GORDON'S DEATH DENIED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2065, 11 August 1885, Page 2

GORDON'S DEATH DENIED.

, The special correspondent of the " Sheffield Daily Telegraph" at Cairo, gives the following remarkable storyA Coptic nierohant, who was one of the few men who managed to escape from Khartoum after the massacre, has arrived here, after a lons and painful journey, and has made a most - astounding to the authorities. Ho asserts In thWpt positive manner, partly from his own observation, and partly from, information supplied-to him on the spot by credible eye witnesses, that shortly after the massacre which followed the entry of the rebels; and before the terrible confusion resulting therefrom had subsibed, the Mahdi, hearing that. Gordon hiJLbeen Blain, oidered his'head to be Wught before him, •• The rebels at once produced the head of Harr Hansal, the Austrian Consul, which was at first accepted as that of the gallant Gordon, But as it lay on the ground it was recognised by one of the rebels, who knew Hansal well, and a hue and cry for Gordon was at once raised, The- city was scoured by parties of the rebels, and every European corose was examined, but without result, Indeed, no trace could bo found either of Gordon or of Abougatas, a rich merchant lons resident in Khartoum, or of Gordon's two cavasses. Neither wero any docur ments found, and the most diligent Bearcli failed to bring to light any of the clpthing usually worn by Gordon The narrator, therefore, believes that there is at slight chance.-that Gordon ijiay have mad? good his escape,' and thatm> has Jed south in the direction of Senß. I have, seen the Coptic merchant reuwred to,'and can testify that he is a smart, honest* loaking man, whom one would be inclined to trust.