The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-04
AN ARMY SENT
TO RESCUE A GIRL.
Miss Amelia Greenfield Who Was Alb
duCtGd by The KlrdS.
A Matter That Evoked Considerable Core
spondence and a Great Deal Of Bad Feel
ing idnapers to Be Punished.

l0llOWIup COUCeEHluS MiSS HioSh-
field, ayopng English girl who was abducted
some time in May by Kurds in Armenia:
News has reached Constantinople from
Teherau, the capital of Persia, that force
10000 strong has been ordered by the Shah
to proceed to Saouk- Bulak. Persian Kurdi-
stan, to release Miss Greenfield, to capture
the malefactors wherever found. to invade
even Turkish territory if necessary and 10
chastise all concerned in the kidnapping.
The news has produced stunning effect
upon the MusSulman population, who be-
lieve that Islanism has been Scandalized
and tile time for a holy war has arrived.
The facts of the case are as follows:
There is range of mountains i'll Armenia
that extends from Mesopotamia into Alder
bijan, Persia, and is peopled by race
known as Kurds. Consequently the region
Is called Kurdistan. The eastern part of
Kurdistan lies in the province of Aderbijan
and is known as Saouk-BuIak. 1t has a
capital city OF the same name. The province
is under the GovernorShip of Ameer Nizam.
the heir apparent OF Persia, who lives at
Tabriz. The Kurds of Persia do not be-
long to the Shiah sect. but are orthodox
Sunnis like the Turks and between the two
sects there is considerable feeling. Hence.
they fraternize more readily with the Kurds
of Turkey than they do with their COM
patriots, the Persans. The kurdS are COM
posed of various tribes. each tribe having
its own chief. Although savage by ms tinct
the kurds of Persia are not so predatory as
those of Turkey, because they are sur
rounded by fertile plains which bear abun-
dant fruits.
The commerce of the Kurds is left in the
hands of Armenians, Perslans and some
Europeans, who also aid the kurds in their
agricultnralipursuits by advancing money.
Among the latter there WAS once an En-
gishman,
ISAAC GREENFIELD,
Who established himself at Saouk- Bulak,
and became landed proprietor. This En-
glishmau married an Armenian woman of
TaDriz, and became the father of three boys
and four girls, all of whom are well married
except the youngest, Amelia, only 16 years
of age, who till recently lived with her
mother. Mr.. Greenfield died a few years
ago, leaving his land to his wife.
Mrs. Greenfield, although a resident of
TabriZ, passed most of her time with her
daughter at Saouk- Bulak. Her property
was djacent to the lands Of Ahmed Bey. a
Kurdish chief. Ahmed Bey has a son who
long evinced a passion for the beautiful
hook or by crook. Brought up as Mussul-
man and Kurd at that, to kidnap Christ
ian girl was considered by him his natural
right. So lie laid his plans TO accomplish
MS purpose through TIE COllHlfdllC6 VI u
Kurdish woman employed as servant by
Mrs. Greenfield. This servant, during the
temporary absence of the mother, persuaded
young Miss Amelia to take stroll in the
fields. No sooner, however. had they
reached the banks of the riyulet near by
when party OF mounted men rushed upon
them and carried them of.
The mother made inquiries, but could
elicit no information from any of the house
hold. She anxiously waited for her daugh-
ter till midnight, when, suspecting foul
play, she dis patched mounted men in search
of her. The party returned in the morning
without any tidings of the girl ThereupOn
Mrs. Greenfield laid the matter before the
Lieutenant Governor, who represented
Ameer Nizam, telegraphlng to the British
Consul at Tabriz, and also to Ameer Nizam.
