The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-04
THE SHAH OF PERSIA
"REMINISCENCES RECALLED BY DIR.
j. G. wIsHARD, OF THIS CITY.
He Was i'm Teheran When the Former
shah Was killed and Knows
Present Shah Personally.

portion of the lifetime of the
former Shah, connected with
missionary hospital at Teheran. Persia,
which was one of the largest institutions
of it's kind in the Orient. He knew the
Shah Nasr-ed-Din very we'll. and was dis
tant only few miles from the place of the
assassination at the time of it's occurrence.
His "reminiscences of the tragic event pos
sess exceptional interest at this time
81 was in my office at Teheran when
messenger came to me and announced that
the Shah had been shot," said the doctor.
upon inquiring as to the locality where
the shooting occurred, 1 was informed that
it was at a famous shrine, about six miles
from the city. to which the monarch had
gone to worship as a preliminary to his
celebration of the iftieth anniversary OF
his ascension to the throne. Preparations
for this celebration were being made upon
an unusually elaborate scale. Among the
festivities was to be banquet at which
large number of Europeans were eX-
pected to be present as we'll as the high
dignitaries of the Persian court. This was
out of the ordinary, because up TO that
time no Europeans had ever been invited
to eat in the palace of the King.
TOWN GAILY DECORATED.
'In anticipation of the great event. the
town was gaily decorated with flags and
bunting and the renowned gardens of Per-
STA teemed with their richest foliage. The
Shah was greatly beloved by his people,
and therefore the news of his assassina-
ton came as a great blow to every one.
The messenger who conveyed the news to
me was steward of the palace, an official
who sustained very close relations to the
monarch. The position Of royal steward
in Persia is one of great responsibility, the
duties being very important. For example,
the food intended TO be eaten by the Shah
must be brought to him by the steward
in sealed vessels and the seals are broken
in the presence of the ruler. This throws
the burden upon the steward in case of
poisoning or any other accident which
might happen. L started in my carriage
for the shrine, but before we reached the
place we met the mournful cavalcade re-
turning TO the palace. As the visit to the
holy place was an official one the Shah
had gone thither accompanied by his Cab
met and an escort of four or five thou
sand. AS the procession approached we
noted the carriage of the ruler, which is
the royal party.
THE Shah was seated in the rear of the
vehicle with the prime minister facing
him. busily engaged in tanning the mon
arch. The Shah looked as If he had sus-
tanned a serious mishap and had lost con-
siderable blood, being exceedingly pale,
but il did not occur to me at the time
that he was really dead. With rare pres
ence of mind and true Oriental astuteness.
the prime minister had placed the King
in a sitting position and was tanning him
frr ftn
The party was driven through the main
thoroughfares of the city and word was
given out that the Shah had been badly,
though not fatally wounded. This was
done in order to allow the minister time
in which to gain firm grasp of the reins
of government. since the heir apparent
to the throne resided some four hundred
miles away and would be Obliged to make
the Journey to Teheran by animal trans
portation, there being no railroads i'm Per-
STA. The dead monarch was taken in one
of the famous twelve golden chairs to one
OF the rooms in the palace built by the
great Shah Abbass.
MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE.
81 will never forget the magnificent spec
tacle furnished by the rays of the after
noon sun pouring in through the windows
and then being reflected from the large
pieces of mirror glass set in the stucco
work on the walls and ceilings and focused
with dazzling splendor directly upon the
dead King. Ii was sight At for an artist
However at the moment we were filed
with anxiety, not to say fear. lest the pop
ulace might rise up and overrun the city.
There was nothing for us TO do except TO
sign the death certificates and turn the
body over to the steward. We were very
glad indeed when We reached the street to
find the two regiments of Cossacks. which
are kept in Teheran by the Russian gov
N q N a in
ing order. The prime minister who attend
ed the Shah Masaffer-Ed-Din the other
day, when the attempt was made on his
life, Immediately took charge of the gov
eminent when the Shah Nasr- Ed-Din was
assassinated, and carried il forward until
the present ruler arrived from Tabriz and
assembled the throne. The new ruler was
fearful that there might be an organized
plot which included himself, but this was a
mistake. The assassin was religious ia
matte, and was hanged some time after,
and nothing more was heard Of the affair
''I was acquainted with the present Shah
before he assembled the throne" continued
DIR. Wishard. land have since known him
as a physician might know man of his
high rank. He is about forty-eight years
old, and had very poor health until about
three years ago, when he suddenly became
strong and vigorous. With returning health
came a manifestation of greater stamina in
his conduct of the government than 1t had
been supposed he possessed. Like his dis
ways been anxious to visit Europe, and no
doubt he will carry back TO his country
many helpful ideas, just as his father did
on his two or three European trips. When
he became King the Shah Masaffer- ed Din
instituted a number OF reforms. among
which was a reduction of certain taxes and
a more careful method of expanding the
revenues of the country.
EFFECT ON ORIENTAL MIND.
1.-THE question arises just at this time AS
TO what effect the attempt upon the life OF
the Shah will have upon the Oriental mind
| in Persia, i'm view of the disturbances In
| China. There is no doubt that the unsettled
condition in China is more closely watched
| by the Persians than would be the most
active war in the western world. For in
| stance. during the conflict between China
and Japan, several years ago, dispatches
| from the seat of war were eagerly awaited
| and read with a great deal more interest by
| the Perslans than those which told of the
| struggle between the United States and
| Spain Not little fear has been expressed
| at times lest the trouble in China extend
| and assume the proportions of general
war throughout Asia II Il, therefore. most
| unfortunate that anything should occur In
| Europe just now &c excite the people OF
| Persia and ALLEVIATE them from the western
| world.
1.-The Shah himself has always been ex
| tremely kind TO foreigners. especially Il
| Americans. His former physician was al
| American who. by the way. was educa tee
at Wabash College. I'm Charlottesville. This
| ruler was very kind TO me during my stay
| in Teheran, and when / left sent me tn,