Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-27
SENSATION IN LONDON
Over the Murder of Sagatel
Sagouni.
ARMENIAN AGITATR
SHOT DOWN AS he ENTERED HIS
HOME.
He Had Just Returned From Settling
Up the Affairs of a Murder
ed Comrade.
ARMENIAN AGITATR

ed Comrade
LONDON, October 2T-SagateI Sagouni,
president Of the Armenian revolutionary
society in London, WIS murdered i'll the
suburb OF Nunhead late yesterday even-
ing. The crime has created a sensation,
as it has every appearance of being of n
political character, and has been preceded
by the assassination of other officials OF
branches Of the same society on the con-
tinent.
Sagouni, who only returned to London
yesterday after settling up the affairs OF
an associate in Switzerland. who was re-
Gently assassinated by stabbing, was en-
tering his residence when a man rushed
across the road and fired four shots Mt Sa-
gounl i'm quick succession, the last bullet
entering the region of the heart. The mur-
derer, who appeared to be n foreigner. fed.
The only clues to the man In possession of
the authorities felt hat and silver
plated revolver, both made I'm New York,
which he dropped in his flight.
The murdered man, who was mining
engineer became wealthy In the Caucasus
and devoted his money to the Armenian
cause His society was entirely passive
and oppoSed to violence, and II is thought
this attitude inspired the advanced section
of the Armenians with the desire for ven
geance, the latter claiming that Sagounis .
society devoted funds TO charity which
would have been better applied 10 violent
remedies for the Armenian grievances
Sagouni is said to have moved To Eng
land from New York early in 1902.
1t is stated that Sagounis life had been
threatened on account of his participation
in the exposure by the editors of a Boston
newspaper, Young Armenia, of the misap-
propriation of funds by a faction of the
Armenian revolutionists. These men are
alleged to have collected $4,000 in America
In 1902 and they have put the money in
their own pockets. instead of pushing the
propaganda for the emancipation of the
Armenians for which the money was sub
scribed.
Sagouni Went Armed.
Sagouri had frequently spoken of the de-
termination of the advanced Armenian revo-
lutionists to eXterminate the leaders of the
passive party and for that reason he always
carried revolver and a dagger in self-de-
fense The murderers shots last night wero
| so rapid that Sagouni was only able to draw
his revolver after the murderer had lred
three times, and as he turned to face his as
Sailani Sagoum was shot near Inc neaft ana
fell.
When at Dieppe France, yesterday on his
way to England Sagouni thought he WAS be-
ing shadowed by a man whose description
somew hat tallieS with the appearance OF the
murderer. who is described as being live feet
three inches in height, about thirty years
mustache with long, dropping ends \ man
has been arrested near Kings Cross raii-
| road station on suspicion of being the as
sassn of Sagouni, put lac hardy answers
the description.
A convention of the Armenian passivistS
! has been III session here and it is suggested
| that the opportunity was chosen by tha
violent faction favorable one Tor dls-
rosing of the principal leaders. Ihe
murderer was noticed waiting hours for tho
| arrival of Sagouni, and the former was ap-
| parently supplied with information con-
cerning the latters movements by TWO ac-
complices.
i Knew He Was Swallowed.
| Before his death Sagouni told friend
| that he did not know his assailsnt, but he
said enemies had been following him for a
| loGg time.
! Sagouni's friends attribute the murder 10
| the Alfarist section of the Hentchakist
| sc ciety This section headed by man
| named Altar. was expelled from the society
| after the split in 1888, when, ii is alleged.
the Alfarists were paid spies OF the sultan
of Turkey. There was some attempt In
| 1902 to patch up the differences between
| the sections of the Hentchakist society, but
| the ma jority concluded that the Alfarfsti
| only wanted to get control of the society'S
| newspaper. the Hentchak, with the object
of Suppressing 1t.
The feud became more acute, and an at
| tack on the editor of the Boston edition of
1
| of the Hentchak, NaZarbeck, was stabbed
| last week at Lausanne. Switzerland by an
| AlfariSt.
| 1t is said here. however. that NaZlrbeck
| is not dead though he reported earlier
| in the day to have been killed.
| The local Hentchakists say New York i3
| the headquarters of the Alfarists.
| The man arrested near Kings Cross all
road station on suspicion Of being the rlur-
! derer of Sagouni has been released from
| custody.
How the News is Received in Boston.
| BOSTON. Mass, October 2I.--TEe Inur-
| der of Sagatel Sagouni. president OF
| tie Armenian Revolutionary Society. ir
! London is not regarded being of great
| political significance by Armenians in this
city but rather result Of q bitter feel
| ing which exists between two factions with
| in the revolutionary party itself In sup
port of this view was cited the recent at
! tempt TO aSSaSSinate an Armenian editor,
/ Peter Kuregian in this city by members OF
| the revolutionary party said TO hold social
| istic views. which kuregian opposed. At
| the trial of the case an officer of the party
testified that the members of the socialist
wing had taken oath to remove "ail OBJ
struction' in spreading their views.
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