The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-06-11
Abdul Hamid Has Changed no
Characteristics Since Los
ing His Throne.
JOURNALIST STUDIES HIM.
A CLEVER SKETCH OF THE GUST
Ed MONARCH HAS BEEN WRIT
TEN BY FRANCIS M'cULLAGH, A
CORRESPONDENT.
american News Service,


London, June 11.-During his thirty
years reign as the omnipotent master
OF 2J,OOO,O0O men Abdul Hamid, ex-
sultan of Turkey, was riddle, perplex-
ing and impenetrable, to the whole
world. Now in the days of his exile
In Salonica. his attitude and character
remain unaltered-enigmatic as ever
At one moment he is raised to the
heights of bliss, because the fear of
at the next he is cast into the depts of
despair with the recollection that his
autocracy and absolutism have van
ished from him.
Mr.. Francis McCullagh, the war cor
respondent who was present in Con-
stantinople through the revolution,
has written a clever analytical study of
Abdul Hamid's overthrow, and the
events that led up to it. There is an
arresting, though gloomy picture Of
the neurotic exiles life in his prison
palace, the Villa Allatini. He cannot
accustom himself to the fact that he
has ceased to reign, and from time to
time give incoherent orders asking for
things which it is impossible to get
for him.
Always the prey of the demon of
melancholy, his moodiness has in.
creased a hundred fold since he has
lost the horde of musicians, jugglers
and moosahibs, or amusement men
whose duty it was at Yildiz kiosk to
charm away terrifying decisions Some
times, after having sat for hours
wrapped in gloomy meditation, he
strikes the table with his fist, and cries
"Malediction! Maledictionv'
Does Not Sleep Well.
He does not know the meaning of
refreshing slumber. Whenever he is
obliged to close his eyes through sheer
exhaustion, he is fully dressed. and
his couch is long chair. Suddenly
he will start up and rush around and
around in his chamber as if pursued
by phantoms. Often he spends the
livelong night before an open window
gazing in the direction Of CONSTANT
nople. Thirty members of his harem
are sharing his exile with him. These
he geets to tell his fortune by cards,
but before the operation is finished he
jumps to his feet and impatiently
sweeps the cards away, crying Flu
tility! Futilityv'
After Abdul Hands removal from
Yildiz kiosk. some amazing discoveries
were made in the palace. There were
rooms full of clocks-tImepieces elab-
orately enamelled or inlaid with moth
er-of-pearl, side by side with one and
eleven penny alarm clocks of German
origin. In almost every room were
patent medicines and cupboards were
were filled withhair restorers, complex
ion restorers, and quack remedies guar
anteed to rejuvenate the most senile.
Gold and silver as we'll as gems of fabu-
lous worth, were found in secret hid
ing places. or lying loosely in open
drawers and upon sofas. Under a
heap of rags was found the beautiful
seael. set in brilliants, of the former
sultan, Abdul Aziz, and alongside of
it was another seal worth sixpence.'
The Young Turk leaders who made
these discoveries one day heard many
voices proceeding from locked apart
ment and their establishment was
transformed into alarm when they dis
tinguished the words, ''Padishahim
tchok Yasha" c'Long live the Sultan')
The cry came not from reastionaries,
but from hundreds of hungry Gagged
parrots which had been taught this
phrase. Abdul Hamid was excessively
fond of parrots. That is all that can
be said of him for good.