The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-07
now GORDON DIED.
An Inspiring story which Tells OF
"a brilliant Fight to the End.

brilliant right 10 the Ehd'
From the New York Evening Post.
The killing Of Gen. Gordon at Khartum,
in January, 1855, closed drama for the
finale of which the English-speahng world
had waited breathlessly. His death was
not known in England til long after il
really occurred; but il brought an uneX-
ampled shock and sorrow TO her highest
minds How il struck home to Steyenson's
heart we have only lately read in his let
tors; and an endless anthology of grief
stricken aud indignant utterances could be
culled from other writer's. The political of-
feet OF Gordon's tragic taking off was also
considerable. But exactly how he met his
fate is a matter of inference. All Of his
English companions whom he could send
away in advance, he urged to escape the
doom which he saw impending; and no
English-speaking eyewitness survived 10
tell the tale.
THIS fact lends extraordinary interest to
the account of the matter contained in
Charles Neufeld's "A Prisoner Of the Kha-
leefa," just published in this country by
the Putnams. A captive at Omdurman for
nearly twelve years knowing Arabic well,
and in contact with many native suryiy-
ors of the siege Of Khartum in 1885, he
processes to have entirely new and per
fectly authentic evidence as TO the way in
which Gordon met his death. His story
is in fiat contradiction of the accepted ac-
count. That, as built up on the narratives
of Slatn Pasha, Father Ohrwalder and
others represents Gordon as coming out
to the top of the palace staircase when
The dervshes broke in; placidly asking
them what they wanted; then suddenly
felled by a spear-thrust from behind, drag
ged down the steps and decapitated. BN
now hear what Neufeld says:
"rhose who knew Charles George Cor
don will believe me when / aver that he
died-as they must all have believed than
he died, in spite of the official and semi
official accounts to the contrary-as the
soldier and ion-heaTted man he was Cor
don did moi rest his hand ON the hilt Of
his sword and turn his back to his enc
mes To receive his mortal wound Gordon
drew his sword and used il. When Cor
don fell his sword was dripping with the
blood OF his 0ssaiiauts. for no less than l6
or II did he cut down with il. When Cor
don fell, his left hand was blackened with
the unburned powder from his at least
thrice-empued revolver. When Gordon
fell, his lies blood was pouring from
spear and plstol-shot wound in his right
breast When Gordon fell, his boots were
slippery with the blood OF The crowd Of
dervishes he shot and hacked his way
through, in his heroic attempt to cut his
way out and place himself at the head
of his troops. Gordon died as only Gordon
GGANN AlN. i-SA the WOIAl ht lnlslnIOfIleu
end deceived about Sudan affairs with the
tales of sctcaled guides and spies, but let
il be told The truth of Gordons DEATH
Each day at dawn, when he retired to
rest, he ho ed his door from the inside,
and PLACED his faithful body-servant--K ha-
leel Agha Orphali-on guard outside IT,
on The fatal night Gordon had as usual
kept his vigii On the roof of the palace,
sending and receiving telegraphie mes
sages from The lines every few minutes
and as dawn crept into the skies. think
ing that the long-thTeatened attack was
not yet TO be delivered, he lay down, wear
led out The little firing heard a few m NJ
utes later attracted no more attention than
the usual firing which had been going on
continuously night and day for months;
but when The palace guards We're heard
firing 1t was known thar some thing Sc
rious was happening. BY he time Gordon
had slipped into his cd ser e or dark tive d
suit, ard taken his sword and revolver, the
advancing derishes were already sur
rounding the paAce, Overcoming the
guards, a rush was made up the stairs
and Gordon was met leaving his room. A
small spear was thrown, which wounded
him. bur very slightly, on the left Shout
der Almost before the dervshes knew
what was happening, three Of them lay
dead, and one wounded al Gordons feet
the remainder fed Quickly relca ding his
revolver. Gordon made for the head OF the
stairs, ana aga'n drove the rSassemblng
dervishes off. Dartug back to reload he
received a stab in his left shoulder-bsade
from a dervish concealed behind the cor
ridor door, and on reaching the Steps The
third time, he received a plstol-shot and
spear-wound in his right breast and then
great soldier q he was, he rose almost
atove himself. With his LIES God pouring
from his breast--rot his back, remember
he fought his way step by step, kicking
from his pa h the wounded and dead der
vishes-for Orphah, too had not been idle
and was passing through the doorway |
leading into the courtyard, when another |
concealed deryish almost severed his right |