The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-12-31
Nureddin Aii:s
Burial
wv g
By F. A.

BY F. A. MICHEL
A revolution in Turkey had been ,un-
rnccessful, and a large number Of per-
sons implicated In It were to be exc
cuted. The common method of killing
p~olitical prisoners was Topping of their
heads. but in this cas- the sultan was
40 enraged with the reHobutionists that
he determined to hang them. In, order
to get through with the matter and
have It OF his mind, the commander. Of
the faithful ordered that they all be
disposed of at ono in a public place. in
order to impress the people with the
fact that they had better not try ANY
more revolutions.
Nureddin Ali, a yolag man of great
promise, had been mixed up in the. af-
fair and was one Of those who were to
be hanged. He had only one wife to
mourn his loss-an advantage of mo.
pogamy-but he had recently married
her. and they loved each other very
dearly. The morning upon which his
eXCCuylOA WNo W VAnC IDbUVC N0QC tW0uL
to the prison to bid him goodby. There
was a ~heartrending Ger lat the, end Of
which Nureddin said:
"Fatima. as soon as my body IL, turn
ed over to you. bury it and cease to
grieve for me. Turn rather ito a re-
newed interest In life. You are young
and will doubtless marry again, though
you may not. as in yeur first marriage,
procure q whole man to yourself. Pre-
pare a lot in the cemetery at once and
have q grave dug. that all may be
ready"
This caused a fresh outburst of tears,
amid which the young widow 'toibe left
the prison. But after doing so she act
ed upon her husbands wishes. going
straight to the cemetery to make prepa-
rations for the interment. She had
scarcely gone when several hundred
prisoners were mustered in the, court of
the prison and marched to the public
gardens for execution. An immense
crowd had gathered to witness 1t. and
the soldiers conducting the prisoners
We're obliged to use force to make a
way for them. Once ut the place, OF, ex-
,ecution. they were ORA wa up in four
ranks. some sixty men in each rank,
before the gallows. when the work was
commenced.
Those in the front rank We're first
dispatched, but as from five to ten
minutes were required to hang each
man: a great deal of time was consum.
ed. For that reason the killing began
early in the morning. When the front
frank had been finished Nureddin, who
was in the second rank, in order to
'pr0long his life so far as possible. man
aged to. drop back into the third.
As thepwork went on the people kept
pressing against the soldiers. who
stood behind the rear rank Of prison.
,ers, aad,the latter grew tired OF keep
ing them back. The consequence was
rthat,the. rear part Of the group OF ,pris-
'oners after awhile became disarranged.
Nureddfn. while the second rank was
being strung up, managed to slip back
into the fourth rank. Noticing that
behind 1t was a mingling Of guards
and citizens. It occurred to him that IT
he could get mixed up with the latter
he might possibly slide out and escape.
He wormed himself back and was
about to take position when a guard
cav him and ordered him to get back
into line. He. did so. but kept his eye
open for another opportunity.
More than a hundred men had dan
sted. and a great, deal Of time had been
consumed. livery one was tired except
those IN THE crowd, which was cOn
stantiy changing. The guards. who
were keeping iback'the spectators. were
the most tiped of all. Nureddin. tax
ing advantage of this fact. tried again
to get back. among the citizens and
this time succeeded. Without wait
ing he tursed ibis face to the rear
pushed aside a fat woman and an eager
boy and In q twilfkling was lost among
the sea'6f beings about the gallows.
Meanwhile EattMa had gone to the
cemetery to 1ea4e arrangements for
her husbands iaterment. She had
bought q small let Aasd had ordered q
coffin. which was delivered at the Gem
etery, for the authorities had Informed
her that her husGaka6S bo4y would be
turned over to her there.
Fatima was standiag beside the grave
watching men open It. They had sunk
1t midway. The coffin was resting
beside 1t. Suddenly the poor woman
was astOnished to see her husband COM
kng toward her. Suppostng the appari-
ton was the ghost OF Nureddfn, who
had been executed. and was con1ng to
be laid away. she fell In 4 faint. The
Srasadigsers. muttering Allah. de-
fefd as!- seaped from the grave and
were aSoNt to run away when Nlned-
din called 70 them in the name OF the
Prophet to bary him or they would be
eternally damned. Fatima came back
to consciousness. and Nureddin. taking
her In his arms. told her hurriediy how
no had tAananoN anN shnu0od hop IN eoa