The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-28
THESE MEN KNEW HIM
Both Believe Consul Was Killed for Pers
sonaI Reasons.

Both Believe Consul Was Killed for Per.
sona Reasons.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build.
ing, Washington.
Washington Aug. 28.-To-day's New
York Times has an interview with Dr.
Dervsh Kiamil Of that city, who, came to
this country about two weeks ago, and
was well acquainted with Vice Consult
Magelssen. He says: Il was student for
four years at the Syrian protestant COLI
lege, founded by liberal Americans in Bel
rut and it was there that met Mr.. Ma
gelssen, it being his custom to come there
and speak before students at various
times
Il see that in some quarters the assas-
sination is held to be the result of
outburst Of fanaticism on the part of Mos
lens. am inclined to think that is has
nothing in common with the disturbances
in the Balkans. The assassination more
likely would be the end Of some PERSONAL
matter with Turk, or possibly with d
Syrian.
"NIagelssen was in the habit of frequent
ing coffee houses and places of amusement,
not being married, and therefore having
few home ties to keep him indoors. Tho,
not a Quarrelsome man, he was brave and
powerfully built. and would have provedi
a dangerous person for any but a skilledj
assassin to attack. From my knowledge
of him, I should say that some enemy had
him murdered. Americans are well liked
among both Turkish and Syrian subjects
and therefore his murder could hardly
come as a result of a political outbreak
Grimes of similar nature occur not in
frequently in Beirut, their perpetrators
being a gang of boatmen. They will kill
anyone for pay and much feared byt
citizens, especially by the Syrians. They
are SO banded together that it Is impos-
sible for the police to control them.
tho ~ nd a.
sassination of the vice consul, I feel sure
his death has no political significance.
The Tribune Interview.
In to-day's New York Tribune there Is
an interview with Walter s. Bigelow, an
| exporter Of that city, who spent six
months last year in Asiatic Turkey and
who became intimate with Mr.. sMagelssen.
He says in part: THE news of the muir
der is a great shock to me and yet In
| way I may say that I am not altogether
surprised, knowing Mr.. Magelssen so we'll
as did, and knowing also the almost total
absence of personal protection In all
Turkish cities. The vice consul was a
| splendid physical specimen Of man. He
was unusually tall and Of large frame.
| Hailing from Minnesota, he possessed all
the characteristic daring and nerve Of the
westerner. He was absolutely fearless. :
! and his disregard for personal danger
| amounted almost to recklessness. For
| these reasons he was known and beloved
| by all Europeans along the Syrian coast
as far south as Alexandria, and perhaps
for the same reasons he incurred the
enmity Of natives.
"Soon after arriving at Beirut I was
told several stories Of encounters which
| Magelssen had with native highwaynen.
| On one occasion he was waylaid by twol
| desperate characters along short road
on dark night and altho unarmed, he
disposed of his assaiants single handed
The punishment he administered was said
! to have been as severe as it was unex-'
pected. Later another cutthroat att
tempted to hold up Magelssen one night
! in lonely part Of town. but he was sol
badly used up as the result Of the en-
| counter that the services of a doctor were
necessary"
4 Beirut and Its Characteristics.
In 1860, the massacre in Damascus and
the Lebanon filled Beirut with Christian
refugees mad the city itself was saved from
massacre only by the guns of English and
French men-of-war which anchored int
| the roadbed and landed marines and
sailors.
The town has grown with great rapid
| ity It has been the scene Of the rapid
development of the Syrian silk trade Its
Moslem and Christian populations have
! become steadily more truculent. The
| streets and roads about the city, which,
were comparat lively safe thirty and forty
years ago, have become so perilous that
! prudent residents hesitate about going
any distance after dark. The assassina- /
] lions of Christians by Moslems, and Of
| Moslems by Christians have taken place
1 so frequently in the last two or three
years that they have ceased to attract
| attention.
| A financial crisis some years ago In
1tcted great losses and threw many per-
sons out of employment. The city ITSELF.
| like all of the Turkish Levant, Is indif-s
ferently policed. The American college,.
one of the most important institutions In
| the city, brings the American influence
/ constantly before the oaser mob OF Mos
| lens. It has recently had attention drawn
1 to it by the brilliant Inauguration OF It's
president, DR.. Howard Bliss.
1 immigration to this country and return
of Syrians after their naturalization have
brought to Beirut several naturalized
American citizens whose demeanr does
NOT always breed peace and whose pro-5
/ lection constantly brings our consular Of
fce into conflict with the Turkish authori-
ties and Moslems The indemnity for a
consul ranges from $4,000 to $50, 600.
Naturally in small place like Beirout,
reports Of these affairs spread but it was
/ supposed that the vice consul had in-s
! spired such respect among the native
/ desperate characters that he would be
! immune from further molestation. Posi-
i bly, one or two little encounters with cab
/ drivers might be mentioned. I remember
one distinctly, in which both Magelssen
| and myself had part OF all cab drivers.