Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
THE LAST GUARDS or lMpERIAL
PALACE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN
OUT.
COMPEL HlE 70 ADVOCATE
Prisoners Of which There Are 10000
Are Being BrutaIIy Treated by n
the Victorious oaIonIIslns.
In ConstantlnopIe.


Constantinople, Apr. 27.-The tide
Is running strong against the sultan,
Abdul Hamid II. A caucus Of senators
and deputies yesterday determined to
make an effort to compel him to alb
dictate under the ecclesiastical faw by
the terms Of which q decree may be
issued by the Sheik vi Islam. the
highest authority Of Mohammedanism
next to the sultan, pronouncing the
sultan incapable Of ruling.
The grounds upon which the issu-
ance OF canonical rescript will be de-
handed are that the sultans supre-
macy is harmful to the church, con-
trary to the sacred law and unjust
to the Turkish people. The program
rs agreed upon at the caucus is that
demand shall be made for the abb
dication Of Abdul Hamid simultane-
ously from the highest court Of the
church, from the national assembly
and from the military chiefs. The sui
tan will be offered a palace and liberal
allowances.
Mehemmed- Rechad Effendi, the heir
apparent to the throne, who probably
would be selected for the accession
had lived practically a prisoner for
rs years in the large palace and gar
dens not far from the Yildiz Kiosk.
Since the July revolution, however. he
has often been in the streets OF Con-
stantinople, looking from the carriage
windows upon the scenes in the thor
oughfares which must have been
strangely interesting to him. He is
gray haired and not very strong to
Judge from his appearance. He is IS
years of age and well educated, al
though inexperienced in the affairs OF
the world.
Yesterday afternoon witnessed the
final act in the siege OF the Yildiz'
General Schefket, commander OF the
Constitutionalists, over a wing the
Albanians into surrender. This force,
which was composed Of 200 men, was
stationed in the Imperial palace. the
Albanians were not engaged In the
fighting on Saturday, but they persist
emily refused to lay down their arms.
Gen. Schefket sent up strong body OF
Nacedonians and six field pieces were
placed in a prominent position above
the palace. Other guns were disposed
over the neighboring heights, while
the troops commanded all the ap-
proaches. The red flag continued,
however, to fly defnantly until two
O'clock, when the watchers = saw 1t
dropping slowly down the hagpole.
making place for the white token Of
surrender. A few minutes later :
crowd Of fugitives were seen pouring
down the dusty road, leading to Besf
himtash, where they were fastened
together with ropes and conducted UNI
der a military escort to the headquar-
ters Of the commission Of inquiry.
The prisoners included domestics,
eurNchs. pages. secretaries and Dracr
tically.sth entire male stan the
palace, as well as the famous fusilers,
the spoilt proteges Of the sultan
Their commander was arrested in dis
guise at -Galata and severely handled
and subjected to indignities.
The Salonikins show great severity,
Many Of the arrested Sofas, credited
with being reactionaries, have been
brutally treated and others, concern
ling whose loyalty there is doubt, have
not entirely escaped. The vigorous
search continues even into the Euro
pean quarters. 1t is estimated now
that at least 10000 prisoners are in
the hands of the Salonikins.