The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-13
Ion PerdICaris Writes Of His
Recent Experience
CAPTIvES ARE IN NO DANGER
conspirators in Morocco Are Spread
Ing Plot to Depose the Sultan.
Is Headed by Educat-
ed Glasses.

London. June 1S.-The Daily Mail this
morning publishes letter written to A.
J. Dawson, the novelist and travellers by
Ion Perdicaris. the American citizen who
was captured by Raisui. the Moroccan
bandit 1t is dated at Tssaradon, June 4,
and says:
Nothing more startling and unexpect-
ed than the circumstances of our cap
ture could be imagined. A quiet, domes-
tic dinner without guests, the windows
open the table mass of flowers, then
suddenly like an avalanche, the yelling
onset of Raisulis men-it was a classic
scene of rapine and confusion. Nor could
1t be easy to conceive a picture more
wild and gloomy than our forced journey,
In fact the lbretto was perfect.
1T is easy now to write In this strain
when we are assured that negotiations
for our release are concluding, but during
that terrible twenty-four hours ride over
rocks and boulders and through dense
thickets, where our captors had at times
literally to cut their way in order to
avoid the villages on the beaten track
well, we had no such consolation then
none of amy sort, indeed"
After describing the dread which he
long had had of being kidnapped on ac-
count of his family, Mr.. Perdicaris says:
Fears Not Well Founded.
"You may conceive my feelings whilst
thus being dragged along by ruffians who
began their amable attentions by club
birg us with rifles and threatening us
with their murderous looking curved dag
gers. | was astonished to learn that our
fears were not really well founded We
have learned that Raisulis chief object Is
to secure the reles sc of members Of his
own kabyle, unjustly, or at least treach-
erously entrapped and imprisoned by the
basha of Tangier former friend and
foster brother Of Raisul who had trusted
this man and had been betrayed. What
ever i'll he may have done, the fact re-
mains that he was betrayed.
THE ransom demanded Is not so much
the price of our release, as the demand
for the recouping of the losses inflicted by
order of the said basha from whom
Raisuli claims payment
another startling surprise is to find in
Raisuli himself the most interesting and
kindly hearted native gentleman 1t has
been my good fortune to have known. IT
Is impossible not to like the man, con-
scious as / am OF the injury all at TAN
gier suffered at his hands"
After dealing with some private mat
ters and referring to the courage OF ms
wife and the mental anguish she has
endured Mr.. Perdicaris expresses the
hope that some good will come from the
trouble at Tangier and its people. He
then proceeds:
Are Comfortably Situated.
Meantime, you must not worry about
us | am writing this at the mouth OF
handsome tent placed at our disposal by
Moulai Ali, the Wazzani Shereef. the
brightest episode of our detention here
was our first sight of him and OF his
brothers. Moulai Ashmets' caravan, ac-
companed by an armed escort. Signal
guns fired by three kabyles leagued In
defense of their rights under Raisulis
leadership, announced the arrival of this
welcome relief expedition which we saw
later on winding along the hillside,
''Moulai Ali himself has remained with
us ever since. Indeed, he and Ralsuli
dined with us every evening In the tent.
The climate is admirable and better
site for camp would be hard TO find.
Our release will be very soon, but 1t
is at hand so you must not pity us toe
t,auol,