Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-01-21
CUTS OFF THEIR HEADS.
This Is Eow the Sultan Of Morocco
Treats Tax Dodgers.

This Is liOW the SGItAn OF MOROCCO
Treats Tax Dodgers.
The sultan of Morocco is going to
prevent his subjects from evading the
payment of their taxes, even if in do
ing it he has to behead every tax dodger
in the country
In his majesty 5 domain tax lodging
by the rich is well nigh universal and
well informed students and travellers,
knowing how corrupt and rapacious the
sultans government is, do not doubt
that mnch of it is justifiable. But the
sultan looks at the matter in different
light He declares that there is no ex-
cuse for tar lodging. that it is criminal
and. moreover. that he has hit upon q
punishment to fit the crime.
Frank E. Jackson. a globe trotter of
30 years experience. has recently made
q tour of north Africa. including the
accessible parts of Morocco. and in a
personal letter to Frank L. Dingley of
Lewiston. Me-. brother Of the well
known representative of that name. he
gives graphic account of the sultan s
bloody and desperate method Of proceed
ure
While in Tangier, Mr.. jackson learn
ed 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 decapitated
a large number of tax dodgers and spiked
their heads above the city gates, to
serve as 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
The party consisted of an Englishman,
who spoke Arabic; q German and three
Americans.
eve boarded small steamboat at
Tangier and sailed down the coast to
Cosa Blanca There we engaged mules,
donned Arab costumes "a very prudent
thing to do) and early in the morning
started to Laroiche, about 20 miles in
land. 1t was beautiful country through
which we passed, fertile and well cult
waited, the monotony of the desert re-
lieved by the fig and olive 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 infrequently to
take the places of beasts of burden
More than once along the way we saw
farmer working his land, his wife and
mule yoked together drawing the
plow.
1--WE reached Laroiche about noon.
It is impossible to describe the sicken-
ing sight which met our gaze as we
rode up to the main entrance to the
city There above US in Il CHASTITY row
were 10 human heads shriveling in the
broiling sun. We rode around to the
other gates, only to find the same grew
some display In all we counted 40
heads spiked to the board arches over
the city gates. Our curiosity was fully
satisfied, and all of us regretted that we
had travelled so far to learn that there
was at the close Of the nineteenth cen
tury SO barbarous country ON the face
of the earth as Morocco.
"And not all Of the heads were those
of tax dodgers. Some were of old men
and women who had never possessed
anything worth taxing 1t seems the
sultan had vented his spite on them aft
er learning that number of wealthy
residents of the city had been warned
of his coming and had fled to the noun
tains. taking their cash and other port
able valuablcs with them.
"These murderous raids are made
once year by the sultan. and it is said
that he nearly depopulates some of the
districts through which he passes. Upon
trustworthy authority We learned that
what we saw at Laroiche may be seen
in the wake of the sultan at every city
along his route If more bloody caputs
are gathered in one place than can be
conveniently disposed Of there, these
are carried on to decorate the gateways
of the next city Boston Herald