Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1916-01-20
HIS LIFE EXCITING
Man Held in Chains for Twelve Years
by the mahdi and Freed BY Kitch.
ener Has Had Most Roman
tic Career.

COnstantinoplc.- Bronzed like ma
tive son OF the desert and in dress |
speech and manners an Arab. the only |
white man who ever openly visited |
Medina, the holy city Of the NOLAN
meGans recently returned here The
pilgrim was DR.. Karl Neufeld the IA.
nous prisoner Of the Mahdi,' who
was liberated by Lord Kitchener in
the Sudan many Years ago.
Few men have had more romantic
and exciting career than this celebrat.
ed traveller. As physician, teacher.
merchant and contractor he went to
the Sudan in 1856 When the uprising
OF the natives began he was taken
prisoner by the Mahdi and kept in
chains for twelve years Freed by
Kitchener. he returned to Germany,
but after iecturing tour he made
his way back to the Sudan. Shortly
after the outbreak OF the present war
he had to leave his adopted country
again, as he was expelled by the Brit.
ish authorities.
After his return to Germany h. was
sent TO Constantinople. where he
placed himself at the disposal OF the
Turkish government lie was used
as AN emi'sary to 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 OF Islam.
After organizing the Arabian tribes
on the Peninsula OF Sinai for an in.
vasion OF Egypt this strange man
went to Damascus and decided to visit
Medina.
Accompanied by four Arabs he left
| Damascus In June. After his train
passed Maan and FL lila the Turkish
! officers with whom he travelled became
distruStful and they even kept aloot
| from him when they saw him say his
! prayers like every p!ous NoAamme.
| dan. When he reached Medina the
| Ramadan. the great Mohamm" dan ies.
/ tival. had just begun. He placed him
! self under the protection OF prumi
nent native who has charge OF III" pill
! grirns from the Sudan and his host
! conducted him to the Harenl."s. Shcri.
| ia. the temple where MOhamMei is
! buried with his favorIte daughter Fa.
! TINA ard his son.ln.aw.
When he stood before the crypt OF
/ the prophet the German traveller was
! surrounded by all angry mob. Ills pO-
| sition became quite critical Until two
/ Arabiaas made their way thrCGgh the
crowd and declared:
We know him; he is the eftcnii OF
| Cmdurman and Assuau, good man
and true Mohammedan."
Even this did not entirely satisf.
the mob and Doctor Neufeld was only
| permitted to stay in the temple after
he affirmed his faith with solemn
oath. For two or three weeks h. was
continually watched BY natives who
were not convinced by his religious
professions and by Egyptian spies in
the service OF England.
The latter tried in every way to in
fame the natives against him by call
ing him an lntield and Christian dog"
At a meeting Of the scribes and sheiks
he was asked where he came from
and there was great excitement when
he calmly said: From Germany
The priests and chiefs were salts.
fed, however, when he related how he
was converted to Mohammedanism by
a piOus sheik in the Sudan.
Doctor Neufeld remained in Medina
nearly two months in continual inter
course with the sheiks, ulemas and
prominent pilgrims from Tripolitania.
Tunis, Morocco. Persia, Afghanistan
and India. He obtained much valuable
information. From the pilgrims he
learned that the Jehad thOly war,
movement is fast becoming general
in al MOhammedan countries He
found that the Arabs are especially
bitter against the British, b, ,ause the
English government has closed the
Red sea and stopped the great an
nual pilgrimages from Egypt and
India to Mecca and Medina. Still more
bitter 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 al
Constantinople.
by their attempt to establish az
Egyptian caliphate the British have
made one of their greatest mistakes. =
Doctor Neufeld said on his return tc
Constantinople. The Arabs will never
forgive them this interference with
their religious affairs. and the block
ade of the Red sea.