THE MASSACRE IN ALEXANDRIA

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1181, 21 October 1882, Page 2

THE MASSACRE IN ALEXANDRIA

A Greek gentleman who has escaped from Alexandria writes to the Tinies, under date Athens, June 22 :— “ Although I have carefully read the daily issue of the Times up to that of Friday, June 16th, 1 have seen no mention made of by far the most serious and cold-blooded feature of the roit in Alexandria on Sunday, June 11th. I pass ovex* the street fighting, and the fact that the ‘ mustaiezxn,’ at first passive though sympathetic spectators of the riot, ultimately joined in and killed many Europeans, and come at once to the essential point of my letter. During the riot two soldiers were killed, and their bodies having been taken to the guard-house or ‘ caracole ’ in the principal street leading from the harbour to the square of Mehemet Ali; this so infuriated the soldiery there that a systematic butchery was commenced of all Europeans whose misfortune led them that way, peaceable citizens, many of whom bad gone down to the harbour to see the ironclads, and others were out fishing. Several Arabs were employed by the soldiers to give warning of the approach of any carriage containing Europeans. On its arrival at the caracole it was stopped by an officer, the occupant made to descend on the px-ctence of searching him for arms, and he was run through with bayonets from behino' by the soldiers. The pockets were emptied of the money they contained, and this was quarrelled for by the soldiers. Tho body was then thrown into a place close by, the water-carriers washed up the blood, sand was thrown over the place, and the soldiers waited for fresh victims. Many people ran to this caracole fox* protection from the mob, and were without exception killed there by the soldiers. Also at tho time there was a certain number of prisoners in the caracole, Rayahs or Turkish subjects, confined for various small offences ; these were all brought out and murdered. Although the soldiers from Ras-el-Teon did not appear to quell the riot in the streets until five hours after it had commenced, this butchery at the caracole continued until long afterwards, namely, until after 11 p.m. The bodies during the night were packed into six ambulance waggons, and taken and thrown into the sea. I Lest you should think I have been led into I exaggeration, I beg to inform you most posi- ! tively that these are facts which I can prove ( by the testimony of three independent eye- < witnesses, who were in hiding in the houses near the caracole, and saw everything, only escaping the next morning. One of them counted 132 Europeans killed before his eyes. Further proof, too, is afforded by the number of bodies which are being daily washed up from tho sea, all showing bayonet wounds. It watu the knowledge of these facta that caused, X ourselves, to leave Alexandria, as we saw that those we hud to fear most wore the nominal guardians of order. It is possible that all this may be well known in official circles, and is purposely kept back. It, however, remains with you, sir, to decide whether or not to publish my letter in the “ Times.” I could give you many more details, but knowing the value of your space, abstain from doing so. Mr R. T. Bourne, barrister, of Rathfarnham, Dublin, has received a letter from his sister, relative to the murder of her husband Dr H. P. Ripton, iu the recent massacre at Alexandria. The bereaved widow writes : —“ They have murdered my husbvnd, and I am alone in the world, the only friends we had being killed with him. 1 know not what to do. All are flying ; but where are we to fly to ? My poor child saw her Ai - ling father killed, and was only saved herself by the mighty arm of God, being carried into a harem, where they kept her till lute at night, then brought her home to me In disguise. May God remember them in the last day. Oh, what my poor child has gone through, and the blows tne brutes gave her I Ido not know how she is alive, only learned yesterday that my darling was dead. I hoped against hope that he might have been taken to some hospital, and so he was, but thrown naked on tne ground, and so mutilated that no one could know him.”