The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-04-28
Aa|NST SULTAN.
Senator'S and
DsulIsF For Abdication.
MANI SaEIk u ISLAM TO ACT
Tksy AIlege That Abdul Hands
key Is Harmful, Un-
and Contrary to the
. sacred Law.
WANT SaEIk u ISLAM TO ACT

Constantinopie, April 21.-The tide is
running strong against the sultan, Alb
d1i Hamids a catftlis Of senators and
sAebutles hApS detsttnined to make an
1iefEort 20 compel him to abdicate under
she ecclesiastical law, by the terms of
.ioh q d3t9ee may be issued by the
Reik III Islam, me highest authority
!. az M0han1medanism next to the sui.
sth, pscnouncine the sultan incapable
a rhiing.
The grounds upon which the issu.
alzks of q eAnonicai rescript will be
demanded are that the sultan's su-
pEenacy n gsharmful to the church, con-
kfk3ty to the Nacfed law and unjust to
Z " d flrpE< es agreed upon at the
Remand shall be made
zt| fIe N Hon OF Abdul Hamid
I l'knulf q from the highest court
; 0k kIl8 from the national as
gRi1it5sg and From the military chiefs
{ So sultan Fill be offered palace and
beraf aIloFanees.lS
1,he pafIiameptary leaders wish to
1 tisscubs fhis program at public sit
Ting bsfpre they approach the Sheik
! tll Isla{ bt he subject, for 1t is with
!, 5Isia man, Who lives secluded life of
4 l9gterI8g(e, shznihQly character, that
~ lifIicuIfy ales, He is not likely to
l le1f Without i8tnk serious considera-
4 ilDE ~ this ihiportant matter, taking
{, HE pfncipal ulema and
4 S9eking tie opira6n Of the wisest and
most powerful i6efi In the church. -
The constitutionalists have no wish
to oppose ecclesiastical authority nor
to undertake the tasks of progress
without the support of majority of
the wise men, and If they strongly on
pose the abdication of the sultan It
would hardly be insisted upon at pres
ent, although this is regarded as the
simplest course to avoid further COM
plications with Abdul Hamid.
Mehemmed Rechad Effendi, the heir
apparent to the throne, who would
probably be selected for the accession.
has lived practically prisoner for
twenty-five years in the large palace
and gardens, not far from the Yildiz
kiosk.
Since the July revolution, however.
he has often been In the streets of
Constantinople, looking from the car
riage windows upon the scenes in the
thoroughfares, which must have been
strangely interesting to him.
Mehammed Rechad is gray haired
and not very strong, to Judge from his
appearance. He is sixty-ive years of
age and we'll educated, although mex
perienced in the affairs of the world
The final act in the siege of the Yil-
diz occurred when General Schefket,
commander of the constitutionalists
Overawed the Albanians into surren-
der. This force, which was composed
of 200 men. was stationed in the i'm
perial palace
The Albanlans had persistently re.
fused to lay down their arms Gen
eral Schefket sent up strong body of
Macedonians and six field pieces were
placed In prominent position above
the palace. Other guns were disposed
on the neighboring heights, while
troops commanded all the approaches.
The red flag continued, however, to
ny defiantly until 2 o'clock, when the
watchers saw 1t dropping slowly down
the hagpOle, making place for the
white token of surrender.
A few minutes later a crowd of fugi.
tives was seen pouring down the
dusty road leading to Beshimtash
where they were fastened together
with ropes and conducted under a mil
itary escort to the headquarters of the
commission Nf inquiry.
The prisoners included domestics
Sunuchs, pages, secretaries and practi
cally the entire male staff of the pal
ace as well as the famous fusileers
the protegees OF the sultan. Thell
commander was arrested in disguise
at Galata and severely handled.