The Penn's Grove record., 1903-09-04
US. CONSUL WAS NOT SLAIN
Bullets Fired al Mr.. MageIssen at
Beirut Did Not Touch Hin.
ORDERS TO WARSHIPs STAND

President Wishes to Have an American
Squadron in Turkish Waters Owing to
the Disturbances in the Empire Re-
port of Death of vice-ConsuI Due to
Cipher Error-Attack Premeditated.s
Constantinople, Turkey. - 1t trans
pires that the report that United
States Yice-Consul Magelssen was
killed at Beirut is incorrect. An I'M
known individual fired at him and the
bullets passed close to the Yice-Consul,
but did not touch him.
The Vail Of Beirut afterward Wis
tied Vice-Consul Magelssen, expressed
his regret for the outrage, and ordered
measures for the arrest Of the perpe-
traitor.
The error in stating that Mr.. Magels-
sen had been killed rose from a mistake
in a cipher telegram.
Washington, D. CA decidedly new
turn in the case of United States Vice
Consul William G. Magelssen at Bel
rut, Syria, who was reported to have
been assassinated Sunday, developed
when it became known that the report
was incorrect, and that although Mr..
Magelssen had been shot at he had not
even been injured.
This information came to the State
Department in a dispatch from United
States Minister Leishman at Constan-
tinOple. who said the mistake in MAX
ing the original announcement was due
to an error in the transmission of the
cipher dispatch from Consul Ravndal,
at Beirut, in reporting the incident to
the Minister.
The dispatch from the Minister was
communicated at once to the President
at Oyster Bay. The dispatch was ex-
tremely gratifying to the officials Of
the Government here, 8
Acting Secretary Loomis declined to
make public the text of Minister
Leishman's dispatch, but he gave a
summary Of it's contents. AS stated in
the press dispatch, it shows that Mr..
Magelssen was shot at by some I'M
known person, but was not hit. The
local Turkish officials were prompt to
express their regret at the occurrence,
n are exerting themselves to appre-
bend the would-be assassin, but thus
far have been unsuccessful.
The Minister'S dispatch also said that
Consul Ravndal had reported to him
that some Of the foreign Consuls at
Beirut had reported to their govern
ments that the situation at that place
had become exceedingly unsafe, that
this condition of affairs had existed for
some time, and that something ought
to be done to relieve the tension. The
opinion was expressed that the at
tempted assassination of Mr.. MageIs-
sen would probably bring matters to a
focus.
Oyster Bay, N. Y.-President Roose-
welt was Informed of the incorrectness
of the report that Vice-Consul Magels-
sen had been assassinated. The Pres
ident expressed qualification that Mr..
Magelssen had escaped without injury.
He announced, however, that no
change at present would be made in
the plans of this Government, and that
the European squadron, which he or
dered to proceed Immediately to Beirut,
would continue to it's ordered destina-
ton.
1t can be said that the President and
Secretary of State Hay both regard it
advisable. in view of the present state
OF unrest in Turkey, to have American
war vessels in Turkish waters.
For a long time President Roosevelt
and Mr.. Hay were in conference at
Sycamore Hill. They discussed every
suggested phase of the situation in
Turkey. At the conclusion of the con
ference Secretary Hay announced his
intention of returning Immediately to
Washington.
1t can be said that it is the purpose
of President Roosevelt to afford Amer
lean citizens in the disturbed provinces
Of Turkey all the protection possible.
For that reason and for others which
may develop in a short time the decis-
ion is reached that no change will at
present be made in the orders to the
European squadron. Admiral Cotton
will proceed with his vessels to Turk.
ish waters with the idea of fully safe
guarding Americans and American in.
terests.
New York City.-In response to a tel
egram of inquiry regarding the report
ed assassination of Vice-Consul Ma
gelssen at Beirut, Mr.. Freyer, Treasu.
rer Of the Board of the Presbyterian
Mission at Beirut, has cabled as fol
lows:
although the attack made on Vice
Consul Magelssen was evidently pre-
meditated, the bullets missed him an6
he escaped uninjured. FREYER."
CAICAcO Ac An "AnAMl rec cncN j.