THE PRISONERS AT KHARTOUM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1781, 25 August 1888, Page 2

THE PRISONERS AT KHARTOUM.

Caibo, August 21. It is reported that' Lupton Bey, who was detained as prisoner at Khartoum, is dead. It is stated that he was subjected to severe ill-treat-ment. :* The full account m Petermann'i Mittheilungen of the news recently brought to Cairo Jiy the messengers from Khartoum -contains some interesting particulars concerning the state, of- things at. Khartoum under the Mahdi's sway and the deplorable condition of the, European prisoners. As already stated, the missionaries and Sisters of Charity are com- . pawtively well treated, for they are free and can earn their living by work, They mostly cook beans in oil, which they then sell in the street, near the house of tibe Mahdi. They are not taken much notice of, as they are weak and very, timid. " Lupton Bey has to work in the arsenal like a common workman, and has to do the most menial and hardest work—that ia to say, carry burdens, roll, dig, draw, and sweep, &«• He has been without clothes and shoes, naked with the exception of A rabian .drawers and a felt, cap. Lately his-position has become somewhat. better, as he in. occupied in coining money. peanj and Egyptian money are not current, the Mahdi haying special coins, stamped. Slatinßey performs the office of running footman (sais) to the Mahdi. Barefoot and half naked, clothed only in short drawers and a piece of green stuff On. his shoulders, he carries a lance and small flag, and Has to run in front of the Mahdi's horse and hold his stirrup when he mounts. He has constantly to bear all sorts of insults from the Mahdi, who tries to impress his followers by haying a Christian, a f jrmer Governor and Pasha, to wait upon him as his servant. Neufeldt lies in chains. Twice they have led him bound to the gallows, and then," either from sheer brutality, or in order to frighten him to get something but of him, have drawn him up and let him hang for some seconds. Then they cut him down with cries of derisive laughter and threats that this treatment will be often repeated, and took him back to prison. Klotz, once a Prussian corporal and the servant of Baron Seckendonff, underwent the same treatment, and. died about twelve months;ago.- Lupton Bey is an Englishman, .Neufeldt a German, Slatin Bey an: Austrian,, -n The threat missionaries and four nuns are Aus-' trians and Italians. Several Greeks are also at Khartoum. Thus several States of Europe, are represented among the prisoners of the Mahdi.