The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-02-05
R APOLOGY.

ATARDY APOLOGY.
Tho Rough Way In Which Our Minis-
81 to Persia Was Handlea.
The following official report by S. G.
w. Benjamin, late minister to Persia,
which has recently been communicated
by the president to congress. describes
an international episode of ever more
thrilling interest than that brought on
by the Pittsburg chief of police, who or
dered the Austro-IIungarian consul.
Schamberg, to take in his flag.
81 have the honor to report" says
Mr.. Benjamin, that on the 18th of
June, l was riding out to the country
from Teheran in a carriage on the way
to the summer quarters of the legation.
l was accompanied by my daughter.
According to the custom of the country,
the carriage was preceded by two out
ridcrs-a matter of necessity rs we'll as
of display In Persia. As we approached
a halfway cofiee-house, l observed a
line 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 taking q
smoke, I had no idea that any precau-
ton need to be taken. l was greatly
surprised, therefore. to see a troop Of
mounted cavalry rush out and make a
violent attack on my outriders, who i'm
mcdiatelS cried out several times that
the United States minister was in the
carriage and had the right of way. l
now recognized the soldiers rs belong
ing to the Royal guard, and immedi-
ately after perceived that the wives Of
the shah We're in the carriages. AL
though having officially the absolute
right to pass, allowed to none except
ministers and their families, at the risk
of immediate death to all others, l or
dered my driver to stop, in order to give
an officer an opportunity to come to the
carriage to apologize for the attack and
escort us safely through the guards sta
toned in front and rear of the royal ha-
rem. But as no attention seemed to be
paid to this, / ordered my men to keep
on, thus throwing the responsibility of
any results upon the guards, who, not
satisfied with beating the outriders with
the fiat of their swords, swarmed
cries, and flourishing their weapons.
The lieutenant of the troops seized the
carriage horses, others struck and thrust
at the horses, and two ever struck the
driver himself. Fortunately, the man
was alike skillful and intrepid, and sue
ceeded in both controlling the horses
and driving us safely out Of a disagrcea-
bic melee, that at one moment threat
ened serious results. The number of
men attacking us was about twenty. 1t
is proper to add that when the chief
lady of the harem saw what was going
on, she dispatched aeunuch to escort lis
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. They all behaved well.
son the same evening l sent a note
to the minister of foreign affairs, de-
manding the prompt chastisement of
the offenders, leaving it to the Persian
government to suggest, out of its friend
ship, such further redress as the occa-
sion required. There being some delay
in replying to my note, l sent our drago-
man, Mr.. Keun, to the minister of
foreign affairs. After quite an extend
ed interview, the minister replied:
Tell your minister he shall hear
from me tomorrow. ] am anxious that
he should be convinced of our good will.
and | will give you my word you shall
be entirely satisfied by sunset tomorrow
| that I am sincere in these expressions
Sat IL A. M. the following day, ac-
c%ordingly, the sanieh-ed-dow1eh, a
prominent member of the cabinet, was
announced. Coming at once to the
pnspt ho e{afal Jbof Lao hnI hoo, ~,
sonally deputed by the shah to express
the royal regret and to say au-
~thoritatively that onr demands
should receive immediate at
t%ention. In the afternoon of
the same day 1 received an apologize
note from the minister of foreign
affairs.
Sin accordance with a request at the
end of the note our moonchoe went to
the foreign office next morning, and was
there directed to take my driver and
outriders and proceed at once to Sultan
alabad, the place where the shah was
staying. On arriving there the moon
chloe was confronted with the Royal
guards, and the men who had been
most forward in the attack upon my
carriage, including their lieutenant,
were recognized by my men. A grand
chamberlain Of the palace then ordered
the punishment of the men, and they
were accordingly punished. / think we
could ask no further proof of the friend
illness of the shah toward the United
States than the important fact that he
ordered a number of the Royal guards
to be punished at the instance of a
foreign legation. In the afternoon of
the same day the captain of the COM
pany came to the legation and apollo
gized in q graceful and thoroughly
satisfactory manner for the hasty and
unwarranted action of the guards.
Two days later / called on the
minister of foreign affairs and thanked
him for the satisfactory manner in
which the affair had terminated, and
later / acknowledged his note in a note
intended to reach the eye of the shah,
who, | have reason to know, as soon as
he fully appreciated tho gravity Of the
occasion, was willing, if possible, to an
ticipate orr demands"