The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-28
SACOUN| SHOT
 BY AN ASSASSIN Mas President of Armenian
 Revolutionary Society aO CLUE ID THE MURDERER q
Tragedy Occurred Near London, and Is Result of Political Plot-Assas- sasin's Hat Was Bought
 In United States.

London, October 27.-Sagatel Sagouni, president of the Armenian Revolutionary society in London, was murdered in the suburb of Nunhead late yesterday eyen- ing. The crime has created sensation as it has every appearance of being or a political character. and has been pre- eeded by the assassination of other of- fcals of branches of the same society on the continent.
 Sagouni, who returned to London only yesterday after settling up the affairs of an associate in Switzerland, who was recently assassinated by stabbing, was entering his residence when man rush. ed across the road and fired four shots at Sagouni in quick succession the last bullet entering the region of the heart. The murderer, who appeared to be a foreigner, fled. The only clues of the man in the possession of the authorities are Q felt hat and silver plated revolver, both made in New York, which he dropped in his flight
 Was Mining Engineer.
 The murdered man, who was a 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 1t is thought this attitude inspired the advanced sec- tion of the Armenians with the desire for vengeance, the latter claiming that Sa- gouni3s society devoted funds to charity, which could have been better applied to violent remedies for the Armenian griev- ances.
 Sagouni is said to have moved to Eng 1ra1 U<...I- -I.-
 It is stated that Sagounis life had been threatened on account of his partcipa- tion in the exposure, by the editor of a Boston newspaper, Young America after the misrepresentation of funds by fac- tion of the Armenian revolutonists. These men are alleged to have collected s20O00 in America l. 1902 and to have put the money in their own pockets, instead of publishing the propaganda for the eman- cipation of the Armenians for which the money was subscribed.
 Carried Pistol and Dagger.
 Sagouni had frequently spoken of the determination of the advanced Armenian revolutionists to exterminate the leaders of the passive party and for that reason he always carried revolver and dag ger in self-defense. The murderers shots last night were so rapid that Sagouni was only able to draw his revolver after the murderer had fired three times and as he turned to face his assailant Sagouni was shot near the heart and fell.
 When at Dieppe, France, on his way 10 England Sagouni thought he was be- ing shadowed by a man whose descrip- ton somewhat tallies with the appear ance of the murderer, who is described as five feet, three inches in height about 30 years old, having very long black hair and black mustanche, with long droop- ing ends. A man was arrested near Kings Cross railroad station on suspi- cion of being the assassin, but was later released.
 Had AccompIices.
 convention of the Armenian passi- vests has been in session here and 1t is suggested the opportunity was chosen by the violent faction as favorable one for disposing of the principal leaders. The murderer was noticed waiting for hours for the arrivals of Sagouni, and the former was apparently supplied with in- formation concerning the latter's move ments by two accomplces.
 Before his death Sagouni told friend that he did not know h1s assaiIant, but said enemies had been following him for a long time. Sagounis friends attribute the murder to the Alfarist section of the uentchakist Society. This section, headed by man named Altar, was expelled from the society after the split in 1895, when it is alleged, the Alfarists were paid spies of the Sultan of Turkey. There was some attempt in 1902 to patch up the difficult ties between the sections of the Hentcha- lxist Society, but the majority concluded that the Alfarists only wanted to get con- trol of the society's newspaper, the Hent- chak, with the object of suppressing it.
 Editor Attacked.
 The fuel became more acute and att tack on the editor of the Boston edition of the Hentchak followed former edi- tor of the Hentchka Nazerback was stab- bed last week at Lausanne, Switzerland, by an Alfarist. It is said here, however. that Nazerback is not dead, though he was reported earlier in the day to have been killed.
 The local Hentchakists say New York is the headquarters of the Alfarists. The hat left by Sagouni's assassin is a blaek derby with the name of the vendors stamped inside, showing 1t to have been sold bv the Bell Clothing company 132 Columbus avenue, and 31 to 3S Terrinack street."
 The name of the town is partially eras- ed. It's first two letters appear to be MO" and the last two 'Ii'' or "Li.".
 The muTdeTfT plStoi is au dheohiatic magazine, ten-shot weapon.
 The police have informed the Associated Press that two men were with the assas- sin at the time of the shooting, and that they appeared almost to force the latter to fire.
 Hat Concern Well Known.
 Lowell. Mass. October 27.-The mana gers of the Bell Clothing company, oc- cupying a large store in this city. think 1t very likely that they may have sold to an Armenian derby hat, like the one found. as a clue to the London assass- nation The company not only has a store in this city. but also has a place of business in Boston.
 Fight Between Factions.
 Boston, October 27.--The murder of Sag atel Sagouni. president of the Armenian revolutionary society in London is not regarded as being of great political sig nificance by Armenians in this city. but rather as a result of bitter feeling which exists between two factions within the revolutionary party itself. In support of this 1t was cited the recent attempt to assassinate an Armenian editor Pet.s