Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-02
STATE DEPARTMENT
TO ASK EXPLANATION
REPRESENTATIVE MURDOCH or
KANSAS ACTS IN BEHALF or
WIDOW WHO WANTS Hus-
BANDS DEATH AVENGED.

Washington, May 1.-Represen
tative Murdock of Kansas today
took up with the state depart
ment the alleged action Of AM
bassador Leishman in endeavoring
to induce Mrs Bernard Warken-
tin to sign papers releasing
Turkish prince who accidently
shot her husband ma railroad
train near Damascus from prose-
cution. The state department
will request an explanation from
the ambassador.
New York, May IA story Of the
killing of an American citizen In
railway train in Asiatic Turkey by
the son of Turkish Pasha, which :t
Is charged was conveniently smother.
ed by the American minister, Mr..
Leishman and for which no one was
arrested, was revealed yesterday aft,
ernoon on the arrival Of the North
German Lloyd steamship Koenig All
bert. sl
The Koenig Albert brought the
body of Bernard Warkent.li, a Kan
sas banker who was shot and killed
on April / in a train between Damas-
Gus and Beyrut. The man who did
the shooting, a son of prominent
Turkish official, is at liberty and no
attempt was made to punish him un.
der the plea that the killing was ''ac-
cidental.' The body Of Mr.. Warken-
tin was accompanied by his widow.
who was most bitter over the atti-
tude taken by Minister Leishman In
the affair.
"Mr. Leishman's position through-
out the whole affair was rather that
of a Turkish official than that Of an
American minister" said Mrs. War
kentin today. His whole anxiety
seemed to be concerned with the In
convenience which my husband =
death would cause the Turkish gov.
ernment.
Accuses Leishman Of DupIicity.
Instead Of trying to assist me II
my trouble his first action was to try
to secure release from mestof any
indemnity which nigh claim for my
husbands death He told me tha!
while the father of the young Turl
who killed my husband received tss
salary Of 100000 pounds from tn,
Turkish government the young mai
himself was penniless and that 4
would not be able to recover anything
from him.
| Mr.. Leishman acted as il he wer
an agent of the Turkish governmen
and not an American official. Instea,
of assisting me he harrassed me b.
irving to get time to sign documen
| of release. This was written In Turk
| ish and l was unable to read It. Whel
| 1t was presented to me was told tina
j would not be able to bring. my hus
bands body to America unless signe,
| 1t. Mr.. Leishman also told me tha
It was useless to prosecute the son o
only embarrass him with the Porte
Does Not Seek Damages.
II did not care for any damages 70
my husbands death because he wa
wealthy and / was not in need o
money. / only wanted to see that tn
person responsible for his death wa
punished for his criminal carelessness.
The Turk who kill Mr.. Warkenti
did the shooting through the partitio
of a compartment in a train while e
route to Damascus. 1t was said to b
accidental and was done while til
young Turk was handling reyolve,
After the shooting he was arrestet
but Immediately released u,on his de
claring his identity. No further actio
!. was taken by the Turkish authoritie
and everv effort was made to hush tn
matter UP.
Charges to be Preferred.
The Kansas friends of Mr.. Warken
tin were greatly excited when the
heard of the manner of his dealt
Albert Berger, prominent lawyer ,
Kansas City, came to New York 4
meet Mrs. Warkentin. He declared te
: day that the charges against M
Leishman would be preferred with tt
State Department and that IL no actic
was taken that the matter would .
made the subject of Senatorial Il
vestigation by Senators Curtis ar
Long of Kansas.
Neclaree Annual nix,idandc Z;