THE JEDDAH MASSACRE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1341, 24 June 1859, Page 5

THE JEDDAH MASSACRE.

[FBOlr THE COItnESPOMDE.Vr OF THIJ TIMES.] Alexandria, January 25. On the day folluwing the despatch of last mail, the French war steamer Duchayla arrived at Suez from Jedduh. The investigations, conducted under the vigilant watch of the Commissioners, ha.l resulted in estabiishiug the chief guilt upon three of the leadino men of the city—Abdallah el Muhhtesib (the government inspector of markets), Sheikh Seyid el Amoudy, and the Kaimakau. The Muhhtesib appears to be the prime mover and instigator. He it was who originally devised Ihe plot, and for many years past he seems to have brooded over it and to have watched for the opportunity of putting his design into execution. In 1854, it has been ascertained, he already failed in an attempt to bring about a rising against the Christian iuhabitants of the town. And this appears to have been a matter of public notoriety among the Moslems of the town. The guilt of these three men was established beyond the shadow of a doubt, aud the Turkish tribunal, acting under the supervision of the Commissioner, sentenced them to suffer the penalty of death. Eight ethers were convicted of complicity to a minor extent. Foremost among them wero the Sheikh Abadallah-es-Seeneu, late Shireef of Mecca, and four members of the Council, which 'condcmu'ed the 11 men executed in July. Five of these have been sentenced to imprisonment for'life, and the remaining three to close confinement for five years. 'It was agreed that'the Kaimakau, who is a Turk, and it appears hold? s'ime title or post of dignity in the household, of the Sultan, should be sent to Constantinople under sentence, of death, coinmuttible to prepctual imprisonment. . ..■''■;"

On the 12th inst., armed detachments were landed from the Chesapeake and Pelorus, and from the Dutchayla, upon the wharf, close to the Custom House, where the conspiracy was first organised. The British Marines and French sailors,' with the flags of their respective uouutries bore aloft in there front, were drawn up in a Hue facing; the sea, and close under the walls of tbe town. Turkish and Egyptian troops, facing each other, formed the lateral sides of a square, which on the sido of the sea was closed by a line of boats from the French and English vessels, with there guns pointed to the spot. (Jlo»e by was a gate leading from the town, through which the two prisoners were shortly afterwards brought forward. As a characteristic incident I may here mention that up to the very last moment the wretched men were kept in igaorance of the fate that awaited them. They were brought to the ground under the belief that they were to be embarked for Suez, and it was; only when they were actually in the centre of the I square, and in the presence of their executioners, that they first.became aware that de«th was about to atone for their crimes. Both, however, bore their doom with the fortitude of Oriental fatalists. As on tbe former occasion, the i executioners were selected from the ranks of the Bashi-Bazouks. Again a Scene of mutilation

ensued, the description of which is to horrible for repetition, and to the thought of which the mirid can, indeed, only reconcile itself by the remembrance of the stern necessity there existed that the demands df human justice ihould I be satisfied. The Europeans immediately afterwards withdrew from the ground, defiling past the Turkish troop, who presented arms as they wentbyi, . . the Kaimakau and hts ifellow prisoners are shortly expected from Jeddah by an Egyptian steamer. It has been stipulated thit they shall undergo their imprisonment in a fortress situated in somo one of the towns of European Turkey possessing a consular residence. With regard to the question of indemnity, each of the three commissioners will address a separate report to his own government, and the final settlement of the question will be effected at Constantinople. The claims admitted by the French and British representatives, I am informed, amount in the aggregate to £2000.