The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-28
Tragedy Gives America Interest in Turkish Affairs. iMAGELLEsEN WAS KILLED Admiral Cotton Will Command
 American Fleet. Vice Consul Magellesen Was Killed in Beirut Sunday While Riding ia His carriage-Turkish
 Foreign Office Deny
 Knowledge of
 Crime.

Washington. Aug. H-Prompt and wig Crous action Is taking by the United States government to secure the punish- ment of those persons implicated in the assassination of United States Vice Con- suI William c. Magelssen at Beirut. Sy- ria. on Sunday last. Minister Leischman. at Constantinople. who reported the fact to the State Department. has been in structed by the State Department to de- mand a thorough investigation of the af- fair and the punishment of those in vplved in the crime. The European squadron, consisting of three warships, has been ordered to proceed immediately to Beirut to support the demands of the United States Minister should this be found necessary.
 This measure was determined on as a result of conferences, which have been held to-day over the telegraph and tele- phone wires between President Roose- welt at Oyster Bay and Washington. The President felt that no time should be lost and he gave instructions to Acting Sec retary Darling that immediate orders be given Admiral Cotton to proceed at once.
 The Presidents determination was also due in part to information received by Acting Secretary Loomfs of the State Department tonight from the president of the American Board of Missions at Boston indicating that an attempt had been made to burn the Euphrates College building at Harpoot. This dispatch said:
 -'InfrcNigtion just received that an at- tempt has been made to burn the Eu- pirates College buildings. Conditions in- creasingly alarming. Great anxiety felt for the safety of American citizens there."
 Acting Secretary Loomis tonight ca bled to Minister Leischman atyConstan- tin0pie to. make immediate demands on efsss Darts e talze aaeguate naeasures for the protection of all Americans at Bei- fut. and to prevent any attack on the college building.
 Admiral Cotton who was directed to- day to hold his squadron in readiness to proceed at a moments notice to Beirut cabled the navy department as follows:
 ..-...,. Nice,, France. Aug. 2.
 Cable just received Machias at Genoa for coal Brooklyn has seven days, San Francisco six and a half days coal at ten knots. Cannot exceed that speed with Machias. If squadron going west should coal at Marseilles. If east at Genoa. Cotton.
 Admiral Cotton's instructions are to sail at once. It Is probable he will go ahead to Beirut with the Brooklyn, leaving the Machias and the San Francisco to fol- low. It is estimated that the Brooklyn, going full speed, can reach Beirut within six days.
 Acting Secretary Loomis received a ra&her remarkable cablegram from Min aster Leischman tonight, in which the Minister said that he had called at the Turkish Foreign Oflce at Constantinople this evening to inquire about the assas- sination of the United States Vice-Consul, and that the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphatically denied any knowledge of the report. He also attempted to dis credit 1t. The cablegram gave no other information. Under the circumstances, Ahe State Department officials are in- clined to believe that the Turkish For eign Office is not in touch with the sltua
 tion at Beirut. They do not attach suffi- cient importance to Minister Leischman's last message to cancel the order for the squadron to sail.
 Acting under the instructions of the President, Mir. Darling cabled to the Ad- miral at Nice, directing him to go to Beirut at once.
 Mir. Magelssen was 30 years old. He | was educated in the common schools of Minnesota and was student of the Lu- theran College at Decorah, Iowa, for three years. For a time he was Assist ant City Assessor of Sioux Falls, s. D.. and also associate editor of The Echo. No additional information was obtain . cd at the State Department during the day. As yet no request has been made by the Navy Department that the Euro lpean squadron be sent to Beirut, and none will be until it appears that there lis disposition on the part of the Turk lsh Government not to comply with the kdemands of the State Department for the k1mmediate apprehension and punishment lof the murderer and of the local authori- | ties If they were negligent.
 Tn the absence of particulars no motive can be ascrtbed for the crime, and the State Department officials have no means lof suggesting a theory as to why the SVice-Consul should have been killed. There have been no complaints about him Tor his work. and the meagre cablegram Econveys not the slightest suggestion of a fcause for the crime.
 Although a copy of the dispatch from Minister Leishman was sent to the Navy Department, no request was made to send Ethe European squadron to the Eastern Mediterranean, but the Navy Department. anticipating such an emergency might DC cur, cabled Admiral Cotton to have the squadron in readiness for sailing if 't Iwas deemed necessary. The President
 was informed immediately of the assas- isination; also of the steps that had been taken by the State Department to secure