Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1899-01-31
THE kHALFA 5 Prisoner.
Story of Carl Neufeld Who
Was Held a Captive For
Thirteen Years.
STARTED OUT AS A SPY
Vas Captured, Came Near Being Elk
ecuted and Suffered Fearful Tor
lures and priyations.

sf-ent a Whole Year in the BLACK Hole al
the Prison-Was FeartuIly FIogged AT
Tinles-Einalls discovered saltpetrs for
the sIannfacturs of Gun Powder-Sov
Free Man.
One Of the first things General Kit
etener did on entering Omdurman was
to iGok for Carl Neufeld This now
famous man was at the time, and had
been for thirteen years. a prisoner l
the khaiifa's capital. He was soon
found and released, and among the
first to congratulate him was his old
friend Slatin PaSna, himself formerly
4 prisoner of the Iaahdi and the N-ri-
ter after his escape, OF that absorbing
work, Fire and Sword in the ooudan.
Herr Neufeld was a merchant re-
siding at Assuan. From a fugitive
from the Soudan 10 got the news that
In Northern Kord ofan there was a
large quantity of gum which the mer-
chants had been unable to dispose Of
in consequence OF the rebellion II
be could get il to the Wady Halfa
there was money in it; so he resolved
to try his luck, and got permission
from the British Government to set
off with a carayao that was TO Join
Sheikh Saleh. In return he proposed
70 spy out the land and give a de-
tailed account of the situation to Gen.
cal Stephenson. Unfortunately the
famous Nejumi was on the lookout for
him. A fight ensued. Saleh's people
got the worst of it, and those of them
that were not killed in battle were
beheaded, with the single exception vi
Herr Neufeld who was conveyed to
Omdurman, and brought before the
| Xhalifa.
News spread like wildflre that an
English pasha had been captured. and
this caused great stir in the capital.
The Khalifa considered him most
important capture, and Neufeld was
1shered into the p essence of the three
Khalifas and two Europeans who were
entrusted with the examination of his
papers. Neufeld spoke Arabic, and
was quite fearless. His papers Shove
that he was a Prussian, and had stud
led in Leipzig University.
All the documents were translated to
The khalifa' as it was most important
to assure him That Neufeld was not
an Euglishman, as otherwise 1T would
have gone very hardly with him
There was one letter, however, in Eng.
fish. which. if it had been truthfully
translated would have probably got
aim into great danger. After Neufeld's
preliminary examination the Khalifa's
mind seemed to have been put at rest.
o.. 1, t. r. o-5,
.ong speech regarding this 'gr.at Eng.
ish pasha," who, he said had come to
the Soudan with arms and ammu-
milton intending to seize kordofaD
and fight against Mahdism, but for
cunateIy the brave troops of Wad 81
Nejumi ha6 met him near Dongola,
killed his soldiers and captured him.
Poor Neufeld was therefore thrown
into chains and carefully guarded by
soldiers.
1t was decided that Neufeld was to
be hanged next morning. Very early
The Khalifa sent orders tat the great
lrum was to be beaten while the blast
# the huge ombeya (truml-tl sounded
close to Neufeld's ears. The slaves
made game CT him as if he were
monkey. but he kept up his courage
and answered all insults with a manly
spirit The rope bad been fixed ON
the scaffold and crowds of people col
lected to see the "Englishman" exc
cuted Neufeld was taken to the mar
ket place. escorted BY hnrsemen. The
crowd raised a YER of delight when
be appeared, but Neufeld walked fear
Iessly on and on reaIhing the gallows
he Jumped onto the lngarib fbedsoead)
and bent his head so that the rope
might be adjusted. Just at that mo-
ment the Judge stepped forward and
said that the Khal.fa had been gra-
II execution, and Neufeld was therefor
again removed to the prison.
The depth Of misery to which he was
reduced may be understood when 1t
IS known that he scent a whole year
n the stone hut (.'tae black hoie'') Of
the prison. and it sas not till he had
completed 4wo yea g in prison that
through the intermediary of a friend
lie was allowed to build a little cell
FOR himself in one of the corners Of
he yard
When powder became scarce in On
Iurman. some one Suggested at on, of
he Khalifa's councils that it would be
much better to make the unbelievers.
work for religion lnstead OF remaining
Ill day idle in prison, and that Neu-
,eId ought TO under take the ssitpetre
refinery
The Khalifa sale: do what You
.hfnk is right, | am contentr
Neufeld was sent to HaIfaieh 70
search Of saltpetre- He found some
and went to work IN the old Mission
Hcuse at Khartoum. receiving a small
sum as wages. "fIe still wears one
chain on the feet" says Ohrwalder,
which, from constant rubbing. has
become as bright az silver and there
ire great black marks around his
ankles
The chain = ks<cked Of now, and
Neufeld is. after thirteen years Of ex
lie and slavery, once more a free man.