Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-29
CONSUL NOT SLAIN.
Mage1ssen Fired Upon, but
Was Untouched.
FLEET WILL co TO TURKISH PORT.
President Roosevelt VIII Not Coun-
termand Order to Admiral Cot
ton-SquadrOn Will Support
Claim For Indemnity.

Claim For Indemnity.
WASHINGTON, Aug. ga decid
eddy new turn in the case Of United
States Vice Consul William G. Magels.
sen at Beirut, Syria, who was reported
to have been assassinated last Sunday
developed when it became known that
the report was incorrect and that al.
though Mr.. Magelssen had been shot at
be had not even been injured. This in
formation came to the state depart.
ment in a dispatch from United States
Minister Leishman at Constantinople,
Who said the mistake in making the
original announcement was due to an
error in the transmission of the cipher
dispatch from Consul Ravudal at Bel
rut in reporting the incident to the min
ister The dispatch from Mr.. Leishman
followed closely on the bulletin on the
same subject which had been shown to
the prominent officials of the govern
ment. The dispatch from the minister
was communicated at once to the pres
ident at Oyster Bay.
The president will not countermand
the order to Rear Admiral Cotton to
proceed with the cruisers Brooklyn and
San Francisco and the gunboat Ma
chias to Turkish waters. The attack on
Mr. MageIssen is regarded as an incl
dent which points to the necessity of a
demonstration which will have the eff
feet of insuring the protection of Amer
leans in the Turkish empire.
The president expressed qualification
that Consul Magelssen had escaped
S-,$,, ay7i% OF tan
would be mn1rderer. He announced,
however, that no change at present
would be made in the plans of this
government and that the European
squadron, which he last night ordered
to proceed Immediately to Beirut,
would continue to it's ordered destina-
ton.
It 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 several hours President Roose-
welt and Secretary Of State Hay were
In conference at Sycamore Hill. They
discussed every suggested phase of the
situation in Turkey.
Acting Secretary LOOMS cabled Con-
sui Ravudal at Beirut inquiring for
further particulars of the assassination
Of Vice Consul Magelssen and also as
to the condition of affairs at Beirut.
Mr.. Loomis also cabled United States
Consul Thomas Norton at Harpoot as
to reported outbreaks there and danger
to American citizens.
When Rear Admiral Cotton, in COM
mand of the American European
squadron, was seen at Vil1efranche he
was asked to outline his plans for go
ing to Beirut and said:
1.-THE press dispatches give all the in
formation I have. leave for Genoa at
o'clock this evening with the Brook
Ign and San Francisco for coal. The
Machias is now there"
Later advices state that M. RostvosH
Russian consul; M Kral, Austrian
consul and Mr.. McGregor, British vice
consul, were looked upon with suspi-
cion by the Turks because of supposed
sympathy with Bulgarians and that
recently an assassin was appointed to
kill the British officer as he was tax
ing bis customary walk, but that the
plot failed because Mr.. McGregor on
that day took an unusual route.