South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-27
PRISONER Of THE
MAHDI'' RETURNS
Or. Carl NeufeId Has Exciting
Adventures on Visit
TO Medina.

CONSTANTINOPLE. Dec. 81
Bronzed like a native son OF the des-
sert and in dress. speech and man
ners an Arab the only white man
who ever openly visited Medina, the
Holy City Of the Mohammedans, re-
Gently returned here. The pilgrim
was DR.. Carl Neufeld. the famous
"prisoner Of the Mahdi," who was
liberated by Lord Kitchener in the
Soudaa many years ago.
Few men have had a more rO-
mantle and exciting career than this
celebrated traveller. AS a physician,
teacher. merchant and contractor he
went TO the Souden in 1886. When
the uprising of the natives began he
was taken prisoner by the Mahdi
and kept in chains for y years.
Freed by Kitchener, he returned 10
Germany. but after a leCturing tour
ne made his way back TO the Sou
dan. Shortly after the outbreak Of
the present war ne had TO leave his
adopted country again. as he was eX-
PEELED by the British authorities.
After his return 10 Germany he
was sent 20 Constantinople where he
placed himself at the disposal OF the
Turkish government He was used
as an emissary 10 the Arabian tribes
and for this work probably no man
is better qualified AS he speaks the
dialects Of all the Bedouin tribes.
knows their customs and has en-
braced the Mohammedan faith. he
wins confidence wherever he appears
in the world GA ISLAM.
After organizing the Arabian
tribes OF the peninsula OF Sinai for
an invasion OF Egypt this strange
man went TO Damascus and decided
10 visit Medina He knew very well
that he would not leave this city
alive IL the natives and the thou
sands Of pilgrims who are constant
Is there should doubt his Moham-
mechanism.
Turks DistrustfuI.
Accompanied by four Arabs he
left Damascus in June. After his
train passed Maan and FL Ulla the
Turkish officers with whom he trav-
eled became distrustful and they
even kept aioof from him when they
saw him say his prayers like every
pious MOhammedan. When he
reac "a the Medina. the Ramazan.
the n Mohammedan festival, had
just begun. He placed himself I'M
de- the protection of a prominent
-, ~ ,,.bc bae cborga 90 tho nil -
grims from the Soudan and his host
conducted him TO the Harem-es-
Sherifa, the temple where MOham-
med is buried with his favOrite
daughter Fatma and his son-in-law.
When he stood before the crypt
OF the prophet the German traveller
vas surrounded by an angry mob.
His position became quite critical
until two Arabians made their way
through the crowd and declared:
1--WE know him; he is the Effendi
OF Omdurman and Assuan. a good
man and true Mohammedan."
Even this did not entirely satisfy
the mob and DR.. Neufeld was only
permitted 10 stay in the temple after
ne had affirmed his faith with
solemn oath. For two or three
weeks he was continually watched
by natives who were not convinced
by his religious professions and by
Egyptian spies in the service Of Eng
land.
The latter tried in every way 10 in
flame the natives against him by
calling him an infdel and Christian
dog" At a meeting of the scribes
and sheiks he was asked where he
cine from and there was great eX-
element when he calmly said:
From Germany"
The priests and chiefs were salts
fed. however. when he related how
he was converted 10 MOhammedan-
ism by pious sheik in the Soudan.
Remains Nearly Two Months.
DR.. Neufeld remain in Medina
nearly two months in continual in
tercourse with the sheiks, ulemas
and prominent pilgrims from Trip
olitania, Tunis. Morocco. Persia At
ghanistan and India. He obtained
much valuable information. From
the pilgrims he learned that the
Jehad (Holy War; movement is
tasty becoming general in all Mo-
hammedan countries. He found
that the Arabs are especially bitter
against the British. because the Eng
lish government has closed the Red
sea and stopped the great annual
pilgrimages from Egypt and India 20
Mecca and Medina Still more were
the Mohammedans over the fact
that the English have proclaimed
the new ruler OF Egypt appointed
by them sultan OF the two Holy
Places" because all OF the faithful
insist that this title only belongs TO
the Caliph at Constantinople.
'By their attempt 10 establish an
Egyptian CaIiphate the British have
made one OF their greatest mis-
takes" DR. Neufeld said on his re-
turn 20 Constantinople. The Arabs
viii never forgive them this inter-
ference with their religious affairs
and the blockade OF the Red sea.
The English have stopped all i'm
ports. but there is no famine in
Arabia. because the Turkish govern