Palmer's Fate

One of the most interesting as well as ono of the saddest events of the late Egpytian war was the capture and deatli of the party sent out to break up the alliance betvveen the Bedouins and Arabi and to enlist Bedouin troops to iight against the Egyptians, under the direction of Prof. Palmer, the most accomplished Arabian scholar of Europe. The Professor had previously made a preliminary trip through a part of the desert, and upon his return reported that he thought he could secure 50,000 Bedouin soldiers for L75,000, about $375,000. The money was supplied by the home government, and Prof. Palmer and his party starled upon their expedition. Various stories werc soon in cireulation as to their fate; but, except the fact of the death of every member of the party, they were not true. The truth has just been published, havingbeenascertained by Colonel Warren after months of investigation. rroiessor raimer tooK tne name of Hawapi Abdallah, or Abdallah, and entered the desert under the guise of a Syrian gentleman. All the party wore the native dress, and traveled on horseback, and with fast dromedaries. Their guidc was a native, Mattar-es-Safieh, and he it was who betrayed themonthe afternoon of August lOth, and when only two days' travel from Suez they reached Moses1 Well, where they were at- tacked by a party of Bedouins, who were without a Sheik or ruler, and by them taken prisoners. They were stripped, bound and robbed, their guide and betrayer escaping, however, ivith $10,000 entrusted to his care. After a discussion as to what shoukl be done with tliem the entire party was taken to a neighboring ravine, placed in a row and shot. Professor Palmer did not jump from a precipice, as has been stated, nor did the prisoners have any choice as to the manner of their death. Ali Effendi the Egyptian Governor ïor Nakhl, the territory ín whieh Moses' well is situated, was at the time of the Xiurder resting in the tent of a brother Mattar, the guide, near by, and he was his fact as his only clue to the murderers Colonel Warren began his investigation. He was unable to strike the track of Professor Palmer's party until late in Dctober. Arriving at Moses' Well the 24th of that month, tbere he foimd all ;he bodies, wbieh he sent to Snez. He ïad about made up his mind that his search would prove a fruitless one when ie one day met an old man near the Well who had au English-made tobáceo louch which the Colonel asked to see. The man objecting, it was taken away 'rom him. and upon examination found to have been that of Lieut. Charrington, me of the murdered men. Froni this man it was learned that Sheik, Ibn Vlurshid, had had something to do with the murder and his wife was made a Drisoner, from whom a few facts were ibtained, which justifted him in arrestmg the Governor of the Territory. After succeeding with mneh difficnlty n getting the nanies of a nnmber of öeuoums cngageu in me attacK, uoi. Warren decided to return and tako a :resh start. At Suez he found Mattar, the gnide, whom lie arrested, and frora whom he obtained a large suni of money, private papers and information inipli;ating Ali Effendi, the Governor of the Territory. Mattar shortly afterward died, wherenpon Col. Warren gave op Eurther personal search, and bgan workïng through the Egyptian Government, who secured the services of Ibn Shadid, a Sheik of the Howeeat, through whose eflbrts and those of Col. Warren and the authorities the majority of tho guilty were captured and indaced to confess. Somo of them have already öeen shot, others sentenced to death and other peualties inflicted. The men who did the shooting have been captured, but Col. Warren believes that all of the instigators have thus far escaped.