The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-12-28

Disagreeable Position in Which the
Late u. s. Minister TO Persia was
Placed.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-The following
official report by S. G. w Benjamin, late
minister to Persia, has recently been commu-
nicated by the President to Congresf:
81 have the honor to report that on the 9th of
June was riding out to the country from Tehe-
ran, in q carriage, on my way to the summer quar-
ters of the legation. was accompanied by my
daughter, and according to the custom of the
country my carriage was preceded by two out
riders. Other Legations, on such an occasion,
take from four to eight outriders as a matter Of
necessity as well as for display in Persia. AS we
approached the halfway coffee house observed
a lire of carriages waiting by the roadside in the
shade AS it is very common for several vehicles
to be seen standing there while the occupants are
tion needed to be taken. / was very greatly sur
prised therefore, to see troop OF mounted cayal-
ry rush out from the shade Of the trees
and make Il violent attack on my out
riders who Immediately called out several
times that the United States Minister was in the
carriage and had the right of way. l now recog-
nized the soldiers to belong to the Royal Guards
and Immediately after perceived that the wives OF
the Shah were i'll the carriages. Although having
officially the absolute right to pass, allowed to
none except ministers and their families, at the
risk OF immediate death to all the others or
dered my driver to stop in order to give the officer
an opportunity to come to my carriage to apollo
gize for the attack and escort us safely through
the guards stationed in front and rear of the
royal harem. But as no attention seemed to be
paid to this, ordered my men to keep on, thus
throwing the responsibility of any results
on the guards who, not satisfied with
beating the outriders with the fiat of their swords,
swarmed around the carriage itself with loud
cries and flourishing their weapons, and the lieu
tenant OF the troops seized the carriage horses,
while the others struck and thrust at the horses
and two even struck the driver himself. Fortu-
nately the man was alike sSilful and intrepid and
succeeded both in controlling the horses and in
driving us safely out of the disagreeable melee
that threatened serious results. The number of
men attacking lis was about 20.
1t is proper to add that when the chief lady of
the harem saw what was going on she dispatched
eunuch to escort Us through the lines, but he
did not arrive until the attack was nearly ended.
All my men and horses were more or less bruised
and one of the men had his arm nearly broken,
but they all behaved well.
On the same evening sent note to the Minis
ter OF Foreign Affairs, demanding prompt chas-
tiSement of the Offenders leaving it to the Persian
government to suggest, out of its friendship, such
further redress as the occasion required. The
following morning Sanieh Ed Dowleh a prom
inent member of the Cabinet, called on me and
stated he had been personally deputed by the
Shah to express the royal regret and to say
authoritatively that our demands should receive
immediate attention
In the afternoon Of the same day received an
apologize note from the minister of foreign
affairs. The captain Of the Royal Guards also
called and gracefully apologiZed and all who had
taken part in the assault who could be identified
were severely punished.