The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-04-24
Army of Investment Met Sui
tan's Select Bodyguard in
Deadly Conflict
STREETS HAVE Been CLEARED
FOR MOVEMENT OF TROOPS
Hotels and Consulates As Well as the
European and American Quarters
Of the City Are Being Protected by
the Young Turks.

Constantinople. April 24.-Heavy
rifle firing shortly after o'clock this
morning. mingled with the occasional
rattle OF artillery from the heights
surrounding Yildiz Kiosk, marked the
elimination Of the expected clash be-
tween the troops of the Constantinople
garrison and the army of investment
which began it's advance OH the city
yesterday afternoon. The fighting
started in the souIhwest portion of
Pera near Yildiz Kiosk, between the
troops under Gen. AIahmoud Schefkey,
commanding the army of the invest
ment and part of those loyal to the
sultanf The firing was still in pro-
gress at o'clock and the Saloniki
troops have attacked NIatchka and
Taschkischla barracks south of Yildiz
Kiosk where they met stubborn re-
sistance. 1t is reported that the casu-
alties are heavy.
Despite the fighting, excellent order
prevailed in the city for a while but
later a panic ensued and thousands
began fleeing. At 10 o'clock the firing
had almost ceased, out at long inter-
walls the field guns could be heard, to-
gether with the scattering fire of the
hCoty d uOuSc near
Yildiz Kiosk the bodies of those who
met death during the encounter near
Tasckischla barracks are plainly visi-
BILE. The streets near the firing line
have been cleared xnd all non-com-
batants have been ordered to remain
in doors to prevent casualties and the
possibility of mob violence, leaving
the streets clear for the exclusive
movement of troops.
The public has been warned away
from the neighborhood of Yildiz and
the lines are impenetrable. A bat
talon of the sultan's household guard
occupy Taschkiosk barracks. about
5000 strong, and were resisting the
advance of the investing army. Ex-
pecting an attack they were deployed
outside the barracks when an officer
from Gen. Schefket demanded that
they surrender. but they refused.
Only a small part of the constitu-
tional troops were engaged in the at
tack on the barracks. as Pera is still
strongly occupied with companies of
infantry stationed in nearly every
street and detailed to guard every
embassy. The American embassy is
thus protected and the Young Turks
are protecting all the hotels and banks
in the Pera. the quarter in which
Americans and Europeans are gath
cred for security.
Tranquility Restored.
Complete tranquility was restored
by noon, when the last recalcitrants
surrendered and the firing ceased.
Several of the isolated guard houses
defended themselves bravely against
the Salonikins. These fights in the
center of the city resulted in consid-
cradle loss of life. The taxim guard
house resisted for three hours under
fire of the heavy Hotchkiss guns. The
occupants numbering fifty men and
officers. finally surrendered. At
men were returning the fire steadily.
Presently the loyal troops occupied
the military school nearby and fired
on the advance, while considerable re-
Inducements from Yeldiz Kiosk bar
racks Joined the troops at Tasch
kiochkla, where the Saloniki chaus-
seuers. accused of betraying consti-
tutional cause, were defending them
selves. Chefket Pasha issued orders
to shoot down any soldiers of the
Constantinople garrison seer carry
ing arms whether using them or not.
He declared also that all unarmed
soldiers would be treated as non
combatants.
During the encounter a rain of bull
lets fell in the crowd observing the
great panorama in the Grand Rue De
Pera, wOunding four men. all Of
whom, however, were natives. With
this warning of danger the cores
pondents and others hastily withdrew.
American Shot.
A tourist party of fifty or sixty
Americans were at an early break
fast when the first boom of artillery
shook the windows of the Pera Pal
ace hotel. They abandoned their cof-
fee and left the city at o'clock.
Frederick Moore, the American news
paper correspondent for the New
York Sun, who came from New Or
-