The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-12
RICHEST MAN IN TURKEY.
He Is an Armenian Who Is "a Natu
rallied American.


From the Chicago Record.
The richest man in Turkey is an Ar
menian who is naturalized American citi-
zen and lived in this country for several
years. If the stories told In the diplo-
matte circle of Constantinople are true
he came by his money in a peculiar man
ner 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 obtain.
which he stored away in his palace as a
reserve fund in case of a war with Rus
STA which had been impending for some
time. The amount Of his accumulations
has been variously estimated from $1,000
600 to $40, O00, 600, and was undoubtedly con-
siderably In excess of.the latter sum. Most
of it was in English French and Ger
man securities that drew interest and were
easily convertible at any bank in any city
of Europe
Although the assassination was a mys-
terry, Ii it believed to have been inspired
If it was not actually accomplished by Mi
dad Pasha, the minister of finance from
ayaricious motives. He alone was aware
of the magnitude of the Sultan's hoard,
and the place of its concealment, and af-
ter his sovereign's death, by virtue of his
position he took charge of the fund and
pretended to deposit il in the public treas
ury. But 1t is believed by those most IA
niliar with Turkish affairs that ne re-
tanned for his own benefit a large part
perhaps one-half of (which for motives
of self-protection, he intrusted to the Ar
renian banker have named, and direct
ed him to take the bonds to London and
Paris and there deposit them in such
manner that their ownership could not be
traced to Midad Pasha. 1t is also believed
to have been the latter's intentions 10
withdraw a portion of this property from
conceainent as soon as he felt safe n do
ing so.
But not long afterward Midad Pasha
was himself assassinated in the boldest
and most Astounding manner. He was at
tending a meeting of the ministry, when
he was informed that a messenger was
awaiting him in the ante-room with con-
fdential communication that must be de-
livered Immediately and to himself alone
Midad left his colleagues and entered the
ante-room, where an unknown man imne
diately plunged dagger into his heart
The palace guard, hearing his death cry
and the fall of his body, Immediately rush
ed to the room and shot the assassin before
he could escape Although the police con-
tinued their Investigations for ronthsthey
were never able to identify the assassin or
associate any one else with the crime, but
the knowing ones believe he was a ruftian
imported from the mountains by the Ar
menian banker referred to. and was hand
somely paid to commit the deed. On the
evening of Mdad's assassination the Ar
menian merchant went to Midad's palace
and informed his widow that there were
concealed in a certain strong box certain
papers that would connect her husband
with a conspiracy against the crown and
would undoubtedly cause the arrest and
confiscation Of the property If they were
discovered. The frightened widow. already
beside herself with excitement because of
the assassination, begged him to search
her husbands papers and destroy am ques-
tionable or suspicious documents. He spent
the night at this work. and among the pa
pers burned that night are believed TO have
been the evidence of Midads ownership In
the bonds that have made the Armenian
the richest man in Turkey.