Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-19
Mrs. Ogden Gcelet, Wealthy
New York Woman Decorat-
ed by Turkish Ruler
GRAND vIzIER CALLS IN PERSON
Unusual Honor Paid the American
Woman as the Result Of a Peculiar
lncident-State Department Will
Take No Note of the Incident in
Which She Figured.

Washington, d. c.. May 19.-Mrs.
Ogden Goelet, the wealthy New York
woman who is cruising in the east in
her steam yacht the Nahma, has been
decorated by the Sultan of Turkey.
This unusual honor from SNnonarch, in
whose domain women, particularly
beings to be kept in the background
and not suffered in the bright light of
public kingly favor, was conferred as
q result of an interesting occurrence in
which Mrs. Goelet and her yacht fig
ured. A report received at the state
department today from John G. Leish-
man, United States Minister at Con-
stantinople, tells the story.
Mrs. Goelet. in the course of her
cruising in the Mamma. arrived at the
entrance of the Dardenelles and applied
for permission to pass thru to Constan-
tinople. But two little cannon on the
yacht excited the suspicion of the Turk
ish officials, who are ever on the look
out for attempts against the safety of
their government, and they decided not
to let the Nahma go thru until thor
ough investigation had been made to
determine whether the yacht was the
warShip OF an enemy.
1t took them forty eight hours to de-
eide that Mrs. Goelet did not intend to
lombard Constantinople. During the
period of Mrs Goelet, who, was much
vexed and chagrined over the delay,
made complaint TO Minister Leish-
man. In some way, and apparently
before Mr. Leishman had time to act,
the story of the treatment accorded
TO Mrs. Goelet came To the ears of the
sultan. He gave Immediate orders that
the Mamma be permitted 10 come to
Constantinople, and sent rebuke to
the officials at the entrance to the
Dardanelles who had caused Mrs. Goe-
let annoyance.
AS further earnest sign of his Will
ingness to make amends, the sultan
had the Grand Vizier apologize to Mrs.
Goelet. This the Grand Nizier did in
person. and he also, in the name of his
sovereign, offered here every courtesy
and to show the sincerity of the sultans
professions of regret and his great re-
gard for the American woman, con
ferred upon her, in the, sultan's name,
the Gordon OF the Chefakat.
To appreciate the great honor done
to Mrs. Goelet, not only by the con-
ferring of the decoration. but by the
personal call of the Grand Vizier, it is
necessary to know that the Grand
Vizier is the highest functionary of the
sultan, and man almost as hard to
clusiveness with which he surrounds
himself had been made known to the
state department by Minister Leishman
in reports telling of ineffective efforts
to see this great parsonage upon i'm
portant business. 1t was only by direct
after threatening to withdraw from
Constantinople if the Grand NiZier did
not receive him, was able to enter the
presence of that official.
The state department will not take
any notice of the incident in which Mrs.
Goelet figured, believing that ample
amends We're made by the sultan and
the Grand Vizier. AS Mrs. Goelet does,
not hold an Office of profit and trust
under this government, she may accept
the Gordon of the Chefakat without
running counter to that constitutional
provision which makes the permission
Of congress necessary to the acceptance
of decorations from foreign princes and