New-York tribune., 1882-08-13
TURKISH IDEAS OF JUSTICE

ment has many times attempted to induce the ior-
eign Powers to abandon the principle OF cx-ter-
ritOrality allowed 70 foreigners resident in Turkey
by the ancient treaties Foreigners here are ex-
empt from trial and punishment by Turkish courts,
brcause verdcts may lie bought and sold ike any
other commodity. The European Governments
have always strenuously resisted the efforts OF tho
Porte 70 trench upon these ancient privileges. But
the Turks have often hoped to entrap the United
States lnso some admission which would practically
suspend tie operation OF the treaties and 80 AFFORD
an arpument for use with other Powers They hayo
To this end represented again and again that JUS
tice is dealt out by the Turkish courts in a i1oss
impartial manner. one or two recent Instances OK
Turkish justice show that the IurA.sh courts yet
lack somewhat of reaching condition where
foreigners ear be iutTusted their tender mercies
Some twenty Eve years ago an American 10 betlh'
10 Armenia, bought hOu-e Of the Turkish Govern
ment. The house was sold To hm under an eXccu-
ton to satisfy debt cue the Government and ttle
deeds IN due form issued 70 the American pur-
chaser After dozen years of occupation tLs
American was sued by the heirs Of the former
owner OF the house for Illegal occupancy o. thcir
Drouertv The case was tired at length and tho
deeds of the American being found perfectly
regular a verdict was given IA bis favor Lat year
a new julg. came TO Bets. and le allowed silt Tor
possession OF the housc to ne brought against tha
American again; and finally gave "A verdict againa1
him dscrcclng that be must surrender the house anu
pay rent for twenty-five years Use OF the house.
THIS verdict by legal quibhle was denied appeal
and the Judgment stands against the Ameri' ani III
q most iniguitous violation OF ali law and evidence
Had there been no treaty of ex-terutoriality the
poor Old gentleman. after twenty-five years law
ful POSSESSION. would have been bundled out OK
his house. But the United states Legation lnter-
posed under the treaty and declined to allow the
American to surrender his house plainly Illegal
decree.
4 week or two ago a man from another Armenian
city came TO me for advice. lie SAID that during
the Russian war he and seven other Armenans
were taken by the Russian forces TO act ~ guides
through tie mountains On the march the column
had a skirmish with Turkish troops ia which sev-
erai Tntks we're killed. Alter the war the heirs II
ten Kourds and Circassans brought SUIT a-anst
these seven napless guides as having been guilty of
numbering the ten men killed IN the skrmish win
the Russians. The wretcbed men were thrown
irto nr,sor and the Court made known 20 them that
they would certainly be found gailty unless they
- compronisei" by handsome payment OF casn 10
the Court The money was paid and the men were
| released. By and by new Judge came ana tho
men were again arrested on the old charge. Again
they paid a heavy fine aud were released. iew
months later they were again arrested and moro
money WAS squeezed out of them murde'ers Of
tie soldiers killed in battle. They now live IN con-
STINT Terror and tie skirmish Of the Russians with
the urks In that district bids fair 70 be- mine OF
wealth 10 the court officials. There is no redress.
The court allows no appeal, AMI the mn being
subjects Of the Sultan have no protecting arm that
they can invoke against the rapacity Of ther
M0slem ueghb0rs.
One more case. A wealthy Protestant Chr IN
OF Mosui, III Mcsopotamia was sued by the Wild of
ftrra a.NN
to be due Oh an Old account The plaint.h had
! married a Roman Catholic and in court the Roman
Catholic Bishop appeared a. her advocate The nhu-
ence of Bishop IL very great in provincial DISTRICTS
and the Court gave verdict for the painth with ut
reference to testimony documents and account books
! of the defendant The Protestant appealed to tho
! ConstantinopIe Supreme Court and came on here,
bnt the Bishop usng hIs official influence, induced
the Nosul government 70 telegraph that the man
had been found guilty of fraud and had fed and
must be Instantly arrested and sent back to Nosul
in chains The result il that this man who has
! cope here on appeal against the verdict OF fraud
has been arrested and thrown into the common
muraerer,' prison aud the Catholic Bishop in
/ Mo,ul is selling his property at auction. Mean
| while the Supreme Court OF Appeals here has tired
the case and ron-suted the Bishop, declaring the
: defendant free from all implication of fraud fet
the nau is held III prison. and the authoilllcs uere
/ S.fE
tie M0sul authorities IN insisting on eA.Gu'ln- INC
decree OF the provincial court pending tue Sppeal-
| The victim IN this j. "A man worth 80, ODO.
and holds a position in Mosul somewhat AKIN to
that OF auy Of your great merchant princes ~ New-
! York The case Is clearly case ol feigOus gerse-
| cutlOn vel because the man Is A suOlect OIL NO
/ sultan he has redress against the wrongs WHICH
| II the treaties known as the captulalious we're
| ahoi.ued every American citizen IN Turkey would
be liable TO similar treatment az the hands ot the
| Turkish courts and this II spite o. al the smh.ns
t. 4 .faI nf IL a.
When the United states Government Is pressed 20
iutrust its citizens 10 the IT, nder nerc e. ot fhe
Turkish courts 10 should remember t1ds t.e tHIAisu
sacred law opposed TO the ldea Oi justice 20 IVr
| eirrers According 10 this law as now held lh the
ordinary Turkish courts, CHRIST an may not lesiy
| against a MOsem, and a foreigner may hDt tcs'ty
| AGAINST a native II occurs again and again ~ the
courts the Interior that JUICE reises 4e test-
,,ony ,f dozens OF Christian, nst some MO>lem
| thief In some places there are speclai courts
| which adr.it the testimony OF Christians out no
iudgnents of these courts are liable al any me 10
| be ,et aside by any Judge of the regular Mo,len
| c,,rfs ONLY the judgments OF the courts VII ch
refuse Christian testimony are oindln2 upon
| Moslems. The verdict OF one ol the ne" courts on
| Christian testimony can Only De executed 10y TIC
armed force OF the Sultan, aud as al arbitrary ex
ercse OF royal prerogative. ,s
| The Government is quite daft on the subject OF
! hooks IL has gone through the Armenian and
! Greek schools of the city removing All books mat
| reach history which has not been doct0rcd 20 sulS
the Turkish atmosphere. lt IS especially aVerse 10
nietures and mas even ordered picture OF a baDyi
iouian brick 10 be suppressed IN school rehilhsi
book because 10 Is supposed to DO "l lhin'i % ~
| deucy The customs authorities az pace IN
| Macedonia recently announced a new KIND oi srdi..
| tinns doeument They had seized couple OK
crates of dinner plates rnteaied for circulation N
| th.t region and decorated with tllc hkrne>-es OK
| tb~ king and Queen Of Greece. The authorities
| here might we'll have ordered the destruction "
| the plates as having been constructed IN violation
! of every principle OF ART. But a. usual tleA Diah-
d.red into the wrong course and decided nat the
! con temptation OF those horrible etigles OF 1reek
! royalty would baye a sedit0us nhuruce on no
| public mind So they ordered the crockery u 10
| broken IN small pieces aud cast into the river
| Tho Mn.lem fear OF books follows a volume IN