ELIXIR OF DEATH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 60, 6 March 1912, Page 3

ELIXIR OF DEATH.

A REMARKABLE ABYSSINIAN TOXIN. SHERLOCK HOLMES WANTED. What is happening in Abyssinia to day? There in the Dark Continent ii. a mystery greater than any that Slier lock Holmes ever pondered over. Wen. Abyssinia in the line of throbbing cables all the world would be, buzzing with talk of the dread death tluu stalks in the tents of the .mighty. ‘ Travel essays of the French pubji cist, Arthur Louis, contain amazing tales : of an Abyssinian poison, tin. .‘‘elixir ,of death,” which suddenly brings ion paralysis, premature, ok age, : and inevitable dissolution. .Tin ■ elixir .leaves no trace in' the body ~ the, .yv-izened tissues oL the victim, l cannot 'bo distinguished from those ,oi goniith'e ' octogenarians. . ’ 1 1 : Hsbm'to !scoff 1 iat Louis’’ statements declaring them ho better than ok wives’ tales. Yet for three years events.in the territory of the “Lior, of (Ethiopia” have been such as tc ■ prove conclusively some diabolical hand has been distributing a deadly poison right and left among Abyssinian dignitaries. —Such is the situation that’; no prominent chief or warrior can feel assured that within three weeks he will not become a idecrepil paralytic, and in three more fall .suddenly dead. How and why? There iis the world’s greatest mystery a 1 this.moment, fqr the doctors cannol penetrate it. One by one the great men of the country have been picked out by the umseen assassin and made the victims of tho -deadly elixir. The work heard conflicting tales of the deatl of the .Emperor Mcnelek. But since .then Prince Regent Tassmana dice! from it mysteriously, followed by hi:son, governor of the province Woll.aga. Staying with that son at the time was a cousin, who passed away .by the-same fell causes. More lateh .Prince Abate, conqueror of the Tigrai rebels, while pursuing, his affairs in . seeming vigour, fell suddenly prone stricken with the symptoms that heralded the fate of the others. In every ease the victims were in ordinary health when Stricken as by a Sharp Sword: .There was no gradual fading away or creeping sickness. Paralysis fell Upon .them in, a moment. Those whc. were middle-aged turned old in a day; the younger , victims became middle.aged between dawn and dark. But all l.passecl to their graves long before their,time,,for no,man has ever shown the symptoms of elixir poisoning will escaped death. Undoubtedly the great ’Emperor Menplek was a victim too, though his tremendous physique and unconquerable, will enabled him to linger long after, the , first stroke. It was natural .that the greatest figure in native African history should have enemI res, but his genius built up an organisation of loyal supporters and the removal of these stalwarts still proceeds as steadily and. remorselessly as though the distributor of I fatal poison wore Fate itself. L It is recalled, now that Italy is I embarked on a new African enterprise, I .how, the Italian , tro.pps met disaster after disaster in the. hills, of Adowa. The .generals of Rome were no match against the Abyssinian soldier-polili- ! clan, Ras Makonnen., Yot since then that brilliant warrior has met his end suddenly and with the same mystery | as his master. The clivir sapped his I vitality and in a fe>v,weeks his soll diors mourned his death. .His son • Dedjas lima succeeded him in rank and dignity. Nine months later Dpdjas lima, a giant in body, was stricken with paralysis. His right hand refused to obey him ; his face wrinkled; his legs gave way. Within three months he had followed his father to Ihc grave. Prince Dedjas Bern died a ,simij lar death. Dedjas Bern was aged 110. {• His brother, who had been on a journey came back and found

The Dead Body. On seeing the wrinkled skin and white hair, he exclaimed angrily, “Who has taken our old father out of his grave? Where is my brother Dcdjas Beni?” He refused to believe that the corpse was that of his brother. Thus, during three years, scores of Abyssinian nobles, soldiers, judges have collapsed in their strength. Every Abyssinian knows their deaths were not natural and a European doctor at Adis Abeba has proved they did not die of an epidemic disease. The proofs are absolute. There was no recorded case of contagion or infection no servant, petty official, private soldier, or poor man has had those symptoms. Nor has any woman died. All were men, and prominent in war or government. The Abyssinian common people talk | darkly about the “elixir of death,” but of its nature they know nothing. The. elixir is a monopoly of the tamari or magicians. Abyssinians fervently believe in piagic, and they have reason. It is certain that generation after generation of tamari have inherited the secret of the elixir without ever betraying its composition. The tamari supply . small quantities to rich Abyssinians for large sums; but they take every care that no European gets hold- of it, for analysis. In past Abyssinian .history it was' ■used liberally, but only about the time of Menolek’s death (lid, modern elixir deaths become numerous. It is said that slaves or servants are bribed to put the poison in their masters’ food or drink. A Simple Dose is enough. A hundred doses, on the other hand, do not increase the intensity of the. working or accelerate 'the effects. It is said that the ta:nari have an antidote which saves if given within an hour. But that means that to,effect a rescue would entail a-knowledge of the actual act of poisoning, as the symptoms only show themselves on the third day. Thus, only the poisoner could apply the antidote in time, and that he never does.

, The destruction of the Negus Mevelek by "the elixir of death—indeed the very fact of .his death—was long hidden, in order to prevent a popular revolt. Many Abyssinians doubt his loath even now. The story of his illness is a fabrication. Menelok, when taken ill, was comparing on Italian translation of an Amharic document, intended for his envoy in Rome. He did not understand Italian, but he was so ; afraid of treason that h,e supervised the copying of ill ,^uch ; work himself. , ' • ■' 11 i , Wbjle, making notes on the original ;A.n\haric document i his ( pen fell from bjsjjhand. Putting, his left hand on his right wrist he turned pale, and muttered something about being poisoned with the elixir. Thenceforth he awaited death. European medical advice was invited, but he refused to take it, and he hid from Europeans the fact that he was poisoned. A 'Dummy iilegus • • " (• •>:•>>{A 1; •:* iv* i Mi • ? 5: ■ was shown to the people, and untrue; Imports, were issued, daily about his condition. Then, whop the fatal elixir had done its work, his end Was kept secret, even as, later, on, the death of the . Prince Regent Tassama was concealed for-,, a month. None hut the tamari can say what are the fatal ingredients, whence the poison is brewed, or whose hands are speeding it into.-the veins of the flower of Abyssinian manhood. Popular theory ascribes it to some decoction of a local variety of nettle, but that is but conjecture.

As to the victims, there is' only one hint to ho obtained from a careful consideration of their conditions and cases. Their ages differed widely, they were of varying races and habits, but all belonged to a party opposed to the ambitions of Menelek’s widow, the brilliant and adventurous Taitou.

No adherent of the Empress has shown these dread symptoms. That significant fact , has struck the crude reasoning of the Abyssinians and lately suspicion against her and her supporters has been strong. When Ras Abate lay dying, it, burst out among.the soldiers so strongly that they marched to the,rooms where she was imprisoned and threatened to hang her on her own doorpost, if Ras Abate died. She has sworn she is ignorant of the causes of the long list of fatalities among her opponents, but the belief in Abyssinia is that she lies, or the magicians at her hack are working secretly, hut in understanding with her, to clear the path for her ambitions.

The latest story about Abyssinia is that a chieftain named Michael, also counted as her foe, has fallen nerveless while drilling his troops. So the mystery deepens' and the elixir flows on its deadly course. Not till the tamari are forced to reveal the immemorial secrets of their.black arts will the world learn what is this potent agency of destruction. Till then wise, men in Ethiopia are not opposed to Taitou—in public, at any rate—even though sho was deposed.