Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-28
AMERICA IN THE ORIENT.
,,oaAgfMEDAN JUSTICE ILLUS
TRATED BY HON. 5. ). cox.


,,,,.rof q. s. Minister Cos IN Neoo York Sun.
CoysrANTINOPE, May Some Of your
readers NAV not be appraised of the fact
that Constantinople has several suburbs.
suburbs a city in itself. The city
rroner is generally known as StambOul.
Stamboui is still a walled city, and nearly
triangular in form. Its beautiful northern
o,cle. called Seraglio Point, looks north
INTO the winding BosphOrus. The southern
is the land side of the triangle. The other
two sides are bounded by water, the sea of
Marmora on one side and the Golden Horn
nm the other. Opposite Stamboul is a
roint called Galata. tits the largest sub
urb. tits the port for commerce. There
= summit above it called Pera. Pera is
the headquarters Of diplomacy and the
residence of the dragomans. 1t is in
bahited BY Greeks, Italians, English, Ger
mans and Others-all called Franks. 1t
numbers some 200, 900, and has a NUM-
rlnalty of its own. Blacque Bey, the
6rst Ottoman Minister TO the United
States. is its Mayor or Project, and his
rule is in happy contrast with the rule of
other cities which are blessed with Alder
men. There is a population in Pera which
northeast outskirts of Pera are artillery
barracks, fields of Mars" and ceme-
ferries. These furnish favOrite resorts
for the people of the various suburbs on
or near the Pera promOntory. Here are
restaurants. dancing cafes, singing and
story telling: and at this Easter season
much firing Of pistols and general saturn
ALA of the Christian population. SO
great has been the turmoil growing out of
this religious observance that the authOri-
ties stopped the usual grand procession of
the Greek religiOnists.
To what does all this account tend?
Simply to make some gossip about the po-
lice administration Of the present COM
pared with that of the past in this Orient
al city. No longer in Pera or in STAN
bOul does the Judge sit turbaned and
crOss-legged to administer his own will as
the law to offenders. The police business
is modelled upon that of Paris, and the
tribunals and Judges have the same
mode OF procedure. Barring the red fez
cap which the police Justices wear and au
occasional cigarette and cup Of coffee, 1t
is the same as the tribunals OF the Occi-
dent. The Tribunal Correctional de Pera
takes care OF all the police matters OF this
suburb. Important cases. involving fell
Onies OF high degree. are sent up to the
higher TRIBUNALS in Stamboul. In such
cases the tribunal at Pera is only an eX
aiming and committing court.
Taking along our dragOman the other
day, l made a call at the court house in
Pera. 1t is in the centre of the thrOnging
population on the Grand Rue. When en-.
tered the court had not convened, but the
Chief Judge, Hilmi Effendi. was upon the
bench reading papers. He is a Turk, and
had great judicial and police experience
10 the interior before he came here. He is
noted for his shrewd knowledge of the
kind of characters who come before him
ayerHable Judge Bowling of the TOmbs of
twenty years ago. He speaks French,
but not English. We passed the time il
talking about modes and codes of crimi-
nal practice in various countries. We
agreed that it was cruel fate to be i'm
prisOned simply because one happened to
be an observer of a crime. In fact, we
agreed that it was one of the ridiculous
sccentricities OF human order thus to pun
sh the innocent that society might have
secu fity.
One thing led to another, until our talk
took the direction Of the whImsies OF the
elder day of thu old kadis of the Orient,
who substituted their own sense of equity
% the rule OF right. i related story of
a Hungarian Justice. doubtless of Orien-
tai origin. In the interior of that coun-
u q L III klSu dZtub W dS bElAt " Uu1 Cdt-
airy horses to recruit for the then prO5a-
Bile war with Bulgaria and Greece. While
there the agent desired that the Droprie-
tor OF village with whom he was con-
tracing should show him specimen of
the Hungarian mode of proceeding.
"WaIt a few moments" SAID the
proprietor, who was also a magistrate,
'and VIII see who is in the town jail"
Calling his constable be was informed
by that officer that goose thief had been
apprehended during the night and was in
confinement. He sent for the criminal.
Are there any witnesses !" asked the
Judge.
"Two,v was the answer; ''the man VINO
owned the goose and a man who saw the
.heft."
After hearing the evidence the Judge,
in his fierce and harsh Hungarian Gin
nish-Tartaric) tongue, called up the Gull
prit and said:
You have been found guilty, and fine
you 10 kreutzers and ten days imprison-
ment for stealing the gOOseW
TheTeupon he summoned the owner of
the bird and said:
- line you 10 kreutzers and ten days
mprisonment for allowing your goose to
be stolenl
To the witness he said:
"sirrah! fine you 10 kreutzers and ten
days imprisonment for not minding your
own busnessp'
Hllmi Efiendi then remarked that al
most as odd a case recently came before
one OF the courts of Stamboul. A credi-
tor came to the Judge to have note sued.
IL was for 1,5O0 piasteTa, and due three
years hence. The Judge ordered the suit.
out condemned the creditor 10 confinement
iorthree years.
For" said Hrs Honor, show do | know
where YOU will be three years hence, so
as to pay you over your piasters, unless |
hold YOU ~
This was an improvement on the inn
pri7onment OF witnesses in criminal
caseN
ln Egypt, long before the Turkish rule
IN mat region, there were struggles be-
tween the mamelukes aud theClrcassians.
Circassian chief, through the advice OF
servant who, though ignorant, was nat
utally astute, happened by accident TO
discover the weak points of the ruling
government in Egypt. Upon these points,
~ upon the r0unQg OF ladder, he as
cehded 10 the throne. One day the Cir
cassian had promised the servant that If
ever be obtained that eminence the ser
want should receive the appointment OF
Chiel Judge, The servants name was
Catacoush, meaning "black bird" 80,
Y soon as the chief was enthroned he
kaVe Caraeoush the promised Doss. Among
.ue many cases that came before him was
'ue following petition:
Being burglar by profession and COM
Ieeued by want 20 rob house, select that