The evening times., 1901-01-26
a TURKs MUsTAcHE SACRED.
Great EndIEnIty Inflicted on stn-
dent III Philadelphia


PHILADELPHIA. Jan 26--For a dozen
or more students TO jump on one OF their
rulaber and shave his musJache because /
he i foreigner evidently is conceived 10
be a feat o. great cleverness and surpass-
ing humor by the undergraduates OF the
Medico-ChI
This is the treatment which was ac-
corded Thursday % John Loutfan. a
Turkish student. at thz college in this
city The foreigner. because Of his igno-
rance Of our language and customs re
cejres a I55de more courtesy tran the
average individual at the hands oi fair
minded and well-bred persons
Loutfan said yesterday. Ever since /
have been studying here dozen Of the
men have lost no opportunity TO insult me
because of my na tiouality and my religion.
I believe in the Koran. they believe in the
Bible, and who is to say which IS rightZ
I submitted to their jokes and hazing
because ] thought they were meant good
naturedIy and though I am unusually
strong ! have never lifted 4 hlSer 10
harm the smallest fellow III the college
They took OF my trousers. which VAS
thought a humorous proceeding They sent
NE insulting notes and pictures l over
looked ell this because I had four years
10 stay and I wished 10 get through as
suirably as possible
4 have tried 10 be always courteous and
oblieIng. as they must acknowledge
They sent Ine d note. telling me / must
shave of ny mustaChe- For The first tire
I wen- 10 the dean and said. While the
shaving of of the mustacht. Is q trivial
matter to Americans and msGCs nothing.
! in ny country il IS a disgrace, q brand
! Of iniamy. II is a question Of religion with
/ re. II the threats OF the students are
! carried out l shall appea 10 my consul
/ and bring SUIT for redress il necessary
/ In spite Of my protest / was blind
4 folded after class Yesterday. and over
/ powered Ny mustaehe was shaved and
my face washed with an offensive solu-
/ zion Today 1 am bGGIy bruised from the
! trza tment I could have whipped two or
/ three Of them, but not he number that
I jumped on me.
i rave informed Dr. Shoemaker and he
/ VIII bring the affair up At the next faculty
meeting. II nothing is done I shall bring
| suit against these students.
The dean had old them that il was
| not the mus-ache in itself which I objected
{ 10 losing bat ber~ Use II meant breaking
/ cne of the CommaI dmeHt5 OF my religion
/ WEich was IS much to me as their re-
( ligtou TO them In spite q this knowledge.
they persisted. and swore and cursed me
As they hazed ne
1t is such disgrace for Turk to be
without q Iaustache that I can go nowhere
among my Turkish friends now ] cannot
even 90 TO sae Ely sister Americans can
not understand this but II IS so. A for
eigEer like me is under a disadvantage
here that no one can comprehend until he
j has been through It The language is dif-
fcuIt. he has TO friends. and no influence
What would the American people say il
/ a crowd OF Turks, supposedly belonging to
the educated and respectable class. should
/ take one oF their missionaries and shave
his head cursirg him the meanwhile and
cali il all a joke?''
1t is possible that the affair may I2aC
! to the demand for an investigation Of col.
Iege hazing by the Turkish Minister
When LoutlRn was allowed TO get up h
shouted that he had been disgraced. tha
I his mustache was worth ten dollars
hair. and that he had been disgraced b,
Icing shaved by an inidel. One OF hi
tormentOFs made out a bill. "Oue mus
l tache, five hairs on one side, six on tn
other-eleven hairs. at SO each $110
and gave it to the Turk, telling him {
: present Il to Uncle Sam for collection
, This enragad Loutfan and he went T.
the dean and then 10 the superintendent
= of police. lodging a complaint with each
Later he announced that he would &C
= quaint the Turkish Minister with the fact
: and ask that the haZers Re punished 70
! the indignities to which he had been sub
5 iected-
DR.. John V. Shoemaker president Of th
college. said today thai If the student
: who had taken part IN the affair wer
: caught they would be severely punished
as the college had large number G
! students from foreign countries. and 70
| ths good of the college. IL nothing els(
| theg would be protected.