Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-08-03
Gallant Condmct OF an AmerEcun
NavHH 1mC0H.

The following interesting incident was referred
to but meagerly in our telegraphfc report Of the
steamers news a few days since
The Smyrna correspondent of the Marseilles
Semaphore gives accounts of the disturbance in
Smyrna, of which we have already had the an
nouncement by telegraph, via Halifax. Itappearg
that M. Costa, a Hungarian, ex-aid-de-camP to
Kossuth, and who had just returned from the
United States, was secreated in the house of a
Sandman, in Smyrna. His whereabouts came
to the ears of NJ. Vekbecker, Austrian Consul :
General, who, under pretence of searching for
thief, dragged him ont, gagged, hand-cuffed and
conveyed him on board the Austrian brg-of-war.
Hussar. All the efforts of the other Europeans,
aided by Ali Pacha, and the native officers, to have
the prisoner handed over to the local tribunals,
were in vain. On the following day the U. 8.
frigate ST. Louis entered the port, andthe captain
of the frigate, accompanied by the U. 8. Consult
Immediately went on board the Austrian ship, and
demanded to talk with the prisoner, whom they
believed to have claim to the protection Of the
United States. The Austrian Lieutenant in COM
mand, denied that he had any prisoners on board
The captain of the ST. Louis and the Consul then
went to the Austrian Consulate, where after
scene of the most violent kind, M. Veckbecker
admitted that the prisoner was on board, and gave
a forced consent to see him. Returning on board
the Austrian vessel, the American captain thus
addressed Commander Schwartz-"When ] came
on board short time since, your lieutenant lied
to my face! The meanest of my cabin boys wo'd
not have been guilty of such cowardice! Where
is the prisonerl / wish to see him." As Com
mander Schwartz hestated, the American added
-"Bear in mind, that if the prisoner claims my
protection, and has the slightest right to it, will
remove him myself, and will not allow him to re-
: main another minute on board" Unfortunately
the generous efforts Of the captain of the st. Louis
were useless, for the prisoner prevarcated and be-
trayed himself so much in his replies, that he did
not give his defenders the slightest chance to
him. When this was known on shore, great ex-
citement broke out, and the Italians would have
burned the Austrian consulate had it not been
+ we'll defended. In their heat they attacked three
Austrian midshipmen who were on shore, and
II killed one. On the other side, the Greeks or
y Austrians-the account is somewhat obscure
ID laid plan to assassnate the American officers,
but being warned in time they avoided the danger.
The Italians and their allies have sworn to poig-
> nard the ten Greeks who arrested Costa, and the
u Greeks swear they will murder ten Italians for
l. every Greek. The city continued in a ferment
: Ali Pacha, the Turkish Governor, had protested
against Vekbeckers despotic act, and sent cour-
er to Constantinople, to lay the affair before his
government; and later accounts telegraphed from
% Vienna say that Kaboul Efend has been sent to
inquire into the matter; also that Ali is deposed.
% and Ismael, formerly Minister of Commerce, ap-
: pointed in his stead the Austrian Internuncio at
l. Constantinoble having demanded that the Porte,
within twenyfour hours, should give satisfaction
for the outrage committed the Austrian officers.