New-York tribune., 1901-10-19
ABDUL HAuD.
HIS PORTRAIT AS DRAWN PT AN ENEMY

THE PRIyATE LIFE OF THE SULTAN, OF
by Arthur Hornblow. l2mo. PIP Kilt. @77. ID
Appleton Co.
II the Sultan is half as bad as NJ Dorys has
painted him. il is not difficult 10 see why that
autocrat should have sentenced him TO death.
We should imagine ii would be something linger-
ing. with boiling oil in IL. for a more baleful and
forbiddng portrait Of a malignant spirit IL would
be hard TO gine. NJ Dorys. who writes under
pseudonyme is described as the son OF the late
Prince Of Samos. one of the Sultan's minister's
and at time Governor Of Crete. He has also
been a correspondent Of The London Times"
He may. therefore. be supposed 10 have had
common facilities for knowing the news OF tine
Yildiz Palace and its ruler, and to have supple
mented his own knowledge from his fathers ex-
| perence. His realization OF what the Sultan's
rule means for Turkey led him 10 join the Young
Turk party Of reformers. and this was step TO
his banshment and retirement to Paris. in the
comparative safety Of which capital he produced
this book. II is vivid but IL is easy enough to
| see a good deal OF the animus of political
enmity in il.
There as scarcely any relation OF life in which
Abdul Hamid's character is rot portrayed in the
darkest cOloTs. IL is not perceptible that ne has
a single redeeming trait As a boy he would
steal his brothers childish treasures: youth
full misanthrope" he would watch his brothers
laugh and play with fixed stare and an ex-
preston in HIS eyes OF infinite sadness except
when fear malice III them up with a fugitive
flame" He displayed great antpathy to study
and is now practically uneducate5 and ignorant
even OF his own tongue The story Of his ac-
cession 10 the throne is told in full including the
details of his incarceration of his brother
Mourad a lunatic. The political events since
that time summed up. They include says
this author the stranglng of the constitution
and his retirement 10 his immense fortress at
Yildiz. surrounded by "veritable army" where
he works tirelessy 10 mpoverish the people To
stiie public education. to destroy all that re-
mained Of political and religious liberty. to gag
the press, to erect insurmountabe barriers be
tween Turkey and Europe and to attempt the
pan-Islamic crusade.
According to NJ Dorys, continual terror OF
death is the thought that chiefly occupies his
mind. His private kitchen is a little cell. with
barred windows and an iron door. resembling a
huge safe. The large tray that is filled with
dishes for the Sultans meal is covered with a
black cloth, the ends Of which are sealed. When
the meal is served the seals broken by the
proper official His majesty eats alone and his
meals last but few moments.
Sometimes the despot. seized with a sudden
suspicion, orders the kelardJi. or controller Of
the pretence OF convincing him that il is badly
cooked, but in reality 10 assure himself as to its
harmlcssness. He also surrounds himself with
cats and dogs. 10 which from time time he
gives pieces Of meat before touching IL himself
The limits OF his promenades become narrower
every year. so that at present he no longer goes
away from his residence. but merely walks
around il for exercise. Darkness terrihes him.
and at night the smallest rooms and out OF the
way lobbies Of the palace. and the most distant
alleys OF the immense park. are lighted brilliant
ly from twilight until dawn. The silence OF
night. too. frightens him. and he has the palace
orchestra play till very late hour, else gives
orders that men in his employ march ceaselessly
before his ROOM that their measured tramp
may calm his nerves. Before he goes 10 sleep
he is read TO- His favorite books are those on
assassination and executions The stories of
crime excite him and prevent him from sleep
ing but as the reader reaches a passage
where blood flows the Sultan Immediately be-
comes calm and falls asleep He has a horror
OF a quick gestdre movement by any one in
his presence. and he always carries firearms
which he has used with fatal results. A garden
er once. seeing the Sultan approach unex-
pectedly rose suddenly from a STOPPING posture
Abdul Hamid instantly drew and killed him.
One OF his highest ministers. on the occasion
OF a conference. rose abruptly TO shut window