Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-08-06

as a huge joke. The idea of a single
individual declaring war against
great, powerful nation representing
nearly 3OO,OOO,OOO of subjects ought to
be funny. But Paris took the news
seriously So did England. They both
knew the marquis.
The marquis was on his way to the
Khalifa's camp, near Dongola, when
he was killed. 1t was his intention to
Join in the war of the Mahdists against
England. The English invading
forces are now we'll on their way to
Dongola, and by September or October
they hope to retake Khartoum. For
many months past de Mores lived in
the great desert. He hated English
men with the ferocity of monomaniac.
For many years he wrote pamphlets
denouncing the English, and asserting
that the root of all evil in the world
was due to the English. He hoped to
see the day when the last Englishman
was wiped off the face of the globe, and
versal peace and prosperity.
When the English first began to
think about invading the Soudan and
long before the public got wind of the
news de Mores journeyed post-haste to
Northern Africa. He had many
friends among the native leaders in
Algiers and TUnis and they saw to it
that he was taken safely from one en-
campment of Arabs to another Every
where he preached the doctrine of a
holy war against the English, urging
the natives to revolt and drive the in
vaderS out of Africa. Talk of this
kind was like pouring Oil on burning
finder. In his last letters to his Paris
friends de Mores wrote encouragingly
of his great undertaking. He expect
ed to gather about him a large number
of small chiefs and their tribesD9n and
with his miscellaneous army join the
forces of Osman Digna at Dongola or
Wady Halfa. There he expected to
give battle to the Anglo-Egyptian army
upon it's arrival.
That de Mores could work great injury
to the English cause in the coming
conflict in the Soudan can be easily I'M
derstood. He was a great favorite
with the Arab chiefs because Of his
dauntless courage, his rowing spirit
and fierce hatred of the English. AS
fighter he was unrivaled. He believed
in literal predestination and his count
less narrow escapes from death, when
the chances were 100 to 1 against him,
made him careless of his life.
He proved this trait dozen years
ago in this country and there are many
bad men" in the west today who can
tell thrilling tales about the marquis +
There are some others, too, but they
are under ground. His friends !
here are numbered by the hundred.
They know that the marquis in the old .
days was crafty as well as brave, and !
it is this which makes them believe
that the de Mores will yet turn up alive.
They say it would be just like him to
have the rumor of his death circulated
and send trusted servant to Tunis to
confirm it. Then he could carry on
some secret project with less
hindrance
The marquis was thirty-seven years
Did. His full name was Antonio Maria
lie Vallambrosa. His father is the Due
lie Vallambrosa, a native Of the island
Of Sardinia, and son of Spanish I
parents. In 1882, when the MARQUIS
was twentythree, he met in Paris Miss
Medora Won Hoffman, the beautiful
daughter of Louis Won Hoffman. a New
York banker, and power in Wall
street. Miss Won Hoffman was doing"
Europe at the time, and after a short
eng cement the marriage took place
abroad. They journeyed to this coun-
Try, and the marquis and his bride