The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-07
A MONARCH IN PRISON.
Turkeys Deposed Sultan Immured in {
Bosphorous Palace,

Turkeys Deposed Sultan Immured in a
Bosphorous Palace.
1t is not generally known that a tragic
drama equal to that Of THE Man in the
Iron Mask" supposed pretender to the
throne of France, has been played In the
present day and generation on the banks of
the Bosphorus, which, although the victim
is known, unlike the unfortunate French
man, is strangely similar in its leading feat
ures and in the sternly tragic situation Of
the hero, says the New York Advertiser
Since the present Sultan of Turkey,
Abdul-Hamid, mounted the throne sixteen
years ago hi. elder brother and predecessor,
Mourad, has been immured as state pris-
oner at Cheragan, palace on the Bos-
phorus, near the splendid palace of Dolma
Bagtche, which is devoted TO the reception
and entertainment of foreign ambassadors
and princes visiting Constantinople. Dur
ing all this time Mourad's nearest and dear
est friends have not been permitted to see
or correspond with him or have the certain
ty whether he is living or dead. No beat or
caique is ever allowed 10 approach near the
bank on which the palace-prison is situated
and both by land and water the entrance
and garden walls are jealousy guarded.
Neither is his face or figure ever seen at any
of the windows of the palace wherein he has
been buried alive for all these long years-if
he has survived his imprisonment.
The ascension of MouTad to the throne
was heralded by a palace tragedy of the
uncle, Abdui-Aziz. His pretended suicide
has long since been discredited and disbe-
lieved by those who should know best the
circumstances surrounding that occurrence.
Not finding Mourad sufficiently plable for
their purposes the consDirators. after a
few weeks trial, quietly deposed him by a
palace plot, headed by his Ministers and
the Sheikul-Islm, 'the head of the faitl,"
without any popular disturbance or effusion
OF blood. His brother was declared Sultan,
and Mourad disappeared from the sight of
man, like bubble vanishing from the face
OF the waters.
Every memorial of the lost man is for
bldden circulation there.
There is refinement of cruelty In the
place selected as Mourad's prison, over
Looking as 1t does the smiling beauties of the
Bosphorus, an earthly paradise, over which
his weary eyes are not allowed to roam, and
overlooked by the palace of YeldeZ Kiosh.
wherein his more fortunate brother, the
present Sultan, in whose interest he was de-
posed, enjoys his seat and throne. The
Man Of the Iron Mask" was occasionally
permitted 10 catch glimpses of the outer
world, but his less fortunate Turkish sue
cessor has not even that privilege and
whether he may be alive or dead to-day is a
palace mystery more unsolyable than that
Of the Sphinx.
The rule of succession to the Turkish
throne Is that the eldest male of the blood
OF Othman shall always succeed to the in
nerltance, which does not follow the direct
line, as In Europe. Under this rule Mourad
was elevated to the throne. and the reason
given Tor MS deposition was his alleged
weakness OF intellect, although it was more
than whispered al Constantinople that this
pretext was without foundation, the real
cause having been his sympathy with Euro