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Mountford, Timothy, fl. 1804-1810 to Tobias Lear re: assassination and expulsion of Jews from Algiers (pogrom)

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02794.063 Author/Creator: Mountford, Timothy, fl. 1804-1810 Place Written: Algiers, Algeria Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 28 June 1805 Pagination: 11 p. ; Height: 22.7 cm, Width: 18.1 cm Order a Copy

An almost hour-by-hour description of the assassination of Napatili Busnach, Jewish Algerian government officer, and the expulsion and massacre of Jews in Algiers by the government. Mountford sends a report of activities in the city. "This morning about 8 O'clock, Napatili Busnach, in the sheet, was shot thro' the Belly, by a Turk Soldier, & died in two hours after. He never spoke after [inserted: he] was shot, altho' he walked to his own house. About 3 P.M. he was buried. The deed of a single Soldier threw everything into confusion -- the City appears to be ready for insurrection, such is the clamor against the Jews." The account covers 28 June to 1 July 1805. Mountford was Lear's secretary in Algiers. Marked "Duplicate" on first page.

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