The latter functlOnary sent at once an order
to his proxy at Saouk- Bulak to ind the girl
without delay and 10 send all those CON-
cerned in the nefariOus act to TabriZ. In
reply to this order Amer NiZam was in
formed that tue kidnapers were from Turk
ish Kurdstan and the girl was carried off
into Turkish territory, over which the Lieu
tenant Governor had no control. But Amer
NiZam, being well aware that
THE RIDNAPER WAS
The notorious son Of Ahmed Bey, subject
of Persia. sent peremptory order to have
all the Kurdish chiefs of Saouk- Bulak sent
to Tabriz, or TO produce at once the missing
girl.
The Kurdish chiefs, alarmed by this order
and knowing the implacabe nature Of Amer
NiZam, came together and after due deliber-
alton prepared report to the effect that
there was no kidnapping in the case, but that
the girl had run away of her own free will;
had embraced 1samism, and become the
wife of Nussulman. To cOrr0bOrate this
statement MusSulman kurd from Turkish
Kurdistan appeared Mt the Turkish Consulate
at SaoUk- Bulak, pretending to be the husband
of the girl and claiming the protection Of
the flag that bears the crescent and the star
He said that the girl was not English but
Armenian.
The news of this Incident spread through
out Saouk-B ulak with lightning rapidly,
and all the Sunns Kurds, armed and
mounted, rushed to the Turkish Consulate
demanding immunity in the name of the
Sultan, who is the Caliph of all true be-
levers. Thoma Effendi, the Turkish Con-
sui and a Syrian Christian, telegraphed
about the situation to his chief. Behjet Bey,
the Consul General at Tabriz. and asked for
instructions. Behjet Boy telegraphed back
to him that the girl must be produced at all
hazards.
When these instructions were communi-
Gated to the crowd they all swore vengeance
against the Consul, saying:
You, accursed giaour. care more for your
coreligiODists than you do for the faithful
subjects Of the Sultan, whose servant you
are-vOu should be cut to pieces for your
perfidity."
Thoma Effendi fled to the Governors resi-
dence. The mob followed, dema ling his
head. The Governor repealed therr attack,
and telegraphed to Ameer Nizam.
Meanwhile the distressed mother did not
remain idle. She went to Tabrlz had an in
terview with the British Consul, and
telegPaphed to the British ambassador at
Teheran, and TO Lord Salisbury in London,
praying for redress and protection. FROM
London came instructions to
THE RRTTISu FMRASs Anon
To use energetic means and to demand
of the Persian Government the speedy
recovery of the kidnapea girl. To this
the Government OF the Shah replied
that it was willing and ready to do all in its
power to satisfy England's just demands,
but in the premises the Government of the
Shah found itself powerless, for the male
factors were Turkish subjects and out of
Persian jurisdiction. 1t therefore devolved
on the Government of the Sultan 10 act.
Nevertheless, if the Sultan consented to
give permission to pursue and chastfSe the
malefaetors, the Government of the Shah
would willingly do so.
This answer was duly telegraphed TO the
Marquis of Salisbury, who thereupon IN
structed Sir William White, the British En-
bassadOr at Constantinope, to lay the mat
ter before the Sultan and demand immedi-
ate Teparati0n.
The Porte was greatly perplexed, for it
was unwilling to offend the Kurds, because
Oh tucli uIlIlty III hu clieiRtuCyt anu 10 GILL;
power the Shah to act in its stead would be
an acknow Iedgnent of weakness. So Sir
William got the assurance that due repara-
ton would be made without resorting to
extreme measures.
Accordingly a message was sent to the
chiefs of the Kurds to give up the girl The
Kurds were enraged and not willing to
credit the authenticity of the order because
they had been instructed to prosecute the
Armenians. Besides, in the case of Gulizar, the
American girl who had been kidnapped by
them, nothing was done So they defied the
Government, saying that the girl mad be-
come Mussulman, and the case was re-
lgous. and not civil. affair.
The Porte finding itself again In dilemma
had either to expose the country to British
Invasion or to allow the Shah to act as
proxy. OF the two evils, the latter being
preferable, the Shah has been empowered
to act, because Persian interference can be