Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-01
RICHEST MAN IN TURKEY.
He is n Naturalized American Citizen,
Whose Wealth is Bloodstained.

Whose Wealth is Bloodstained.
The richest man in Turkey is an
Armenian, who is naturalized Ameri-
can citizen, and lived in this country
for several years, writes W. E. Curtis
in the Chicago Record. If the stories
told in the diplomatic circle of Con-
stantinople are true he came by his
money in a peculiar manner. 1t will
be remembered that the Sultan Aziz
was assassinated in 1876. For several
years prior to his death he accumulated
all the money and bonds he could OBJ.
tain, which he stored away in his
war with Russia, which had been i'm
pending for some time. The amount
of his accumulations has been variously
estimated from $10,00O,O00 to $40.
600. 900, and was undoubtedly con.
siderably in excess of the latter sum.
Most of it was in English, French and
German securities, that drew interest,
and were easily convertible at any
bank in any city of Europe.
Although the assassination was a
mystery, it is believed to have been
inspired, if it was not actually accom-
plished, by Midad Pasha, the Minister
of Finance, from avaricious motives.
He alone was aware of the magnitude
of the Sultan's hoard and the place of
its concealment, and after his
Sovereign's death, by virtue of his
position, he took charge of the fund
and pretended to deposit 1t in the
public treasury. But it is believed
by those most familiar with Turkish
affairs that he retained for his own
benefit large part-perhaps one-half
of it-which, for motives of self-pro-
lection, he intrusted to the Armenian
banker have named, and directed
him to take the bonds to London and
Paris and there deposit them in such
q manner that their ownership could
not be traced to Midad Pasha. 1t is
also believed to have been the latter's
intentions to withdraw portion of
this property from concealment as
soon as he felt safe in doing so.
But not long afterward Midad Pasha
was himself assassinated in the bold.
est and most astounding manner. He
was attending meeting of the
Ministry, when he was informed that
messenger was awaiting him in the
! ante-room with confidential COM
munication that must be delivered
Immediately and to himself alone.
Midad left his colleagues and entered
the ante-room, where an unknown
man Immediately plunged dagger
into his heart. The palace guard,
hearing his death cry and the fall of
his body, Immediately rushed to the
room and shot the assassin before he
could escape. Although the police
continued their investigations for
months, they were never able to
identify the assassin or associate any
one else with the crime, but the know
ing ones believe he was o ruffian i'm
ported from the mountains by the
Armenian banker referred to, and was
handsomely paid to commit the deed.
On the evening of Mldad's assassina-
ton the Armenian merchant went to
Midad's palace and informed his
widow that there were concealed in
certain strong box certain papers that
would connect her husband with
conspiracy aSains1 the croWh uHu
would undoubtedly cause the arrest
and Imprisonment of the entire family
and the confscation of the property if
they were discovered. The frightened
widow, already beside herself with
excitement because of the assassina-
tion. begged him to search her hus-
bands papers and destroy all ques-
tionable or suspicious documents. He
spent the night at this work, and
among the papers burned that night
are believed to have been the evidence
of Midad's ownership in the bonds
that have made the Armenian the rich
est man in Turkey.