The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-04-08
HE IS NOW IN JAIL,
Kew. George c. Knapp Imprisoned BY
the Turks,
MISSIONARIES WILL BE EXPELLED.
Imperial Trade Has Been Prepa rcd
and Signed.
'cs
PLOMATS ARE VERY ACTIVE.
MIR. knapp Charged with Enc,urnrIny
PLOMATS ARE VERY ACTIVE.


Constantinople, April 7.-(Copyrighted
1896, by the Associated Press advice
from Diarhekir indicate beyond rcasonahi
doubt that Rev. George c. Knapp. one o
the American missionaries at Bitlis /
coaiined at Diarbcl ir In Turkish Armenia
ana that he is TO be sent to Alexandrctta
a seaport on the bay of Iskanderun at thu
east end of the Mediterranean sea. Their,
he VIII he either shipped out of the coun
Try or delivered to the representatives O
the United States.
AT the first intimation of trouble tn.
| 'nited STATES charge d'aifaircs after com
| mnnicatng with the porte and receiving
/ an unsatisfactory reply. cabled to Wash
| insion for further instructions. and IL 4.
| now said the United States squadron IN
| the Mediterranean. consisting of the flag
| snip Minneapolis commanded by Admira
| Selfridge, and the cruiser Marblehead
| VIII go 10 the gulf of lskanderun and at
the same time formal protest against
the treatment of American missionaries
will be made to the porte. coupled tn
the demand for adequate indemnity for
damage recently done to the property OF
Americans.
The Imprisonment and proposed expul-
sion from the Turkish dominions of the
Key. Mr.. Knapp. an American missionary
~ Bitlis. Is Understood to be but Il pre-
hnirary TO the expulsion Of all the CHRIS
IAN missionaries. mostly American. Eng
lish and French Catholics, from Asialic
turkey. ana possibly from European Iur-
key as well Besides. it is rumored that
the'agents of the American Red Cross so
citty nov distributing relief iunus in
Asia'iG turkey. in the prcsehce OF the
PEELED from that part of the empire. In
supper; of this report II Is stated that an
mineral trade, providing for the expulsion
ana agents OF the Red Cross society of
America has already been signed by the
sultan. although 1t has not yet been issued
from the palace.
mat this is the cause would seem TO be
proved by the activity at the French
and British embassies during the past
few days and by the visits which the
United States charge d'affairs has made
to the port.
II is also known that a panic exists
dtch owing IT is explained. to the pres
ence there for some unknown reason OF "A
strong force of Turkish troops The
~ MED ted sintes charge d'affaiN has OBJ
the VII of Aleppo has been inst rlcted to |
protect the American missionaries In the
Suedich district. ln spite of The assur-
OIL past experiences. i, is considered quite |
important that the porte should promptly |
be made aware that the United States, |
termlned 10 protect the rights and prop
erty of Its citizens in the suitan's domin-
Ions OF course. in the matter of the
lirest. Imprisonment and proposed ex-
pulsion of the Rev. Mr. Knapp as in
another case of a similar NATURE there
are two sides to the question. The claim
'ionary is that he Is being uniustly per-
secuted by the Turkish authorities. ON
he other hand the Turkish authorities
Encouraged seditious movements among
he Armenians in spite Of official warn
ngs; II should he added, however. that
he British consul at Btlis. has carefully
inquired into the charges brought against
Mr.. Knapp and has pronounced them to
,c absurd. The American missionary.
'een decided to try him before the crimi-
lal court oil the charge of conspiring
vas notified TO appear, for trial. This
vas in February last Knapp Immediate
Y placed the matter, before United States
liniSter ,., Terrell and asked for the lat-
Missionary TO obey orders under protest,
ending action on the part OF the United I
lai ies minister ,h here Mr. Terrell then
cnt TO having Mr.. Knapp tried in the I
ianner proposed. and suggested that the a
ase be brought before a mixed commits
onary here in the presence of a repre- O
'ntative Of the United States govern
.cni bht ~ appears the roads We're 50
locked with snow until the end of last y
'onih that the missionary was unable to v
'avel to this city. Hence, II seems. his !,
rest and Imprisonment at DIarbekir.
ending his expulsion from Asiatic Tur- r.
ey ~ the first step In the determination t.
T the sultan to expel all Christian rai.- =,
onaries and agents Of the American Red u
ross. society. from Turkey. II Is he n
nved here that only prompt and ener- v
'tic action will prevent the issuing OF the
1perlal trade providing for the expulsion
the missionaries and Red Cross society Il
cents. nj