Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-28
MEGELSSEN' MURDER
Mr.. Leishman's Dispatch to
State Department.
HAS MADE DEM AND
ON TURKISH GOVERNMENT FOR
IMMEDIATE ACTION.
Foreign Minister Has Promised to
Meet the Requirements Of Justice
and Promote Amity.

Constantinople regarding the murder of
Vice Consul w. c. Magelssen at Beirut, Sy-
ria. The message states that Minister Le1Sh-
man has had conference with the Turk
ish minister of foreign affairs and has made
to him the representations of the United
States in the matter. These representations
demand the immediate action of the Turk
lsh government in apprehending and pun
fshing the murderer, and are put in the
most vigorous diplomatic language. To the
representations of Minister Leshman the
foreign minister is said to have expressed
the regret of his Sovernme Mt at the distress
ing occurrence and to have assured the rep
resentative of the United States at the court
of the sultan. despite his denial yesterday
of any knowledge of the crime. that his
government would take immediate action to
meet the requirements of justice and to pro-
mote the existing amity between the two
nations.
Minister Lcishman's dispatch also con-
tafned the information that the inSurreC-
ton il Macedonia was spreading, and that
the situation in that part of the orient was
becoming daily more alarming. He indicates
that as the insurrection spreads the danger
to American citizens win increase. These
Americans are mostly missionaries and it
is feared that the rioters will attack the
missions. this having been done frequently
during rtotous times in that country.
Order to Brooklyn Approved.
The action of Acting Secretary Darling
In ordering the Brooklyn to proceed to
Beirut without waiting for the slower
sells of the squadron meets with hearty ap~
proval by the State Department. The con-
diton of affairs and the methods of the
Turkish government. as already developed,
indicate to officials here that only a show
of force will secure the redress demanded.
1t is also believed that the dispatch of
an American warShip to the scene of the
murder in such haste as has been done and
a vessel of the speed Of the Brooklyn indi-
cate to the sublime porte that the United
States means to make all its demands eff
fectlve. 1t iS also hoped that the American
squadron will be useful in protecting Ameri-
cans who are located in the disturbed dis
tricts of Turkey and Macedonia, and will
at least furnish refuge for those who are
near the seacoast and may suffer from the
disorders.
Murderer Not Known.
Reports from Constantinople indicate that
Magelssen was murdered last Sunday while
riding in a carriage. Upon receipt Of this
information by the State Department. Act
ing Secretary Loomis cabled Minister
Leishman to demand of the Turkish gov
ernment the immediate arrest and punish
ment of the guilty person or persons. No
demand has yet been made for money
indemnity for the heirs of the murdered
man, but this will probably follow the ar
Beirut, who informed Minister Leishman
of the murder of his assistant, added that
the murderer was not known and that, as
far as he then knew, he had not been seen
in the commission of the crime.
The Case of LEM.
In his report to the President. dated De-
cember 10, 1895, Richard Olney, then Sec
retary of State. brought to the attention of
the executive the case Of the murder in
Turkish territory of Frank Lenz. an Amer
lean citizen, who was making a tour of the
world on a bicycle. Secretary Olney says
in that report:
I'm May. 1894, Frank LenZ, citizen of
the United States, while making bicycle
tour of Asia, disappeared shortly after
crossing from Persia into koordiStan, un-
der circumstances indicating his murder.
Repeated demands for investigation and in
quiries on and near the spot, with the ef-
ficent aid of the British consul at ErZerum,
disclosed that the unfortunate young man,
while travelling alone and unescorted had
been murdered at or near Tchelkani, not
far from Alashgerd, by natives, who had
appropria ted his scanty belongings. Later,
through private enterprise, and on behalf
OF the family of Lenz, Mr.. w. l.. Sachtel-
ben undertook an investigation with view
to the discovery and Christian sepulture
OF LenZS remains and the collection of such
murderers. The United States minister as
sisted this investigation in every possible
way, asking suitable escort to protect the
investigator and demanding peremptory or
ders to bring the murderers to justice.
After characteristic delays Mr.. Sachtelben
was at last enabled to visit AlaShgerd in
company with the local governor, Shakir
Pasha, as member of a commission of
eight. which was deputed to investigate
the murder and take all necessary action.
The facts We're established by testimony
and by the circumstantial finding of frag-
ments of the victims bicycle and personal
belongings, and at last accounts some five
or six persons Koords and Armenians,
were to be put on trial for the murder
Deliberate and Premeditated Murder
Several years later Secretary Hay wrote
to Minister Straus at Constantinople to the
effect that Notwithstanding the evidence
showed that there was deliberate and pre-
meditated murder, yet judgment was rem
dered under the Turkish code as murder
without premeditation.' and even this was
not punished, for the murderers escaped"
This was an instance of the way Ameri-
can citizens were cared for in foreign lands
at that time but in the present instance
the victim was an official of the United
States government, ana as such represented
the country there. Lenz was traveller,
and took his life in his hands when he ven
tured into that wild and inhospitable re-
Slon me men convicted or the murder
escaped and were never recaptured The
claims for indemnity for the burning of
the mission schools, the failure to punish
Lenzs murderers and other injuries con-
tinued to be pressed by the United States
government until 1900, when the Turkish
government settled by lump payment Of
$so,oo: The State Department adjusted
this sum among the several claimants.
81, 800 being paid to Maria A. LEM De.
cember 26. 1901, in full of all claim.
Presidenf,s prompf Ao+;.~
Orders were last night Issued by President
Roosevelt from Oyster Bay that Admiral
Cotton's European squadron proceed at once
to Beirut, Syria. there to be in readiness to
enforce any demands that the United States
may make on Turkey for the assassination
of Vice Consul William c. Magelssen.
Admiral Cotton yesterday responded to
the cablegram of the Navy Department or
dering him to hold himself in readiness to
proceed to Beirut that the Machias was at
Genoa c0aling and that the Brooklyn had
aboard seven days supply Of coal and the