The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-18
PHYSICIANS WIFE
Tells OF TURKEY
How Maxim Pasha Managed to Get
Out of the Yildiz Kiosk and Saw
ConstantinoeIe From a Massacre.


The wife of a former palace physi-
clan during the reign of the :ate Sui
tan of Turkey, has written q letter to
Mrs. Edward w. S. Johnston, of New
York City, who has sent it on the
New York Evening Post. Her Tur-
kish friend refers to the letters from
Constantinople printed in the Even
ing Post: Il felt your thoughtful at
tention in sending me the papers. l
enjoyed the reading very much, the
more so that nearly all names men
toned were known to me. Errors
were made, as for instance the n
letter mentions that among the many
that fed and left the old Sultan all
alone was one Chakir Pasha, his chief
aide-de-camp. No! he did not commit
suicide, as stated, but went away and
hid; %thereupon the rumor' got about
Of his suicide. Chakir Pasha is a very
old friend of ours, and a very good,
straightforward character, a father of
many children, mostly boys, and all
were aides-de-camp. When the pasha
knew all that was to take place, he
could not see a way to clear out, but
when his master called him and told
him to get his family all together and
get a "yali" at Bechiktash-I suppose
you know a "yali" is a villa on the
waters edge-the pasta asked per-
mission to go and tell his family of
the intended removal, and begged to
be allowed to look for a house, and,
getting permission, he went away and
never returned. He hid himself so
we'll that until the new Sultan was
proclaimed, nobody knew where he
was, and this act was his saving, as
being a sure proof of his honesty, 9TH
erwise he would have been punished.
"Nazim Pasha was the clever one
to ask the Sultan's permission to in
spect the Macedonian forces, for
which ride he was given a fast horse,
from the Sultan's stables. He rode to
San Stefano, and there gave the news
secretly about the impending mas
sacre, begging the troops to come in
as quickly as possible, then rode back
full speed to Yildiz, telling the Sultan
not to fear, as his troops surrounding
Yildiz we're of too great a force and
number, and could easily conquer the
insignificant number of those at San
S%tefanof y 4
But his timely warning to the
troops and embassies saved whole
population from a terrible death. For
days men had been going everywhere
in various guises, taking notice CT
numbers and names Of people and
houses. Ours they did not ask, but
marked! so, If we were to have been
victims, we do not yet know!
THE great fear is now a reaction
airy movement; but to avoid this we
are to have martial law until October,
and all the useless employees, o. those
that had found posts in various de-
partments through protection and not
from their own capacity, have to be
provided for. For instance, the Sub
lime Porte will dismiss 1875, some OF
Them have been there eighteen years
Or more, are fathers-elderly men
what can they do for a living? Not
knowing how to read or write Tur-
kish, or perhaps more than n Ian
guage, of what use are they in such
4 capacity? Therefore new projects
and concessions are to be formed, and
by such means all will find work &C
cording to their rank or intelligence.
There was a young girl about
nineteen or twenty, who was III and
asked permission to go away any
where for a little change. AS a rule,
when the slaves once get out of the
the palace walls, they did not come
back again. This girl was given a
large sum of money and entrusted to
our former Governor of Scutari. He
pocketed most Of her money, sent her
away, and then sent word to the pal
ace that it were better to keep a
strict care, as the girl was ready to
join a revolutionary band. So, on re-
ceiving definite orders, he sent her so
far away!' He secreted her in a
house exactly opposite his own, three
houses away from us, kept her a strict
prisoner, with barely sufficient food
to eat, and orders we're given to the
lady of the house, whom I knew well,
not to speak to her, or give her any
thing, and 50, this girl was there in
one room-no fire, no food, or air,
and rarely, very rarely, did our friend
venture to get to see her and give her
things secretly. The sending Of this
girl away, doctors, etc., etc., were
well paid for, as the signed papers
have been found among the many pa
pers at Yildiz-also cheques for mon
ey paid.
Nov the girl is free, has been CIV
en- a lovely home in compensation,
and is, of course, very grateful to her
old friend for the many secret kind
nesses, and has even been several
times to see her and brought her
handsome presents. The old Govern
or was well paid for his trouble. He
had only received orders to see that
the girl was kept from communicating
friends, and was to need nothing"