New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-08
COURTESY OF THE TURKS.
KINDLY AND DIGNIFlED WHEN MOI EN-
KIRRASSED By INTRIGUES.
Constantinoplc, January 16.

Yet one rarely spares llHlc Ioi sUO'"i o'''''' ''
Turks without realizing that when TINS mas oeeh
said all has not been said. BON theIr courtesy
and their conversation have certain fascination
which leaves a permanent impression on the mlhd
The Greeks of Turkey are smart and even brilliant
in conversation the Armcnians are suave in their
courtcses 10 the verge of otSequlousLess; the
rulI- bloodcd Nohammedan Turk is bland and
atTahle. but dignilcd in manner and picturesque
and humorous i'm colloquy. You leave him GER
tain Chat the enjoyment of the interview has been
mutual and sure that he is too nearly OF your own
flesh and blood to be n mere butt for glib criticism
No foreigner ever has had the privilege OF con-
versation with the Sultan without bringing away
something Of this feeling as to hls character
coupled with an assurance that he has a firm
purpose of wise and kindly administration. ii is
the fine old Oriental hospitality which thus sweet
ems all the lesser relations OF the turkish Govern
ment with representatives Of the foreign Powers
and leads to striking demonstrations OF friend
ship whenever the opportunity of making them is
not handicapped by polite complications. The
friendly feeling of Turkey for the United States
has been manifested frequently. and another
instance Of the Sutans goodwill was afforded
by his attentions TO Mr.. Whicaw Reid few
weeks ago. The Sultan sent stail officers to con-
duct Mr.. Reid to the principal sights OF the city,
and opened to his inspection the ancient treasury
of the boarded Jewels Of the House Of Osman. IN
the low-vaulted rooms of the Palace Of Top kapou.
He caused him to be taken up the BosphOrus in
steam launch from the Admiralty. and gave
state dinner in his honor at the Palace Of llldz
Court carriages in all their glory of pediSrced
horses and golden harness and dazzling outriders
whircd through the streets of Pcra, between
crowds gaping on the sidewalk and carried Mr..
.tst . 10 safp thn ora
tion to the feast in the Abode of Felicity
At the table Mr.. Reid was placed on the right
hand of Add III lIamid, and next to him was
placed the Grand Nzicr, who is at home in Eng
sh. to act as Interpreter for the man whom tho
Sultan delighted TO honor As if this was not
enough. the Sultan, after the dinner. further
recalled the hearty generosics of the old CaliphS
by comforting upon Mrs. Reid the decoration of
the first class of the Ladies' Order, which IN
appropriately named the order of Shefakat Com
passion
The willingness Of the great functionaries of
Turkey to show fricndlincsS TO foreign nations
has to he more circumspcctly exhibited in dealing
with Europeans They are at odds with each
other. and intrigue is their constant occupation
al the Porte 4 striking illustration Of this fact
is the recent Lutsi case, where special favor
was shown to Russia out Of sheer good humor by
placing the police Of the city under the orders
" tie servants Il the Car for the arrest Of political
refugees. So great is the indignation which this
action has aroused that the story il worth telling
Not long ago Russian spies in Europe reported
that a certain Nhlist whom we viii call Bofet-
ski. was coming to Turkey in order 10 obtain from
the eX-Gcorgian Prince Miltun certain papers con-
tanning valuable information for the NlhllSt cAies
and presumably for the Gar himself About the
same time il was discovered that Prince Miltun
had gone T. Sophia - visit Lutski, an eN-kussian
officer in the employ of the bulgarian Government
and il was suspected that the object OF ms WISH
was 10 have Lutski take the papers TO Boretski.
This would spare the Nihilist the risks OF journey
to Constantnople At once the Russian Ambassa-
dor sctahs wits TO work 10 capture the tro-foret-
ski. the Nihilist; Prince Miltun, who had fed -
Turkey about the time Of the last Russian war and
had become a Turkish subject, and LutSki, who
had been sent to Bulgaria hy the Car but had
declined to leave that country when the Russian
officers were recalled after the rupture with
Prince Alexander of I}attcnhcrg In l7SJ. LutskI
was i'm fact a dcsertcr from the Russian army. lie
added 10 this the crime of giving the Bulgarlana
efficient aid in repcllins the Scrvian attack, 'y
which Russia first sought 10 abolish Prince Alex
andcr.
Wien the Prince Kidnapped Lutskl
was also arrested but escaped and fled To Cons'an-
tinopc. where he remained for some time, support
ing himself by teaching. few months ago he
returned 10 Bulgaria and took service under the
Government as "A civil engineer ms alone was
enough 10 make the Russian Government desire u
Iav lis maternal hands upon him. Russians are not
renowned examples Of patient endurance "i nan"
through devotion to moral principles. The means
by which the Russian Ambassador 1urthetcd MS
plans may not be too sharply scrutlnzed Ihc}
involved the friendly SUBMISSION TO nm %
the Turkish telcgraphs as well as oil thc 'eI'-
grams, and the friendly assistance oil tAe
Turkish nolicc First the Turkish police was IN
formed that Prince Miltun was chief consplra'"r
in the Armenian revolutionary movement. and
was told that as he had thus been false 10 his
adopted country, his papers might well be handed
over 10 Russia. even if he himself was not dealt
with for his former sins Miltun was arrested
and all his papcrs were seized. but he was I'M
prisoncd. and the papers held for examination,
instead of being surrendered 10 the Russians.
As soon rs lac was out of the way telegram
was sent from the Russian Embassy TO LutsH in
Sophia, To which the signature OF Mlltun was
forged chilling him - ConstaniInople on I'M
portant business LutSki did not understand the
telegram, for Miltun had been with him but
four DAYS before and he replied that he could not
come This answer was delivered 10 the Russian
Ambassador although addressed to MlliW.
Another forged telegram, more urgent, was sent
70 Lutsl,i as from Prince Mltun, and shortly
the Russian agents in Sophia were able TO tclc-
praph that Lutski had left on certain train
for Constantnoplc. When the train arrived
al Constantinoplc LutsH was arrested by the
Turkish police under the orders of member
Of the Sultans staff, and was AT once handed over
70 a band Of Russians in civilian dress, who
were waiting on the platform. These men gagged
and handcuiIcd their prisoner, and dragged him
to the railway wharf where a steam launch Was
waiting In half an hour he was on board Of
n Russian steamer driving up the Rosphorus at
full speed, and he is now safely Gagged at st.
Petersburg. Meanwhile Borctski, the third man