The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-05-01
SULTAN GOES TO PRISON.
ABDUL HANIID, DEPOSED, WILL
BE CONFINED IN LARGE
HOUSE NEAR SALONIKI
Gen. Shefket Says He Will Tolerate
No Half Measures I'm Punishment of
MutinOus TrOOps-State of Seige
Continued.

Constantinople. April 2S.-The for
mer sultan, Abdul Hamid II, is to be
kept prisoner in a large house with
walled grounds on a height overlook
ing Saloniki, which has lately been
occupied by the Italian commander Of
the international gendarmerie. He Is
not to be put on trial, as has been
widely reported in Constantinople, for
he Is considered to be above the law.
1t was thought wise to KEEP the de.
posed sultan in European Turkey, re-
mote from the capital EIis house
hcld will be administered for him
upon generous scale and his life will
be safeguarded. as he earnestly be-
sought when notified os his dethrone-
ment.
Abdul Hamid. with four wives. five
daughters and two Of his younger
sons. two eunuchs and a comparative
ly large number of female servants,
was taken from the Yildiz palace last
night and started under an escort to
Saloniki. The party proceeded by
steam launches to the landing near
the railway and special train, on
which they were to be placed, left at
o'clock in the morning. The con-
stitutionalists would like to get back
part of the great sums Of money that
the former sultan is supposed to have
abroad, not only because the govern
ment is in need Of the money, J. 1t
because 1T is desirable that he should
be deprived of the resources for an
other coup d'etat. Speculation places
Abdul Hamid's wealth at anything be-
'ween $25.O0O.OOO and s2OO,OO0,O00.
1t was mentioned with pleasure to-
day at the palace of Mehemmed V
that the American ambassado. was
the first Of the foreign representatives
10 convey his good wishes to tho new
~ proclaimed sultan. The sultan sent
his compliments and thanks to Mr.
Lcischman. expressing pleasure that
the representative of the United
States was the first to congratulate
him.
The city is illuminated tonight and
general rejoicing continues.
Although this was a holiday court
martials were held and several of the
principals In the mutiny of the troops
were condemned to death. Later
they were taken outside the walls of
the city and shot.
Prince Sabah Eddine. the nephew
or the sultan. who was arrested on
suspicion Of being implicated in the
rising. has beeen liberated and his
release has caused a good impress
sicn.
The streets Of the capital are fill
ed with Macedonian volunteers. They
are being feted by the citizens at the
coffee houses and restaurants. which
are all full to overfiowing.
The huge square inside the ratings
OF the war office presented an unusual
scene this afternoon. Thousands of
soldiers Of the late garrison were
seated. cross-legged, in companies in
great semicircle. while officers made
the rounds and picked out those sus-
pected Of active completely in the mu-
tiny. The men, however, were cheer
fni. They chatted and smoked and
appeared to bear their disgrace light
ly.
Mahmoud Schefket Pasha, COM
manding the forces. in an interview
today. intimated his intention to puri-
fy the capital Of all subversive ele-
ments and to establish a salutary eX-
ample Of the army. He said that he
would have no half measures, but
would thoroughly clear up the situa-
ton. For this purpose the state Of
seige would be continued probably for
month, although 1t would be relax
ed somewhat In the European quarter
very soon. Referring to the deport-
alton Of Abdul Hamid, Gen. Schefke.
expressed the opinion that the meas
ure was absolutely necessary in the
interest of the future peace of the en-
pire. Alluding to the report that the
Albanians might attempt to rescue
the former sultan. the general said
he was convinced that the Albanians
would remain quiet. On the compile
tion of his mission. he concluded, he
would return to Saloniki.
Mehemmed V was attending to his
court duties today, receiving various
officials at Dolmabagtsche palace. Ac-
cess to the palace Is easy, and the
sultan's conversation Is familiar the