The Dickinson press., 1896-04-11
KNAPP is In JAIL
AMERICAN MISSIONARY OCCUPIES 4
CELL IN TURKEY.
International Complications Are
Likely to Follow and u Naval
Demonstration by the United
States In Poxxible-An Attempt to
Expel All the Missionaries From
TurI<ixh TERRITORY.

COnstantinople. April 3.--A.lvices re-
ceivcd here to-day from Diarhekir i'll
uic:'tc beyond any reasonable doubt
that the Rev. Mr.. George G. Knapp.
one of the American missionaries AT.
Bitlis, is confined in the Jail mt Diar-
bekir. capital of the vilayet of that
name. in Turkish Armenia, and that
serious international complications are
more than likely to follow. The Turk
ish government. replying to the rep
resentations of the United States
charge da1faires. John w. Riddle. has
announced through the minister for
foreign affairs that no news has been
received by the porte regarding the re-
ported expulsion of the Rev. Mr.
Knapp from Bitlis. and it was init
mated that il it was true that he had
arrived ut Diarbekir it would appear
that the loc,l authorities were desir-
Gus of secretly cXpelling the Ameri-
can missionary. But the latest news
from Darbekir shows that this can
not possibly be the case. as it is fur
thrr announced that the Rev. Mr..
Knapp is to be sent from Diarbekir to
AleXindrrtta. IL seaport on the Bay of
lskarrlln, opening into the eastern por-
either shipped out of the country or
delivered to the representatives of the
United States.
~ the first intimation of trouble llle
United states charge d'affaircs, after
communicating with the porte and re-
relving unsatisfactory replies. cabled
to Washington for further instructions,
ami it is now said that the United
States squadron in the Mediterranean,
consisting of the flagship Minneapolis,
commanded by Admiral II. o. Self
ridge. and the cruiser Marblcheal, will
shortly assemble in the Gulf of Iskan-
run. and at the same time IL formal
protest against the treatment of Amer
lean missionaries may he made to the
porte. coupled with the demand for an
adequate indemnity for the damage
recently done the property of Amcri-
cans.
lhe Imprisonment and proposed On
plllSion from the Turkish dominions of
tn" Rev. MIR. Knapp is. however. un-
derS'tmd to be but Il preliminary to
the expulsion of all the Christian mis-
si"nailcS. mostly Americans. English
ana French Catholics. from Asiatic
turkey. and possibly from European
Turkey as well. Besides. it is rumored
1n:t the agent of the American Red
Cross society now distributing relief
funds in ASiatic Turkey in the pres.
cnrr OF local Turkish officials, are also
I" hc expelled from that part of the
empire. In support of this report it is
stated that an imperial trade. provid-
ing for the expulsion from Turkey Of
the Christian missionaries and agents
OF the American Rcd Cross society
has already been signed by the sultan.
although II has not vet been issued
from the palace
No Excitement in Warrington.
Washington. April The Offcials at
the state department are fully aware
of the condition of the missionaries in
Turkey and of the developments in the
ease of Missionary Knapp. but they re-
fuse to discuss thu, matter However
it is apparent that they do not feel un-
der any great degree of apprehension
as to serious trouble in Turkey.
II is quite certain that no orders
have gone forward to Admiral Self
rage to gather his fleet in the Gulf of
lskanderun, to make any sort of a
demonstration. and. although lie has
large measure of discretion and au-
thority in the movements of his ships
it is unlikely he would go so far as to
make II naval demonstration without
the sanction and direction of the navy
department..
So far as the ease of Missionary
Knapp is concerned. ii presents no
feature of novelty. and the only point
involved on its face is the old u,lcs-
tion of extra territorial jurisdiction 10y
orr legation in Turkey. The state do
lmltm"nt has insisted upon the cXer-
else of this right steadfastly. and the
correspondence sent to the present con-
%rrSS relative to the Armenian troubles
show That, although the Turkish gov
rrlllnent always has interpOSctl OBJ
| SthclcS to the exercise of this right it
has generally conceded the point. 1t
is presumed that this will lc til" out
come of the case of Mr.. Knapp.