The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-29
MACELSSEN
STILL LIVES.
Report of His Assassination
Was All a Mistake.
He Was Shot at, but Escaped
Uninjured.
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
Warships Will Proceed Accord
ing to First Orders.
Americans at Beirut Are in
Need of Protection.
Not the First Time Vice Consul
) Has Been Attacked.
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
Warships Will Proceed Accord
ing to First Orders.
Americans at Beirut Are in
Need of Protection.
Not the First Time Vice Consul
Has Been Attacked.

Washington, D. c., Aug. PA decid-
edly new turn has developed in the case
of United States Vice Consul William
c. Magelssen at Beirut, Syria, who was
reported to have been assassinated last
Sunday 1t has become known that the
report was incorrect and that although
Mr. Magelssen had been shot at, he
had not even been injured. This infor-
nation came to the state department
last night in a dispatch from United
States Minister Leshman at Constan-
tinople who said the mistake in max
ing the original announcement wassdue
to an error in the transmission of a
cipher dispatch from Consul Rayndal at
Beirut in reporting the incident to the
minister The dispatch from Mr.. Leish-
man followed close on an Associated
Press bulletin on the same subject
which had been shown to the prominent
officials of the government. The dis
patch from the minister was commu
nicated to the president at Oyster Bay.
Its contents were extremely gratifying
to the officials of the government, as it
relieved the situation of it's extreme
tension and leaves the way open for an
amica BILE and peaceful adjustment of
the incident.
Acting Secretary Loomis declined to
make public the text of Minister Leish-
mans dispatch, but he gave a sum-
mary of its contents. AS stated in the
press dispatch. it showed that Mr..
Ma agelssen had been shot at by some
person at the time unknown to the Off
:. cials, but that he had not been hit. The
Neal Turkish officials were prompt to
8press their regret at the occurrence,
and were exerting themselves to appre-
hend the assassin. but thus far had
been unsuccessful. The minister's dis
patcn also said that Consul Rayndal
had reported to him that some of the
foreign consuls located at Beirut had
reported to their governments that the
situation at that place had become ex-
cedingly unsafe. that this condition of
affairs had existed for some time, and
that something ought to be done to re-
lieve the tension. The opinion was ex-
pressed that the attempted assassina-
tion of Magelssen probably would
bring matters to a focus, the attention
of the Turkish government being
drawn to the matter in this forcible
way, and some effort would be made to
avoid further trouble
The latest development in the Turkish
situation was discussed in official circles
of the report of the killing of Mr.. Ma
gelsSen relieves the situation of it's i'm
mediate awkward and embarrassing
feature, but Will not prevent our naval
vessels continuing to the east. Minister
Leishman is one of the dispatches to
the department suggested that condi-
tions were such that it might be well to
have some American naval demonstra-
tion in those waters. Reports also have
come to the government from the mis-
sionary interests of the threatened dis
tTict of the destruction of their proper
~ at TarpOot, and because of this Ad-
miral Cotton, it is expected win be A.
lowed to proceed with one or more of
his vessels to Beirut Acting Secretary
Darling has received a cablegram from
the admiral dated Vilefranche saying
that he had left that place with the
cruisers Brooklyn and the San Francisco
FOR Genoa on the way to Beirut
Oyster Bay, n. Y, Aug. 29.-PreSident
Roosevelt was informed by a reporter of
the Associated Press of the incorrectness
of the report that Vice Consul William
{. Magelssen at Beirut, Syria, had been
4 Aassassinated. The president expressed
ratification that Consul Mageissen had
escaped without injury from the assault.
. 4e announced, however, that no change
fdt present would be made in the plans
of this government and that the Euro
pean squadron which he ordered to pro-
ceed to Beirut would continue to it's or
dered destination. The PRESIDENT and
Secretary of State Hay both regard it as
advisable in view of the present state uf
unrest in Turkey, to have American war
vessels in Turkish waters
The fact that Secretary Hay con-
siders his presence in Washington nee
essary at this time indicates the seri-
GUS view he takes of the Turkish stu
alton He had not expected to return to
washington for several weeks. but the
development in the Ottoman empire
during the past few days induced him
TO come to oyster Bay for a conference
with the president, after which it was
deemed desira BILE that he should return
to Washington at least for couple of
weeks.
The secretary arrived here from his
summer home in New Hampshire at
1870 p. m. In a driving rain storm he
was conveyed to the presidents home
in time for luncheon. During the
greater part of the afternoon he was in
conference with the president and left
Sycamore Hill about half past o'clock.
He took the 81 o'clock train for New
York and Washington.
At IL o'clock a telegram was received
by Secretary Loeb from Acting Secre-
tary of State Loomis at Washington
communicating the text of a cable
Ftantinople confirming the Associated
Press report of the inaccuracy of the
report of Consul Magelssen'S assa ssina-
tion. AS son as the message from the
department was deciDhered Secretary
r .oeb communicated it's contents to the
president by telephone. Minister I.eish-
man explained that the error occurred
in deciphering telegram received
from Consul Rayndal at Beirut con-
cerning the attempt upon the life of
Vice Consul Magelssen. The text Of