The Portland daily press., 1899-02-15
TURKEYS GREATEST MILLIONAIRE
The story That Is Told of How He Col
His Great Fortune.

From the Chicago Record
The richest man in Turkey Is an Ar
menian who Is q nsturalized American
eral years. II the stories told In the
diplomatic circle of Constantinople are
true he came BY his money in o peculiar
manner. II will be remembered that the
Sultan Aziz WAS assassinated In 1876. For
several years prior to his death he &C.
cumulAted all the money and bonds he
ooul1 obtain, which he stored away In
his place as reserve fund In case Of q
war With Russia. which had bsen impsnd.
ing for some time. The amount Of his
accommodations has been vsriously ssti
mated from 90. oo0, 200 to 90. oo0. 900. AID
WAS undoubtedly considerably In excess Of
the latter sum. Most Of IL was In Eng
lish, French and German securities that
drew interest and were easily convertible
at any bank in any city Of Europe.
Although the assassination was mys-
tory it..is believed to have been inspired II
IL was not actually accomplished BY
Midad PnshA, the Minister Of Finance.
from avaricious motives. He alone was
aware Of the magnitude Of the Sultan's
hoard and the place Of its ooncsalmsnt,
and after his sovsreign's death. by virtue
Of his position. he took charge of the fund
and pretended to deposit II In the public
treasury. But 1t is believed by those most
familiar with Turk ish affairs that he re-
tained for bis own benefit large part
rh. hal Of tt-vvhtNh mn va
of seif-protection he intrusted 30 the Ar
menian banker have named and directed
him take the bonds to London and
Paris . I'd there deposit them In such .
manner that their ownership could not BE-
traced to Midad Pasha. II Is also be
lieved TO have been the latter's intention
to withdraw a portion OF this property
from concealinent - ICON ~ he felt safe
In doing so.
But not long afterwArd Midad Pasha
was himself assassinated In the boldest
and most astounding manner. He was
attending = meeting Of the Ministry.
when he was Informed that q messenger
was awaiting him In the antsroom With
q confidential comm unicatiou that must
be delivered Immediately and to himself
alons. Midad left his colleagues and en-.
tered the Anteroom. whore an unknown
man immediately plunged . dagger into
his heart. The palace guard, hearing his
death cry and the fAIl OF hlo Oo0y, tmme-
diately 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 ideu-
tify the assassin or associate any one else
with the crime. but the knowing ones be-
lieva shat he was ruffiau imported from
the mountains by the Armenian banker
referred to and was handsomely paid TO
commit the deed. On the evening of
Midad's assassination the Armenian
merchant went to Midad's palace and in.
formed his widow that there were CON-
cealed in u certain strong box certain
papers that would connect her husband
with conspiracy against the crown and
would undoubtedly cause the arrest and
imprisonment Of the entire family and
the connscation Of the property II the y
we're discovered. The frightened widow,
already beside herself with excitement
because of the assassination, begged him
to search her husbands papers and de-
stroy all questionable or suspicious docu-
ments He spent the night at this work,
and among the papers burned that NIGH
are believed to have been the evidence of
Midad's ownership In the bonds that have
made the Armenian the richest man in
Turkey.