The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-04-27
Roar of Guns prOclaims TO Con.
stantinopIe the Change
of Sultans. 81
TROOPS SEIZE OFFICERS.
AND MAY START REVOLT
Deposition of Monarch by Edict
of the Sheik-ul-IsIam
Church's Head.

C0NSTANTINoPLE. April 27.---Abdul
Hamid II. has becn deposed as sultan OF
he Turkish empire and nehcmnied Res
chad ERepdi, his brother, has been
Mis successor.
The deposition wns through the reg
ular form prescribed by the tencts OF
the Mohammedan faith. The sbetk-ui-
Islam, the head Of the church, issued
the decree of deposition.
salute of 101 guns, fired at 2:S0 this
afternoon, announced to the waiting
populace of Constantinople the change
in the Sultanate.
The news of the deposition OF Abdul
Hamld and the selection OF his brother
to succeed him caused great excitement
throughout Constantinople.
Crowds at once began to gather IN the
principal squares and thoroughfares
and around the imperial palace of
Yildiz
sultan Spirited Away.
It Is reported that the Sultan has
been removed from the imperial palace
of YiIdiz ard conveyed across the
Bosphorus to point in Asiatic Turkey.
Another story Is that late last night
troops under tho command Of Young
Turks officers entered the palace and
took his majesty prisoner. Later. close
ly guarded he was removed to the
Cheraghan palace, on the Bosphorus.
The grounds upon which the issuance
of canonical rescrlpt were demanded
are that the Sultan's supremacy Is
harmful to the church, contrary to the
sacred law and unjust to the Turkish
people. The program as agreed upon
was that a demand should be made
for the abdicatlon OF Abdul Hanid
simultaneously from the highest court
of the church, from the National AS
sembly and from the military chiefs.
The Sultan was offered a palace and
liberal allowance.
The parliamentary leaders discussed
this program at public meeting be-
fore they approached the sheik-ul-
Islam on the subject, for it was with
this man. who lives a secluded life OF
a mysterious semi-holy character, In
the popular belief that the difficulty
rested
f Consulted Wise Men.
He took counsel with the principal
Ulema and sought the opinion of the
wisest and most powerful men in the
church. The Consttutionalists had no
wish to oppose ecclesiastical authority
nor to undertake the task OF progress
without the support of a majority of
the Wise Men, and II the latter had
strongly opposed the abdication Of the
Sultan 1t would hardly have been in
sisted upon at present, although this
was regarded as the simplest course, 10
avoid further complications with Abdul
Hamid.
The New Ruler.
Mehemmed Reschad DTendi has lived
practically a prisoner for twenty five
years In the large palace and gardens
not far from the Yildiz Kiosk. Since
the July revolution, however. he has
often been in the streets OF Constants
nople. looking from the carriage VIM
dows upon the scenes in the thorough
fares, which must have been strangely
interesting to him. He Is gray-haired
and not very strong TO judge IRON,
his appearance. He Is 65 years OF aga
and well educated, although inexpsr-
fenced In the affairs of the world.
Revolt by Troops.
Fifty Turkish officers have been ar
rested in Erseroum by their troops and
dispatched under escort to Trebizcnd
Tho exact significance of this action
is not yet clear, but 1t is feared that IL
means the beginning of a revolt OF the
provincial troops against tile Young
Turk officers.