The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
"SON OF ALLAH" IN FEAR
Terror Prevents the Sultan from Venturing Far
From His Own Apartments in Palace.

Nouri failed and fell into disgrace. one
Friday evening he walked home I'm per
feet health and called for a glass OF
water. The moment he drank Il he was
seized with violent pains. Knowing that
he was poisoned. he sent for a physician,
but before the physician arrived NOuTi
was dead.
AdmirarS End
Another recent sudden death was that
OF Admiral Shukrl Pashs. Shukri. like
Nouri, was an honest man. He lodged a
complaint against the way in which the
KrIpps Las repaired the Asseri-Terfk, a
worthless old ironclad, mOdernized at
cost Of one and one-half million dollars.
A cOurt-martial ordered him 10 with
draw his complaint Shukri refused. on
his return from the interview ShukrI
Pasha was seized with sudden pains and
died. Though an old man, he was IN eX-
cellent health.
Abeddin Pasha. late governor general
OF Rhodes. was the next victim. He was
offered the grand vizIershtp by Izzet
Pasha. former secretary TO the Sultan.
who fed 10 London when the new con-
stitution was proclaimed. Izzet imposed
certain conditions. and Abeddin refused
them. An alteration took place IN Izzet
Pasha's study. and suddenly a bell was
rung by some one present The servants
rushed in. Abeddin was lying on hts
back in "a ~ Of apoplexy-' Within five
minutes he was dead,
Nishan Effendi Sefrian. press censor.
had allowed the printing OF objectionable
statements about the Sultan's health On
his way home ne fell dead
Field Marshal Saadedin Pasha. inspec-
tor general OF military accounts, reported
that certain high officials were theIving
He was taken suddenly an in the night
and died before a doctor could arrive.
Archbishop Marley, brilliant Armeu-
ian poet and scholar, was found cOrre-
He was summoned 20 the palace. and on
his way back home died
When ex-Sultan Murad died I'm his
lifelong prison. his jailer Hassan. died
two days afterward. The story was that
MuIad was systematically tortured by
order OF Abdul Hamid and II was pre-
sumed that Hassan knew too much
A clerk in the ministry of finance.
whose brother was married 10 one OF
Abdul Hamid's nieces, interfered in some
way with the happiness Of the court
He was found dead with a dark line
around his throat.
Hamid the Mysterious.
Abdul Hamid IS a mysterious character.
neither an ordinary man nor, IN true
sense. a typical Turk He possesses not
the holiness OF M0hammed II, nor the
generosity Of Abdul-Azlz nor the uber-
ality OF Murad V He is sly, cunning.
an accomplished Oriental diplomat in his
double dealings. Jealous. and cruel Even
his own children live IN imminent peril
OF their lives. When he ascended to the
throne ne was not particularly learned
nor clever. but he was born Of the house
OF Ottoman and a devoted disciple Of
Mohammed. II was his Kismet-the will
of Allah-tO be on the throne, and his
duty TO use the weapon Of his ancestors.
For thirty-two years he has been the Sui
tan. and no mistake. believing no one.
trusting no one but himself Till Julv
last he was surrounded by men who had
betrayed his uncle. Sultan Adbul-Aziz.
and his brother Sultan Murad. living in
an atmosphere saturated with corruption
and intrigue. But he governed single
handed
The revolution came. and the reluctant
Sultan yielded. He became a constitu-
tionalist. gave generous presents TO the
revolutiOnists. whom he had prosecuted
for many years; proclaimed himself the
president OF the committee, and. in fine.
solemnly declared that he would sacri-
fee his life for the maintenance OF lib
erty. Yet his fears are not vanished.
Would they let him alone? Would they
allow him to enjoy the power still in
his hands. COnspiTacies outside and in
side are increasing his fear. which is the
main characteristic Of his habits. which
he will never overcome. 1t would not
be strange some day 10 see a tragedy
end his story.
The Sultan himself has foreseen such
a possibility. He has turned his palace,
the Yildiz-Kiosk, into a fortified city
rather than a residence. II is bounded
by an immense wall. of such formidable
height and thickness that only cannon
could destroy it. Year by year pavil-
ions, cottages. and other structures, even
factories, have sprung Up within it. in
confusion. The Imperial Guard numbers
1000 men.
In His Palace.
Abdul Hamid breads silence: so his
armed guards patrol outside his windows
day and night: he breads darkness. so
his sleeping chamber and palace must
be brilliantly illumined from sundoWn 10
sunrise. A pistol, which he has on his
person at all times. may any moment be
pointed at a visitor who dares to keen
his hands in his pockets While in the
palace your hands must be always rest
ing on your breast BARRIERS, tailors. and
doctors have gone into the palace and
never returned. Not long ago the Sultan
punished a young Kurdish girl who han
pened TO be playing with a pair OF scie-
sors in his harem At night the reading
OF celebrated criminal -asae ar,,,.so.- 49,