The herald., 1896-04-28
Held a Prisoner by the Turkish
Authorities
ORDERED TO LEAVE TURKEY
The First Step Toward the Removal of
All the Missionaries
A Request That the Cruiser Marblehead Pro.
coed to AIexandretta Brings the Porte
to Its Senses
Associated Press Special Wire.

CONSTANTINOPLE, April 26 (via
Sofia, Bulgaria. April 2O.-Rev. George
p. Knapp, the American missionary ex-
PEELED from Bitlis by the Turkish author
tiles without trial, on charge of having
melted the Ar1nenians to rebel against
Turkish rule, was surrenderel to the
United States consul at AleSandretta on
Saturday. Details on the affairs which
reached here today show that the step
was not taken until United States war
ship had been telegrapned for. Knapp
will probably. by advice OF the United
States representatives come to this city
and have his conduct at Bitlis investi-
gated before the charge d'affaires.
Mr.. Knapp as already cabled, was ex-
PEELED from Bitlis about a month ago, in
spite of the agreement reached between
the United States minister here, Mr..
Terrell, and the Turkish government
(after the charges against Mr.. Knapp
had been discussed). that the Amer ican
missionary should not leave his post un
til April lst, or until the roads were toll
erably free from snow. in order that he
might be able to take his family with
him.
AS 1t was, the missionary was compell-
ed to leave Bitlis before the time agreed
upon and without his family. When he
reached Diarbekir in custody, the news
was telegraphed here and the Turkish
government positively asserted that Mr.:
Knapp was'the guest of the vail of that
place and not prisoner"
1t Is now stated that the missionary
has been a prisoner throughout his jour
ney to the coast AMI that the vail OF
Aleppo detained him at that place for five
days while making futile efforts to make
him sign an agreement not to return to
Bitlis. Mr.. Knapp steadily refused to
sign any such agreerlnt. on the ground
that he had committed no crime an
had in no way broken the laws OF the
country, and that the charges brought
against him were entirely unfounded.
He also distinctly gave the vail to tln-
derstand that he intended to protest to
the United States government against
his expulsion from Bitlis, and his treat
ment in general, and to hold the Turkish
authorities responsible for the safety OF
his family.
When the vail saw that 1t was useless
to continue his attempts to get Mr.
Knapp to sign the agreement mentioned
the missionary was allowed TO proceed,
still treated as a prisoner. to Alexan-
dretta- 1t had been agreed between j.
W. Riddle, the American charge daft
faires at Constantinople, and the Turk
ish government. that the American mis-
'sfonary upon arriving at A1exandretta
was to be delivered to the United States
consul there and the latter was to see
that Mr.. Knapp came on to this city for
trial before the representative of the
United States. but when the missionary
reached Alexandretta on April %, in
spite of the porte's promises. the Turk
ish authorities refused to deliver the
prisoner to the United States consul.
The latter entered a formal protest
against the detention Of the missionary
and communicated by wire with Mr..
Riddle, informing him that the Turkish
officials intended to expel Mr.. Knapp
from Turkish territory by compelling
him to embark on board a steamer sail
Ing for Europe on April a.
Thereupon Mr.. Riddle made energetic
representations to the Turkish govern
ment demanding that the latter respect
Its engagements, and in order to give
emphasis to his remarks the charge
d'affaires telegraphed to Marsina, where
the United States cruiser Marblehead
was at anchor, asking the commander
to proceed to Alexandretta and place
the cruiser at the disposal of the United
States consul at that port. This prompt
action upon the part of Mr.. Riddle had
decided effect upon the porte. for the
latter no sooner became aware that the
Marblehead had been telegraphed for
than orders were sent to Alexandretta
for the release of Mr.. Knapp.
Those in position to know the facts
Of the case assert that the charges
against Mr.. Knapp are groundless and
that the latter's expulsion was only a
ballon d'assai. which, if allowed to
pass without protest, would probably
have resulted in similar action being
taken against other missionaries and
eventually against all Protestant and
Catholic missionaries in Adriatic Tur-
key; for. all denials to the contrary, the
sultan has prepared to take this step
and only gave up the plan upon the ad-
vice of the Russian ambassador. who.
however, is credited, rightly or wrongly,
with having conveyed to the sultan the
plan of getting rid Of the missionaries.
Mr.. Riddle, during the past few days,
1t IS understood, has been in communi-
cation with Washington regarding the
case of Mr.. Knapp, and 1t is believed
that a most searching inquiry will be
made into<Sl the circumstances attend
ing the expulsion of the American mis-
sionary from Bitlis, in order that no
doubt shall remain as to who is to blame
in the matter, and it is believed a pre-
cedent which may serve as a guide
should further and similar occurrences
be presented.