The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1909-07-14
.SULTAN'S BODYGUARD
Turkish Rulers Chief Protector
an American Sailor.
HAS TWICE SAVED HIS LIFE.
Admiral r. D. Buchanan, Commander
of Imperial Navy, Will Do 1t Again if
Necessary-How He Saved His Own
Life and His Goodness Under Danger.

Turkeys sultan, when the Young
Turks openly declare is the most
treacherous of the traitors whom
they are determined to fight to the
death, depends upon an American to
save his life. His hopes in his extrem-
ity are pinned upon. Admiral Ransford
D. Bucknam, who now commands the
imperial navy, has charge of naval
construction and of the imperial yacht
and is the naval adviser and aid-de-,
camp Of Abdul Hamid H.
Twice, it is said, he has saved the
life of the sultan, and he is prepared
, to fight for it again If necessary.
More than once has Bucknam Pasha
himself, as he is known in Turkey,
been the object of attack by would
be assasSins. Guarded as he is in Con-
stantinope, his enemies have found
little chance to slay him, but once
in Kiel, while returning from ban
quet, his foes nearly succeeded. Five
of them attacked him with dag
gers, and only his expert knowledge
of boxing saved his life. He f1oored
three of them and was repelling the
attacks Of the others single handed
when help arrived.
Despite the honors that have been
heaped upon him, Buchanan Pasha re-
mains at heart an American. He
laughs at the thought of danger to
himself. His GOODNESS under danger
was displayed four years ago when an
attempt was made to kill the sultan
with bomb as he was about to leave
the Hamidieh mosque, thousand
yards from the palace. The bomb ex-
ploded prematurely and killed eighty
mounted men and their horses and
wounded many more.
Buchanan Pasha was uninjured, and
he walked beside the sultan's carriage
with drawn sword as it threaded its
way among the dead back to the pal
ace, threatening in loud voice to de-
capitate any unauthorized person who
approached.
Bucknam Pasha has entire charge of
the building of the Turkish navy.
Every dollar of the $20,O00,OOO set
aside for this purpose which has thus
under his direction.
Upon the breast of his gold embroid-
cred uniform CLEANS the star of the
Order Of Osmanieh conferred upon
him by the sultan. The same imperial
hands have conferred a distinguished
service medal, which Bucknam Pasha
wears upon his left breast Massive
gold epaulets adorn his shoulders. A
gold braided fez and a jewel studded
sword complete the dress Of the man
upon whose naval wisdom and astute-
ness the sultan now leans. At court
the American ranks with the mobiles,
and he is more often consulted.
Buchanan Pasha has been in Turkey
only six years. He was born in Nova
Scotia thirty-eight years ago. His IA
Their was lost at sea, and when his
grandparents, Mr.. and Mrs. John Buck
nam of Worcester, Mass, gave him the
choice of farm life or going to sea at
fourteen he chose the sea as cabin boy
in merchant ship.
He was twice shipwrecked. After
ward he met John d. Rockefeller on
lake passenger steamer, and the latter
made him captain Of Standard Oil
whaleback, where he was known as
the "kid captain"
In 1902 he accepted position with
the Cramps Of Philadelphia, and when
the Turkish warship Medjidia was
completed in 1903 he was commissions
ed to sail her to the Bosporus. There
he met the sultan, who was so i'm
pressed with his ability that he offered
him the vice admiralty of. the empire.
Buchanan Pasha afterward went to
San Francisco and married Miss Rose
Thayer, who is now with him in the
Ottoman capital His salary is princely.