The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-03
HORRIBLE TORTURE |S SELF-|kFL|CTED Persian Fanatics Slash Them-
 selves With Swords IS A MARK OF REPENTANCE While Rowling in Frenzy the Der wishes Wound Themselves Until
 They Stream With Blood.
 Then Fall Painting.
IS A MARK OF REPEN TANCE

Constantinople Correspondent of the Springfield Republican.
 Availing myself of the influence of Turkish friend, which procured for me a privilege seldom accorded those who are not followers of the prophet I have just witnessed what is probably the most ] grewsome and bloody exhibitions of self inflicted punishment and torture, on a wholesale scale, that can be seen any where within the confines of civilization.
 If you think that your nerves can stand it," sad my friend to me, T will show you something that l guarantee you will remember as long as you live. but l warn you that 1t may cost you one or two bad dreams.
 So by appointment few days later--it chsnced to be Palm Sunday--we met in Stamboul and wended our way to the Vallede Khan, or Mothers house, where
 live most of the elect of the fersian resi- dents of the capital. The only entrance was through a valued passage. which | was guarded by strong detachment of Turkish troops; but my companion pro- duced document which their leader care fully scrutinized, and at word from him the soldiers made way for us.
 We found ourselves in a square, each side of which was about 200 yards long. surrounded by houses of two stories in height, with wooden balconies projecting in front of some of the windows. Walls and windows were draped in back. In the center of the square was a mosque, decked in the same somber fashion Men of mel ancholy visage, pale-faced, clad in black robes, moved silently hither and thither. | Their sallow compexions, delicately chis- eled and intellectual features indicated that they were Persians most of them, but among them were some Turkish Mo- | hammedans, men of more robust and ] physically rigorous type, and white-Deard- | cd priests.
 Almost immediately a black-garbed in- Gividual after inspecting something like a ticket conducted us to an upper, room in one of the houses, and when we had squatted on the floor Turkish fashion, beforelthe iron-barred window, and pushed aside the black drapery sufficiently to let us all that went on. my Turkish companion explained what it all meant.
 Know. unbeliever," he said, that this is the Mouharrem of the Persians, the sea- son when Persian Mohammedans mourn the death of Ali and his two sons Has san and Hussein, true successors of the IrOpnet. M1Sleu ana ueceiVeu Dy the ueV1l they slew them 1920 years ago, and today the anniversary of their assassination, having prepared themselves for it by twenty-four1 hours of fasting and lamen- tation praying and weeping, they expiate the terrible crime of their ancestors by undergoing self inflicted punishment and torture.
 Stir in the Throng.
 At this moment stir among the silent throng announced the arrival of the Per sian ambassador and his suite, who were conducted to a kiosk at one side of the mosque. Then the square was cleared and the priests gathered on the steps of l the mosque.
 | The dirge-like wall of funeral music reaches us and relieves the tension of silence. Black robed men appear march | ing with slow and solemn steps bearing on staff surmounted by silver hands, | pointing hcnvenward. banners of purple, | green and black silk. with inscriptions upon them of pous import. One of the | banners Is white Then follows a band. It consistt only of a few fageolets, drums and cymbols and its music Is restricted to six bars, repeated again and again, with monotonous insistency, but despite its lack of melody its effect is as mourn full as that of the Dead March, | Following the band, in double rank. but | with wide intervals between. come fifty men, dressed in black save for the left | breast which is bare. At the ena of each bar of music they strike their left breasts with their right hands, mournfully wail- l ing the while, "Hassan, Hus-sein! Ali" Their form of penitential atonement, though impressive Is a comparatively easy one But behind follow a still larger number of men, walking two and two. bare shouldered, but for the rest clad in the all-peryading black. Each right hand yields a short stan, to which punches of steel chains are attached As they march. with the pendulum-like regularity of some eymnastic exercise. they smite themselves over each shoulder alternately. keeping lime to the music and uttering In chorus the mournful refrain. "Has-sanl Illus sein, A-lir' each name being punctuated by a cruel blow
 Blood Begins to Flow.
 Round and round the square ,ney march with what seems exasperating slowness to one who feels for the pain they are enduring voluntary though it is. Black welts soon give place to red streaks, and then the blool flows freely, but for an hour they keep it up. showing no abate- ment in the fervor of their self-infiicted penance with each repitition of the sa- cred name smiting their raw flesh and allowing no sign of suffering to show it. self on their set and stoical faces
 It is with much relief one secs them re- tire at last leaving the square occu- pied by elderly men, black garbed who rend the air with their loud lamenta- tions tears trickling down their cheeks attesting the sincerity of their grief But it cannot be ciassed as phy- sical suffering and does not try ones nerves Meanwhile attendants light lamps and torches around the square.
 Now comes another procession, but this time all the figures in it are clad in white Following the banners are two s,perb white horses of purest Aramian