The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-19
THE LAW OF KING MENELIK.
An English Corresp Ondent Fined by
Ras MnkOnnen

Harrar Cor. of the London Mail.
paid 10 pounds to-day for the privilege
of assisting at the trial by jury of a Eu-
ropean in an Abyssinan court l was the
European, l may mention. Some days
before while enjoying such sports as was
afforded within a two-mile radius of the
town. had the ill-luek to put pellet in
the eye Of one of my servants, who was
hidden in the Jungle 1 doctored him sue
| cessfully, but the eye was gone. However,
he made no complaint.
This morning he was absent unaccounta-
bly,. At an Abyssnan appeared at my
door, and invited me to proceed before the
Ras forthwith. Some half-dozen other
messengers followed during the ensuing
half-hour to hurry me up, though none in
dicated In any way the reason for the
summons. Escorted by them 1 climbed the
hill on which stands the palace" of the
Ras, and to my surprise found that all
the other Europeans In the place were
either already there or on their way
called summarily from their breakfasts
and business without any explanation be-
ing vouchsafed. When the forty odd
Greeks and Frenchmen and ArmeTeans
had duly obeyed, the Ras and half a dozen
officials took their seats-the former re-
Ginning on divan, the others squatting on
the ground. Then my servant appeared,
| and it dawned on me suddenly that 1 was
destined to appear in the next "Harrar
Herald" Of there had been one) as "a
young newspaper man, described on the
charge sheet a swell educated and of Eng
lish nationality, charged with feloniously
wounding one Gabriel" etc.-perhaps with
the quite original addition that l appeared
to feel my position acutely
There was no foolish Formally about the
procedure. Gabriel came forward and
told in twenty words how 1 had blinded
his left eye, accidentally-in proof of
which he walked round and showed the
eye-and then l was invited TO state my
case. 1 admitted the binding, but plead
ed accident, urging, moreover, that had
promised adequate compensation and con,
tinued to support the unfortunate lad.
Such things would happen when out hunt
ing, l confidently argued-the Ras him.
self had lost over a hundred men while
engaged in destroying a dozen elephants
thought that unanswerable.
But then the storm burst. Half a dozen
Abyyinians Greeks, interpreters, all rose
to eXpound their views, which were yart-
GUS One of the many matches" or Of
| ficials, denounced me for having gone out
side the town, unaecompanied by a SOL
der The chief of police complained that
had stated in conversation that should
| decline to recognize him If he summoned
me. A third accused. me of having taken
| photographs without leave. Then Ras ha-
rangued me. He reeapitulated many of
the arguments against me, and ended by
calling on the cadi to expound the law
1t was laid down, the cadi said, that for
any member permanently injured 125 dolls.
must DC paid 10 the owner thereof, and
as much more TO the king; falling pay
ment he who caused the injury must SUI
fer the same in turn.
You hear" said Ras Makkonnen; you
1 IaF-
| henceforth no European may go outside
Harrar without my leave or without a
soldier"
begged to point out that the tall Greek
storekeeper sitting there i'm the corner,
who was Intentionally shot by an Abyssin-
ian soldier a year ago, and all but killed.
had been offered 100 dolls. as amends, at
which rate 125 dolls. for an accidental
binding seemed dear The observation
evoked another tumult The Greeks rose
and poured out his vial OF wrath against
the Abyssinians for a quarter Of an hour;
the native officials shouted their counter
arguments, the Ras said that Il served
and Ahyssinian there was an attempt at
interpretation to the less-lettered Euro
peans MY little affair seemed quite for
gotten. At length silence was restored.
"Are you going 10 accept my judy
ment7' the Ras demanded. shortly. I
I
pending the interference OF my govern
ment. Gabriers good eye glittered with
| 10y,
The court rose. The excited Europeans
departed. discussing their few rights and
many wrongs under the half-savage Abys-
sihlan regime. for In the uproar these had
been ventilated TO n quite unaccustomed
| degree felt like n sort OF Hampden for
the moment. an thought OF the n5 was
the poorer. Hardly had / reached my
house when n couple OF soldiers came TO
demand my guns. which had already.
days before. been seized by the customs.
| Five minutes later two other soldiers fol-
| lowed with counter order. And during
the afternoon a con1dant OF the Ras CALI
cd to say that Makonnen, my Judge, had
paid my fnel
Was ever such a travesty OF justice
heard OF? You who read may feel a little
| Britannia, on learning that IL was my ma
uonallty that saved me from much worse
II