The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-09-04
CONSUL NOT SHOl
ERROR IN CIPHER CAUSED
REPORT OF THE ASSAS-
SiNATlON.
WAS SHOT At But MOI kilttU
OFFICIALS EXPRESS REGRET AND
TAKE ACTION TO APPREhEND
ASSASSIN.
WAS SHOT At But MOI kilttU
THIS RELIEVES The SITUATION
BUT WILL NOT PREVENT OUR
NAVAL VESSELS MAKING
DEMONSTRATION.

Washington, Aug. 30.-A decidedly
new turn in the case of United states
Vice Consul William C. Magelssen at
Beirut, Syria, who was reported TO
have been assassinated last Sunday,
developed last night when it became
known that the report was incorrect,
and that although Mr.. MagelssCn a
been shot at, he had not even been in
jured. This Information came to the
state department 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 transmits
sion of the cipher dispatch from Con.
sui Ravndal at Beirut in reporting the
incident to the Minister. The dis
patch from the minister was at once
communicated to the president at
Oyster Bay.
Acting Secretary Loomis declined
Leishman's dispatch last night, but
he gave a summary of its contents. 1t
showed that Mr.. Magelssen
Had Been Shot At
by some person at the time unknown
to the officials, but that he had not
been hit. The local Turkish officials
were prompt to express their regret at
the occurrence and were exerting
themselves to apprehend the assassin,
but thus far had been unsuccessful.
The minister's dispatch also said that
Consul Ravndal had reported to him
that some of the foreign consuls To-
Gated at Beirut had reported to their
governments 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 ex-
pressed that the attempted assassina-
ton OF Magelssen probably would
bring matters to a focus, the atten-
ton OF the Turkish government being
drawn to the matter in this forclDle
way, and some effort thus be made to
avoid further trouble.
The latest development in he
Turkish situation was discussed in Of
fetal circles, where the view is held
that the denial of the report of the
killing OF Mr.. Magelssen
Relieves the Situation
OF Its Immediate awkward and embar.
RAISING feature, but will not prevent
our naval vessels continuing to the
S Minister Leishman, in one OF
his dispatches to the department, sug-
gested that conditions were such that
1t might be we'll to have some Ameri.
a naval demonstration in those
waters. Reports also have come to
the government from the missionary
interests of threatened destruction
OF their property at Harpoot, and be-
cause OF this Admiral Cotton, 1t is ex-
pected, will be allowed to proceed
with n or more ct his vessels to
Beirut.
Acting Secretary Darling last night
received a cablegram from the ad-
miral, dated Villefranche, saying that
he had left that place with the cruis.
ers Brooklyn and San Francisco for
Genoa, on the way to Beirut.
Presidents Orders Not CHANGED.
Oyster Bay, Aug. 20. - President
Roosevelt was informed last night of
the incorrectness of the report that
Vice Consul William c. Magelssen at
Beirut, Syria, had been a~ssassinated.
The president expressed qualification
that Consul Magelssen had escaped
without injury from the assault of the
would-be murderer. He announced.
however, that no change at present
would be made in the plans of this
government, and that the European
squadron which he had ordered TO
proceed Immediately to Beirut, would
proceed to it's ordered destination. II
can be said that the president and
Secretary Of State Hay both regard II
as advisable, in view of the present
state OF unrest In Turkey, to have
American war vessels in Turkish
waters.
ConsuPs Family Informed. .
"a Crosse, Wis, Aug. 80. - News
that Vice Consul Magelssen was alive
and uninjured was conveyed to the
family Of the vice consul's brother.
the Rev. H. G. Magelssen last night
and to the parents of the vice consul
at Highland Prairie, MINI. Mrs. H.
G. Magelssen had refused to believe
In her brother-in-law's death from the
beginning, and was rejoiced to learn
that her theory was correct.