New-York tribune., 1908-10-25
A NERVOUS SULTAN
Harem Girl Who Lifted Pistol
Forfeits Her Life.

" JCHo nv
GlichoIas C Adossdes in The American Magazine fOr
Noyember1
The Sultan of Turkey is invalid. a degenerate
Of the higher order. Descended from sicky princes
whose lives spent half in the gloom OF a
prison. half in the wantOn luxury OF serai; son,
grandson and at-grandson of lazy slaves OF dlt-
ferent races, himself the child OF a consumptlve
mother and a tubercuar father, he belongs TO an
enfeebled dynasty that is afflicted with every KIND
of disease both of body and mind. the point Of
actual insanity.
The word yildiz star" A beautiful name
but it hardly appears appropriate for the home
of a monarch like the Sultan. as it resembles
prison rather than palace. II is prison for the
Sultan himself. who lives there, sef-immured, and
surrounded with real fortresses and by thousands
of soldiers camped around the circle OF the pro-
tectug walls prison for the hundreds OF women
who compose the imperial harem; a prison for the
people of the court for chamberlalns as wei as
for the lowest domestcs who live there, keeping
themselves night and day at the disposal OF thelr
master. Everywhere one feels the despOtism. the
fear, the perpetual dread that centres around the
gloomy person of the monarch, who though shut
within a triple ring Of walls. allows no one so
much as the outer gate of the palace with
out being subjected 10 searching inquiry But,
for a prison it is a fine one, big as q toWn-a
city, one might say-built the crest OF a hill at
the mouth the Bosporus and containing in itself
everythng-palaces, great and small: kiOsks. bel
vederes. arsenals provided with quick firing guns,
museums. Observatories, mosques. lakes, shops.
workrooms stables etc. But most especially Yildiz
boasts the finest collection of spies that could
possibly be gathered together; the entire house
hold of his majesty is composed of them
Abdul Hamid has gathered around himself an
encourage such as no sovereign has ever had, hav
ing brought together the vilest and most corrupt
men to be found in his realms, and when they
were not bad enough for his purpose he has taken
upon himself the task of fashiontns them in his
own image All his policy consists in studying
their vices and making such Of their weak
nesses hatreds, iealousies and dscords to
der a combination against him impossible.
Not only is the life of a who is trouble
some to him of little account. but spilled blood
seems calm and soothe his shattered nerves al
ways stretched to the swapping point. AT night
before going to sleep Of his chamberlains
told my brother. he has read TO him.
His favorite books those giving detailed
counts OF assassnations and executions The sto-
ries of crime excite him and prevent him sleep
ing. but his reader reaches passage
where punishment falls upon the criminal the
Sultan Immediately becomes calm and falls
asleep"
Another instance which illustrates the fear and
suspicion well the extreme cruelty OF the
man. for his self-protection, narrated to
several years ago by aide-de-canp Of the Sui
tan. on duty in the palace at the time Of the oc-
currence. His majesty" said my informant had
recently added his harem a Circassian odalisuue
about sixteen years of age and OF remarkable
beauty. Among the hundreds OF women of the
palace, this girl became the favorite and
privilegee and in her his majesty seemed to place
the greatest confidence. so that she could enter
his unannounced and at her pleasure One
evening she entered usual and. finding his
majesty asleep. she examined the various bric-a-
scattered here and there. her attention being
particularly attracted by jeweled pistol which
was lying table. At this point the Sultan,
suddenly opening his eyes. asked with apparent
calm What you doing?"
Nothing. majesty" replied the girl
But you are looking at something the Sultan
insisted.
Yes. sire-it is so pretty-this
And what do you call that object?
"A pistol" answered the favorite.
And what is pistol used for?"
ITO kill. sire" replied the Circassian in low
trembling voice.
ITO kill? said the despot. ITO kiU?'' he reDeat
ed Let me see" and picking up another pistol
which he had on his person he fired three times
fatally njuring the innocent girl.
The officer who told me this story on duty
In the corridors her body. covered with a rug
silently carried through the doors
In Turkey decorations rs well as distinctions of
rank are as numerous as the leaves of VaIIom-
orosa. The decorations are of all kinds of orders
one even for women. There seven ranks in
all. that of vizier being the highest in the en-
pire, and corresponding TO marshal I'm the army
The higher one rises in rank. the more gold lace
is added TO his uniform. Abdul Hafnid has D,ada
an excessive use OF rank and decorations Begin
ming with his officials whose weaknesses he "a
willing to hatter. he has ended by extending then,
TO everybody, to foreigners well as to his own
subjects, TO men. women. children and even 20
animals II Abdul-Hamid likes to give Che. too has
his little weaknesses) he is equally fond OF ra
ceiying decorations: he has received them from,
almost all the foreign sovereigns whom he hos
loaded with orders studded with diamonds O,sa,
Victoria and King Edward alone have not tbo,,sh,
1t necessary to follow the example OF the otbsr
rulers, and the Sultan is accordingly much piousd
at not having received the. decoration for which
he has even asked. and to which he attacba1 o.
extraordinary value. the Order OF the Bath.