The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-03
sentenced to death and two to imprison-

ment. The instructions continued:
And now after the lapse of months, DUR
ing which the legation has repeatedly urged
the execution OF the law, the cnie1 crlnihai
remains unpublished NOR is there any appar-
cnt ground for supposing that the sentence
OF the Turkish court Will be carried OUT py
the Turkish government. L nave, 'hsie-
fore. TO direct you TO demand, In nrm put
temperate terms, the immediate execution
of the sentence pronounced against the
murderers of DR.. Parsons; and TO let the
Turkish government distinctly comprehend
that no evasions or excuses on its part Will
be regarded in friendly light, or as war
ranting further delay of justice.
General Wallace obeyed these instruc-
tions faithfully, but with no satisfactory
result. Nor did he obtain satisfaction from
the Sultan in any other case of outrage on
American citizens in Turkey. In the case
of one DIR. Phaum. for whom General Wal
lace tried to get justice and failed, ne SAID
fin a dispatch to the State Department: IF
without impertinence 1 may express an
opinion it appears to me that there Is a
greater necessity than ever for vigorously
pressing the indemnity demand in DIR.
Pfaums behalf" In another case in which
Mr.. Knapp, an American citizen. had been
robbed of real estate and personally as
saulted General Wallace wrote the State
Department.
1t follows the proceedings in the case
of Dr. Pfiaum by saying that IRREGULAR
ties having been committed by the judge
OF the examining court and the deputy OF
the imperial prosecuting attorney, they nave
been put under Judgment In the nrst
place we are not informed of the irregular
tiles discovered. In the next place we are
not told what the judgment is under which
the two officials have been put. Nevertne-
less, the President is expected to be salts
fed with what is here doled out to us and
forego further demands. Such is evidently
the purpose of the communication. Mr.
Knapp is now in America. When he was
here he was taken by the interpreter of the
legation before the minister OF justice ana
in answer to a question put by that ofn-
cial said: 'They brought four or five men
to me, and / was asked IL any OF them
were my assailants? 1 pointed at one of
them and answered, Yes. that is the man.. !"
The individual thus clearly identified was
Moussa Bey, who, | am informed. is to be
seen every day going about in perfect
freedom / respectfully advance the
same opinion in this matter as In the case
or Dr.. Phaum.
AS far as known not one of these cases.
which arose nearly twenty years ago. has
ever been settled in any way whatever. ex-
cept by the Sultan's evasions and broken
promises, ending in Oblivion. Our relations
with Turkey have continued to be such as
gentleman could maintain with an out
law president Arthur said in his last an
nual message: Certain questions between
the United States and the Ottoman empire
still remain unsolved. Complaints on be-
half of our citizens are not satisfactorily
adjusted" President Cleveland said in the
10 h
/ do not believe that the present somber
prospect in Turkey will be long permitted
to offend the sight of Christendom. 1t so
mars the humane and enlightened civiliza-
ton that belongs to the close of the nine
teenth century that it seems hardly posi-
BILE that the earnest demand of good people
throughout the Christian world for it's cor
rective treatment will remain unanswered
In so far as "the somber prospect in
cluded unsettled claims for outrages to
American citizens it continued unchanged.
and President Mckinley said in his second
annual message:
The new minister of the United States to
the Ottoman Porte carries instructions
looking to the disposal of matters in con-
troversy with Turkey for a number of
years. He is especially charged to press
for just settlement of our claims for in
demnity by reason of the destruction of the
property of American missionaries, resi-
dent in that country during the Armenian
troubles of 1895. as well as for the recogni-
ton of older claims of equal justice.
The record of the Turkish government in
national and international affairs is one of
unbroken and unmitigated infamy. To
say that the Sultan is an honest man of
good intentions is equivalent to saying that
he is without power or influence in the
Turkish government, whereas the world
knows he is an absolute despot. The United
States may not be able to force him to pay
the claims it is now pressing, but It can
pillory him before the world as the fit head
of government unworthy to be recognized
lin the family of nations.