The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-02-09
CUTS THEIR HEADS OFF.
That Is the Way the Sultan of MOrOc-
CO Treats Tax Dodgers and De-
linquents.

The sultan of Morocco is gong TO
prevent his subjects from eraIing the
payment of their taxes, even if in do
ing it he has to behead every tax dodger
ia the country
In his maiesty's domain taX-dodging
BY the rich is well-nigh universal, and
weIl-informed students and travellers,
knowing how corrupt and rapacious
the sultan's government is. 90 not
doubt that much of il is justitiab ble. But
the sultan looks al the matter in diff
terent light. He declares that there is
no excuse for taN-dodging, that it is
criminal, and. moreover, that he has
hit upon punishment to fit the crime.
Frank Z. Jackson. a globe trotter
of 80 years experience. has recently
made a tour of North Africa, includ-
ing the accessible parts of Morocco and
in personal letter to Frank L. Ding
ley of Lewiston, Me-, a brother on the
well-knOwn congressman of that name,
he gives a graphic account of the sIl
tan's bloody and desperate method of
procedure.
When in Tangier Mr.. Jackson
learned that the sultan. at the head of
q large body of troops. was marching
through the country collecting taxes,
and that at Laroiche he had decapi
tated a large number of taX-dodgers
and spiked their heads above the city
gates to serve as a warning to others
who might not be disposed to pay their
dues promptly.
"A company of five was formed
writes Mr.. Jackson, to visit Laroiche
and see if this CHASTITY report was true.
,le party consisted of an Englishman,
who spoke Arabic. German and three
Americans.
I'VE boarded a small steamboat at
Tangier and sailed down the coast to
Cosa Blanco. There we engaged mules,
donned Arab costumes "a very prudent
thing to do). and early in the morning
started to Laroiche, about 25 miles in
land. 1t was a beautiful country
through which we passed, fertile and
well cultivated. the monotony of the
desert relieved by the fig and Give trees
and the stately and ever-present palm.
But it is country centuries behind
modern civilization. Women are still
sold into virtual slavery, and not in
frequently to take the places of beasts
of burden. More than once along
the way we saw farmer working his
land, his wife and a mule yoked to-
gether drawing the plow.
1--WE reached Laroiche about noon. 1t
is impossible to describe the sickening
sight which met our gaze as we rode
up to the main entrance to the city
| There above us, in a ghastly row. were
Is human heads shriveling in the broil-
| ing sun. We rode around to the other
| gates only to find the same grewsome
! displav. In ali we counted IS heads
| spiked to the broad arches over the
CITY gates Our curiosity was fully sat
| sfed, and all of us regretted that we
| had travelled so far to learn hat there
| was at the close of the nineteenth cen
tury so barbarous a country on the face
| OF the earth as Morocco.
"And not all OF the heads were those
| of tax dodgers; some were of old mer
| and women who had never possessed
! ANYTHING worth taxing. 1t seems the
sultan had vented his spite on them
after learning that number of wealthy
residents Of the city had been warned
IF his coming and had feGto the noun
lains, taking their cash and other port
ahle valuables with them.
"Tbese murderous raids are made
once year by the sultan and 1t is said
that be has nearly depOpulated some
of the districts through which he
passes. Upon trustworthy authorit.
we learned that what we saw at La
roiche may be seen in the wake of th'
sultan at every city along his route
If more bloody caputs are gathered il
one place than can be convenient,
disposed of there these are carried OIL
10 decorate the gateways of the mex
city y."-Boston Herald.