Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-04-29
PORTE BACKS DOWN.
A United States Cruiser Secures
Fair Treatment for Rev.
Mr.. Knapp.
Copyrighted. 1896, by the Associated Press

Copyrighted, 1896 by the Associated Press.
Constantinople, April 26 (via Sofia,
Bulgaria, April 2D-Rey. George p
Knapp, the American missionary, who
has been expelled from Bitlis by the
Turkish authorities without trial on the
charge of having melted Armenians to
rebel against the Turkish rule, was sur
rendered to the United States consul at
Alexandria Oil Saturday last. Details of
the affair which reached here today show
that the step was not taken until a Unit
ed States warship had been telegraphed
for.
Mr.. Knapp as already cabled, was ex-
PEELED from Bltlls about month ago IN
spite of an agreement reached between
the United States minister here, Alex
ander w. Terrell, and the Turkish govern
ment (after the charges against Mr..
Knapp had been discussed), that the
American missionary should not leave his
post until about April l, or until the
roads were tolerably free from snow, in
order that he might be able to take his
family with him. AS it was, the mis-
sionary was compelled to leave Bitlis
before the time agreed upon and without
his family. When he reached Diarbekir,
IN custody, the news was telegraDhed
here and the Turkish government posi-
lively asserted that Mr.. Knapp was the
guest" of the vail Of that place and not
a prisoner
1t is now stated that the missionary
has been a prisoner throughout his jour
ney to the coast and that the vail of
Aleppo detained him at that place for
five days while making futile efforts to
force him to sign an agreement not to
return to Bitlis under any circumstances.
Mr.. Knapp steadily refused to sign any
such agreement on the ground that he
h, i h.,1
way broken the laws of the country and
that the charges brought against him
were entirely unfounded. He also dis
tinctly gave the vail to understand that
he intended to protest to the United
States government against his expulsion
from Bitlis and his treatment in general
and to hold the Turkish authorities re-
sponSible for the safety of his family.
When the vail saw that it was useless
to continue his attempts to get Mr..
Knapp to sign the agreement mentioned,
the missionary was allowed to proceed,
still treated as Il prisoner, to AleXandret-
ia. 1t had been agreed between John
W. Riddle, the United States charge
d'affaires at Constantinople, and the
Turkish government that the American
missionary upon arriving at AleXandretta
was to be delivered to the United States
consul there and that the latter was to
see that Mr.. Knapp came on to this city
for trial before the representative of the
United States.
When the missionary reached AleXan-
dretta on April % in spite of the Porte's
promises the Turkish authorities refused
to deliver a formal protest against the
to deliver the prisoner to the United
States consul. The latter entered
formal protest against the de-
tention of the missionary and COM
municated by wire with Mr.. Rid
die, informing him that the Turk
ish officials intended to cXpel Mr..
Knapp from Turkish territory by
compelling him to embark on board a
steamer sailing for Europe on April "a
Thereupon Mr.. Riddle made energetic
representation to the Turkish govern
ment, demanding that the latter respect
its engagements and, In order to have
emphasis TO his remarks, the charge
d'affaires telegraphed to MerSina. where
the United States cruiser Marblehead
was at anchor asking the commander of
the vessel to proceed to AleXandretta
and place the cruiser at the disposal of
the United States consul at that port.
This prompt action on the part of Mr..
Riddle had a decided effect upon the
Porte. for the latter no sooner became
aware that the Marblehead had been tel
egraphed for than orders were sent to
AleXandretta for the release of Mr..
Knapp.
The American missionary is now free.
and will probably, by the advice of the
United States representative come to
this city and offer to have his conduct
at Bitlis thoroughly investigated by the
United States charge d'affaireS