Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-26

DR.. K1APIBIAN FORMALLY ANNOUNCES THE SUI
TAN's MALADY-FEAR OF DEVELOPMENT HIS
MoNOMANIA-THE ARREST OF TWO MARsHAI.s
OF THE EMPIRE AND THE INSULT TO THE GRAND
vIZIER AND THE sHEIK-UL-LsI.AM PHASES OF IT
-MoURAD REVIEWING GHOsTLY ARMIES IN HIS
PRISON OF TsHERAGAN-THE DELUsIONs OF
ABDUL-AZIZs PREDECESSOR
From the New York sun. 22d
CoNsTANTINOPLE, Nov 2S-Abdul Medjid has
softening Of the brain. He is crazy, like his
brother MOurad. who is to-day shut up in the
Palace of Tsheragan, and, like his father the
predecessor Of Abdul Aziz. His monomania is
the fear of being dethroned as his brother and
his uncle were, and, perhaps assassinated. as he
believed the latter was. / have already told
you what think of that sO-called assassination.
Three days ago Fuad Pasha was ordered to
the Palace, where he is still kept q prisoner.
Fuad is the youngest among the marshals Of the
empire In the last war he distinguished him.
self by his bravery. About a fortnight ago he
was chosen by the Sultan to convey in his name
to the Emperor of Austria, the diamond badge of
the Osmanli. Fuad himself received this order,
and at Vienna. believe. that of st. Etenne.
Heis therefore, not only one of the great per-
sonages OF the Empire, bat one of the fayOrtes
OF the Sultan.
Great was the establishment of Fuad at his
arrest. He angrily demanded to know what
was the charge against him, and bitterly re-
preached the INCONSISTENCY of sovereign who
could treat in such a manner the highest dipni-
faries OF the empire and his best friends Fuad
was told that he had been denounced bv GER
tain Mehmet Pasha. the brother-in-law of
Chaml. the great Circassian chief. and formerly
lieutenant Of the Russian Imperial Guard but
now transformed 10y the caprice of the Sultan
into cavalry general. charged with the duty OF
organizing and commanding two sQuadrons of
Circassans to serve as the Sultans escort
Mehmet had accused Fuad Of using language
like this:
"Oh, we are soon going to get rid of the Sui
tan! The garrison at Adrianople is ours, as
we'll as a considerable number of battalons of
the imperial guard. The people are with US,
and also most of the ministers. 1t only remains
to choose his successor and to concilate your
Clrcassans, of whom we are very much afraid"
Upon hearing this absurd Indictment Fuad
became still more enraged. well, ;" said he,
suppose for moment that such a conspiracy
really existed. Is it likely that would make a
coniidant of an adventurer whom none of us
respects, and that he would furnish me under
such circumstances with two squadrons of Cir
cassians? The thing is absurd; it is the idea of
a lunatc!"
And he spoke the truth. DR.. Kiatibian, whose
tragic death and civil funeral made so muci
noise two weeks ago in Constantinople was
several times called to the palace of the Sultan
as the most distinguished physician of the
country. He announced formally that the Sui
tan was suffering from sOftening of the brain,
and that the disease was progressing rapidly
He attributed the malady to excessive dssipa-
tOn just as was the case with the Sultan's father
and brother.
The mania of the Sultan's father was SUPER
stitOus dread of cats. For him every cat was a
messenger OF certain death. Consequently he
commanded that all cats should be slaughtered
without mercy. He also had another Gelu ion
Every curtain and every other piece Of draperv
or upholstery touched by the hand of foreigner
he regarded as accursed, sure to bring bad luck.
In terror he would cry out ''Quicki quick
take that away and throw it into the seal"
What quantities OF curtains. napkins, table
cloths and textile fabrics Of all sorts were pitched
into the BOspOrus
Mourad's madness is of quite another sort.
He 1magineS that he is constantly reviewing
ghOstly armies. He puts on his uniform and his
long boots. and struts about delivering orders
in stentOrian voice.
1t was not long before the prediction of DR..
kiatibian was verified. For the birthday of the
Prophet. tina Sultan had sent out invitations to
the Sheik-ul-Isiam and the Grand vizier, but
when the time came he had completely forgot
ten the fact. At the appointed hour the two
greatest dignitares of the empire presented
themselves at the palace. and were announced.
The Sultan was informed of their presence
What" he exclaimed 'the Grand ViZier and
the Sheik! They have undoubtedly come to
announce my dethronement. Let them be ques-
toned"
chamberlain went to them and asked what
they desired. They replied that they had come
upon the invitation of the Sultan. The cham
berain returned with this answer.
''Oh, very WELL" said the Sultan, 81 under
stand them perfectly. You remain where you
are: will send somebody else to them" And
he directed Osman Bey, First Chamberlain since
the death OF Hainid Pasha to 60 and interro-
gate the Sheik and the Grand ViZer. The lat
ter, greatly astOnished at such reception re-
peated the answer which he had given before
Osman returned and told the Sultan the same
story. The Sultan. striking his forehead sud-
denly recollected his invitation, and admitted
his guests; but not knowing how to get out of
the difficulty. he pretended to be indisDosed
The Sheik- ul-lsam, affecting. out of courtesy
to believe in this explanation. replied: '.B0u
hoNer hacddan g,tidaorlar"-that is to say.
These things proceed from the weather" But
to Turkish ear the phrase might also mean an
insinuatiOn that reinforcement would come in
time.
"Ah!" cried the Sultan, Il knew well that
you came to dethrOne me! Quick arrest them
and let them be questioned! Everybody I'M
derstOOd the condition of the Sutan's mind
and the matter ended there.
This is not the first time that a misfortune of
this sort has happened to Fuad A short time
ago a boy brought him letter full of insulting
language about the Sultan. singular letter
was sent at the same time to Osnan Pasha and
to Hafliz Pasha, chief OF police. Fuad from q
sense of duty, sent his letter to the Sultan, who
Immediately had him arrested and brought be-
fore conrt martial. The court martial investi-
gated the matter and discovered the proof that
the boy had been paid by people of the Palace
to deliver the letters in question. Tie matter
was dropped.
The amount Of it all is this: There is at the
Palace ring of jnfOrmers, who base their spec
ulations upon the insanity of the sovereign. and
the fund of 1900 Turkish pounds is kept for
their special benefit and encouragement: and
consequently the business of giving information
is in an uncommOnly flourishing condition just
now.
Yesterday Ahmed Moukhtar Pasha, another
marshal of the empire, was arrested on suspi-
ciOns similar to those in Fuad's case. Last
evening | saw the old father of Fuad, for forty
years general of division. The grief and ter
ror OF the old man were painful to witness At
the Palace everybody trembles with fear and
this state of affairs will bring about the very
thing that the Sultan breads most.
AS to the alleged conspiracies against the Sui
tan's life am silent, for have no evidence of
their existence.
I'm Wnrso