Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-26
SULTAN A PRISONER.

| SoiASeeAhtiiOPlC, "A IA II iS iiNi!
garrison surrendered today to the Con.
stitutionalist forces. The commander:
of these battalions began sending il
their submission to Mahmoud Schefke
Pasha last night and the whole of the
troops protecting the palace gave then
formal and unconditional surrender
shortly after dawn. Niazi Bey, who is
called the hero of the July revolution
is now in command of the garrison.
| Sultan Abdul Hamid has been pei
mitted to remain within the walls u
the Yildiz Koska, where yesterday with
his ministers he awaited the outcome
of the struggle between his Loyal
troops and the army of investment
each hour bringing to him word of a
| fresh disaster. 1t has been stated
since victory rested with the Constitu-
tionalists, that the Sultan himself gave
orders to his men not to resist. Whetn-
er or not this is true it can be safely
said of the troops within the capital
that they made a stubborn resistance
at all points, and the casualties on both
sides are exceedingly heavy for the
length of time the engagement was in
progress.
A representative Of the commander
in chief Of the Constitutonalists is au-
thority for saying that the Sultan will
be dealt with by the Parliament and
that there will be an adequate inquiry
into the sovereigns alleged completely
in the mutiny Up to the present the
ministery has not been dissolved, but
Constantinople and number of other
places have been declared in state
of siege. Martial law prevails and
while there is some uneasiness among
the people, order has been maintained
with a strict hand.
The last garrison to surrender was
the Se.imieh artillery barracks in
Scutari, opposite STEAMBOAT. -Four
thousand men stationed there with q
hundred guns, threatened to blow the
CITY into ruins, but today Gen. Schefket
ordered up so big guns and several
batteries of machine guns to positions
which commanded the barracks and
the cruiser Medijieh steamed out If
range of the field pieces and prepared
for action The commander Of the
barracks thereupon surrendered, ana
the artillery men will be marched out
as the troops of the other garrisons
already have been treated and made
temporary prisoners without arms, TO
await transfer to outlying districts.
Following yesterdays terrific fight
ing, the city took on an aspect OF
strange quiet towards evening. There
was some fear that there would be
further fighting during the night for
the forces of Gen. Schefket were
strongly posted close to the palace.
But beyond a few scattering shots
there was nothing to disturb the peace
of the city. The investing troops We're
reinforced, however in the fear that
the Yildiz garrison would remain loyal
to the Sultan and continue the strug-
gle to the end. Fortunately the officers
in command of these soldiers saw the
hopelessncss of resistance and there
was no opposition when various COM
manders laid down their swords and
gave over their detachments to the
strongly pntrenched Enemy
The proclamation of martial law in
Constantinople and environs which fol-
lowed by q circular note which was
sent to each of the foreign ambassa-
doris 1t read:
II have the honor to inform your eX-
cellency that in view of the circVm-
stances a state of siege begins today
in the capital. Ismid, Tchekmedje To-
hatalja, Gehize, Kartal and Beyooz.
(signed) "RIFIAT,"
minister of Foreign Affairs.
Col Galib, inspector general, has been
made responsible for the preservation
of order and placards have been post
4 oh ri rnnnactinc fhn
pie to continue their business, open the
shops, on which the shutters are still
up, and to avoid accepting as true and
repeating, rumors prejudicial to tran
guilty of mind. The posters advise
the populace to keep within the doors
from one hour after sunset until sun
rise but permission will be given by
the officers of the watch to pass
through the streets on necessary bust
ness after nightfall. The object in es-
tablishing a martial law is chiefly to
permit a military search of residences
for fugitives and to bring seditious
persons before military courts for trial.
The evacuation of the quarters
around the YildiZ Kiosk began early
in the morning. The soldiers of the
garrison were made prisoners and their
places We're taken by Macedonian bat
talions Had the Sultan looked out
from the upper windows of his favor
lite yellow and white pavilion, he would
have seen at dawn sentinels thickly
scattered in the grounds between the
palace and the Bosphorus, and at the
gates OF the canal, through which
barges pass from the Yildiz toy lake to
the Bosphorus. Later in front of the
main gates of the palace a. row Of
euruchs sat on chairs summing them
selves and watching the movements of
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