The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-10

CoNsTANTINoPLE, April 8, via So
fla, Bulgaria, April 9.-It now appears
according to seml-omclal statement,
that the Turkish government bases its
action In eXpelllng or allowing the eX-
pulslon by local authorities OF Bitlis OF
the American missionary. the Rev.
Mr.. George T. Knapp. on an under;
standing reached between the porte and
and United States Minister Terrell. 1t
Is added that II was agreed between the
government and Mr.. Terrell that the
Rev. Mr.. Knapp was to leave Bitlis In
April, and, in consequence, when the
missionary took no steps to depart, the
local officials OF Bitlls politely invited
him TO leave. At thnt time 1t Is also
stated the United States charge DAT
flares, Mr. John w. Riddle. had no Off
c!al explanation on the subject.
Mr. Knapp has left Diabektr for Alep-
po and from there, unless the plans Of
the Turkish government are intertered
with the American missionary Will be
invited" to so to Ale&andretta IN order
that he may embark upon q steamer
there.
Il is generally believed here that the
expulsion OF Mr.. Knapp Is only the iirst
step taken by the sultan In the direction
u eXpelling all Protestant and Catholic
missionaries. as we'll as the agents Of
the American Red Cross Society from
Armenia. for the purpose OF making
way for priests OF the Russian church.
This is believed to be the basis of the
understanding Tor secret treaty. ar
rived at between Russia and Turkey
when the fleets Of the powers had as
scmbled in the bay Of Salonica, and the
question of coercinB Turkey by dis
play OF naval strength before Constnn-
tinople had been almost decided upon.
4 plausible pretext, however, had to be
found for such nn important move, and
4, was agreed that the work OF the mis-
sionarles should be pointed TO as being
OF a dlsquIetIng nature and as likely to
!ncite the Armenians TO rebellion.
RuSssa'h Hand!
This was to be followed by closely
watching the most active and Jealous OF
tho missionaries and to prepare the
ground work for charges against them
Of encouraging the Armenians to re-.
volt against the suitan's rule. During
the last series oE ttiassncres In Armenia
Il was continually claimed that the up
risings were the work Of the Armenian
revolutionary agents; lately, however,
since the collapse Of the proposed naval
demonstration as o result OF the secret
agreement arrived at between Turkey
and Russia, Il has been Whispered In
the right quarters that the missionaries
were at the back OF the revolutionary
agents; that to the missionaries should
lie traced the real cause OF the uprising
and that upon them should fall the
blame for the bloodshed by the Turks
In .'suppressing disorder"
But for the Interference OF Minister
Terrell II Is believed that Mr.. Knapp
would have been found guilty Of high
treason, and that alleged proof would
have been furnished not only Of his
guilt, but OF the guilt Of the misslonar-
les as a body. Here 1t was that the
United States minister lnterfered and
tile hand Of the Turk vas stayed for
awhile. But. as now clearly shown, Mr.
Knapp Is being expelled from Asiatic
Turkey, and nobody here doubts that
this Is only the first OF O series OF such
expulsions which win end with driving
ali the American. British and French
missionaries out Of Turkey, at the In
stance OF Russia, and in accordGnee
with the iatteFss policy Of beginning the
RussianlEing OF Asiatlo Turkey.