Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-08-17
The Costa Affair

sHe The Costa Affair.
We have copious accounts of the arrest
OF Costa, the Hungarian, at Smyrna. 1t
is a long time since that locality has been
so thoroughly walked up as it has been
by the energy of Capt. Stringham of the
st. Louis. The most straight forward
statement to hand says that Martin Koos-
Ia, or Costa. had been but few days in
Smyrna, although another account says
he had been eight months concealed in
the city. AT all events, on the evening
of the 22d June, he was quietly smoking
IN Greek coffee house on the wharf,
(not the private dwelling of a Sandman,
as was at first reported, when band of
ten men came to the spot and arrested
him as Hungarian, who was in Danish
nent with Kossuth at Kutayahay, who
was permitted to go to America on pledg-
ing his word never to return to Turkish
territory. Costa struggled with his as
sailants, and knocked one or two of them
into the water. and at length leaped into
the stream aud swan towards n, ship
He was soon overtaken. dragged into a
boat, and taken on board the Austrian
brig of war Huzzar, where he was heavi-
ly ironed. 1t was observed that six of
his captors remained on board the brig,
and the rest returned ashore. The affair
would appear to have blown over for that
night. but the next morning it was gene
rally talked Of, and most intense excite
ment arose. Mr.. Brown, the United
States Consul, learning that Costa was
last from America, waited on the Consul
General of Austria, saying thai he under
stood that native of Hungary, who had
become an American citizen, had been
taken by force ON board the Austrian brig
of war, and he wished to see the man,
and ask him for explanations.
The Austrian Consul denied all knowl-
edge of the fact Mr.. Brown then pro-
Geeded to the brig. and requested an in
Gervlew with the prisoner, which was re-
fused. and meantime the vessel was pre-
paring 10 depart. Just at that moment,
the corvette st. Louis. Capt. Stringham,
commanding, sailed into the harbor, and
the Consul lost no time in communicating
the circumstances. Our accounts clash
here it would seem that Capt. String
ham, having goae on board the Austrian
brig, was told by the Lieutenant that he
had no prisoner in the ship. Returning
on beard second time, and accompanied
by Mr.. Brown, they found Commodore
Sehartz, captain of the brig. whom Cap
tain Stringham thus addressed -
Your Lieutenant, sir, has lied /? The
meanest cabin boy in the American SER
vice would not be guilty of such coward
ice."
Demanding then to see the prisoner,
Costa was brought on deck in irons
Capt Stringham asked. Are you, an
American 90 "No, am Hungarian"
Z" Have you an American passport 2" To
which like blockhead he replied. "No.
Tam a Hungarian, aud oOiH die HLtngari-
an i" The Americans could do no more
and left the brig. Learning. however,
soon after. that Costa had taken the oath
of citizenship. and seeing the Austrian
brig prepared to depart, Capt. Stringham
sent message thatA' as they had on board
prisoner, carried off by force from a for
eign independent territory. and who had
sworn allegiance to the Government of
the United States. he should feel it his
duty to insist upon the brig remaining
under his guns until he received instruc-
tious from Constantinople, and if any at
tempt were made to depart he would at
once fire into the brig"
While this was passing in the harbor,
the excitement was no less on shore, All
the European merchants went in body
to Ali Paeba, the Turkish Governor of
tha city, and begged him not to suffer
this violation of the Ottoman territory
Pacha, in great terpidation. said he could
not help it, but would write to Constanti-
nople for instruction. The merchants
then repaired to the Casino, which is their
reading-room. ballroom and club. and
there passed resolution to expunge the
name of every Austrian from their rolls
Toward evening. while the city was yet
In ferment, three officers from the Austri-
an brig had the imprudence to 90 on shore
and sit smoking in a cafe. They were
speedily surrounded by an exited crowd of
Italians, who began by brandishing their
knives. and ended by stabbing one of the
officers, Midshipman the Baron Huckle-
berg, aged eighteen and throwing him in
to the sea.
Another officer Lieutenant, was bad
ly beaten; and the third, the physician
of the brig, being in plain clothes
escaped unhurt. This cowardly as
sasination was universally reproba-
ted by the respectable inhabitants On
the 25th, the funeral of the young man
took place. and all the Consulates, with
the exception of the English and Ameri-
can, hoisted black flags. The Austrian
and Prussiau Cousuls accompanied the
body to the grave. but the other Consul
Rtes were not represented. On hearing
OF the affray. Baron Bruck, the Austrian
Plenipotentiary at Censtantinople. deman-
manded ample satisfaction from the Porte
within twenty -four hours, which the Porte
instantly granted by dismissing Ali Pacha
and annninIinn the Gn1ernnr Of Rhodes in