged by the condition Of his half
charred remains. some ten minutes, or
even longer. before the flames reached
his vitals. And an Identical fate was
reserved for a young lieutenant of the
name of De Vito. who was a popular
member of the Roman hunt, as we'll as
of the leading clubs here, and as much
known to many of the American resi-
dents in the Eternal City. In fact. one
hears nothing but stories Of this char
acter on every side. 1t is fortunate
that all these horrors have only be-
come known gradually and by degrees.
For, had the full extent been made pub
lie from the first. it is probable that the
wave of popular indignation which
swept Crispi out Of ONCE would like
wise have shattered the foundations Of
the throne.
Many of the officers. following the
example of United States cavalrymen.
when engaged in warfare with the In
dams, blew out their brains when
about to fall in the hands Of the enemy,
with the view Of escaping the tortures
which these Christian Abyssinians re-
serve for their prisoners. Thus General
Arimondi shot himself when he realiz-
ed that further resistance was useless
certainly a more noble fate than that
of General ELENA, who managed to eff
feet an escape with nothing more than
a shot wound In the lower portion OF
his back, the sole portion Of his anat-
omy which he appears to have present
ed to the enemy. The commanding
general, Baratieri. a man whose nerves
are completely shattered by bibulous
excuses, was In such a condition OF
mental disorder and moral prostration
during the battle that he was incapa.
BILE of giving a single order, did moth
ing but weep and g%esticulate, and &C
tually forgot to don either his SWORD
or his revolver. It was only when II
the middle Of the day the rout had be-
gun that he perceived that he was un'
armed. So he compelled one Of his or
,derlies to surrender to him his arms
and, as soon as he had strapped thu
sword belt around his waist and slunl
the revolver around his neck, he plung
cd the spurs into his horses TANKS ant
galloped OF to Massowah, where he ar
rived, together with General Elena
several hours in advance Of his fugi
tive troops.
General Baratieri, indeed, has acte'
throughout the entire campaign as
perfect lunatic, and, having been treat
cd twice in Italy for alcoholic mania
would never have been nominated t.
any responsible command had 1t no
been that he was an intimate friend o
sx-prime Ninister Crispi and q favore'
guest at his house. The result Of ap
pointing such . IA was apparent LON
befors the anal disaster, In the ITALIA
Army In Abyssinia. Tho trops we
llesraIly without AeaA, the general be
~ aispk most II ~ time. while th
kkS.[.A ~~pvANn ~aa - thorough