The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-09
lA TRAGIC TURKISH DRAMA
1880 WRITTEN OUT OF REAL LIFE
RESULTS EXTINCTION OF PRcE1Y
4 HoUsE-TRuEz IMPROBABLE THAN A OF
ARABIAN NIGHTS.
pecial Correspondence Of The Journal.

Special Correspondence Of The Journal.
Constantinople. Aug. 22.-Bit by bit
the most absorbing, dramatic and i'm
possible stories of true life that ever
stepped out of the pages of the
Arabian Nights and wandered by some
mischance into the present day and
hour. The principal characters in the
drama were, on the surface, polished,
cultivated men,, who might have been
received in society anywhere, in Con-
stantinople. New York, London or
they prove to have been contemporaries
Of Othello and Iago.
The drama, of which probably we
have not yet seen the last act, has al
ready resulted in the murder Of the
project Of Constantinople, the execution
Of the master of ceremonies at the
palace, and his uncle the military gov
ernor Of Scutari, and the practical ex-
tinction of one Of the great p1incely
houses of Turkey.
1t all began in a trivial fashion a
few months ago when Ahmed Aga, fac
totum for the rich and powerful Red
van Pasha, project Of the city, came
to live in Shishli, suburb of Con-
stantinople, not far from the Yildiz
Kiosk, and as ill-luck would have It.,
in tie same street in which resided
Abdurrezzak Pasha. master of cere-
monies at the imperial palace.
- -. =. Used Office to Graft.
Redvan used his office to feather his
own nest, by methods not altogether un-
known in America The bakers guild,
for instance, paid him $50 Turkish liras
a day to be 'fprotected when they
violated the law. against the selling of
bread under weight. Ahmed was the
man who ran the "graft' department
for him and did most Of the dirty work.
good "rake off, for himself; And
thus it came about that he could afford
to live in style in a big house in a
swell, street near the palace.
But despite the fact that. the neigh
borhood was a fashionable, one, the
street, like most Of the streets in the
capital, was wretchedly paved. Ahmed
used his pull to get that part Of the
street in front Of his house repaved
at the city's expense. Abdurrezzah
sent HIM message requesting that the
Ahmed wanted to know what there was
in it for him. The response was not
satisfactory.
Then Ahmed discovered that the
funds apportioned for street improve
ments had been exhausted and the mas
ter Of ceremonies would have to wait
until an additional appropriation had
been obtained, or pay for the extern
sion of the pavement out Of his own
pocket.
Ahmed was Turk of humble origin
while Abdurrezzak Pasha was head of
the great and powerful Kurish family
of the Bedr Khans which, some fifty
years back, under the leadership Of
Abdurrezzak' g grandfather, had organ
lied such formidable revolt against
the government that the sultan Of that
chase speace by bestowing some of the
best billets at his disposal on the
chiefs Of the Behr Khan. By the beard
Of the prophet, Abrurrezzak swore that
he would teach Redvan's insolent up
start underling lesson. On some pre-
text he decoyed Ahmed into his house,
had him numerically bastinadoed, and
placed him in ignominious confinement.
Gets Word to Chief.
Ahmed managed to get word of his
sorry plight to his chief. Redvan was
not the man to leave one of his stanch-
est followers in the lurch. He did his
best to induce Abdurrezzak to set
Ahmed free. He even offered to paw a
big sum &C. O. d. for Ahmed's re-
lease. But Abdurrezzak's desire for
revenge was stronger than his cupidity.
He. refused to let Ahmed CO.. Then
hands. He armed a number Of the city
scavengers with clubs and revolvers
and set them to effect Ahmed's deliv-
erance. A lively fight took place be-
tween the scavengers and Abdurrez-
Yak g servants. One Of the Kurd s was
killed and several of Redvan's men
were wounded, but Ahmed contrived to
escape in the confusion.
NO public inquiry was held into the
matter; though everybody knew of the
affair. Those entrusted with the en-
forcement of the law in Constantinople
never think of troubling Important Off
cials for such a trifle as the death-ac-
c1dental or otherwise a rival serv-
ing man.
The fray had been fought almost be-
meath the walls of the imperial palace
itself, and the yells of the combatants
had reached the sultan 5 ears. He de-
manded q report. It then became a
with the sultan. Abdurrezzak' proved
the stronger. It is said that Redvan
was saved from Punishment only thru
the influence Of his mother, who held
an important position in the imperial
harem. He lost the favor of his royal
master; which meant of course, that
it would not be long before he would
be deprived Of his job, too.
.. Plots to. Stay Redvan.
This did not satisfy Abdurrezzak.
He summoned family council of the
Behr Khans to determine what further
steps should be taken to punish the
man who, had slain a member of the
clan and insulted it's dignity by at
lacking the house Of it's leader with a