Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-29

great ability the evidences upon which
were to arouse the enmity Of the Moslen
element against the government.
He was repeatedly warned. both by his
| friends and his enemies, of the fate that
by the police that they could not protect
him. One night. while on his way home
| from his office, he was shot to death in
the street near the Galata bridge.
His assassination caused a great SEN
sation. The act was lamented. RESPONSE
bility was disavowed by members of the
committee of union and progress and by
liberal leaders whom he had attacked.
Five thousand mourners followed his
coffin to the cemetery. including many
mostly Albanians and theological stu
dents. No one was ever arrested
Wrong Man Attacked.
Hussein Djahid. editor of famine. a lib
| eral newspaper. and one of the most In
fiuential and widely read Of all the native
| journals. was repeatedly warned that he
| must stop his criticisms Of certain men,
bers of the government. He took no no.
tice of the warning.
One day a member of the chamber OF
deputies. who resembles him closely, was
shot, by mistake. Somehow, the news
tndt f1uSSeln DJdnlO ndO DeeH hlIcu SpIcdO
over the city in a most mysterious man
ner The reasons for his ASA ssination
were explained before the mistaken iden-
tity was known.
Nothing was ever done to punish this
crime The wounded deputy recovered
and was glad to have the subject sup
pressed.
Ahmed Samin Bey Killed.
The night of June 16 Ahmed Samin Bey,
chief editor of the Sedai Millet Che Voice
of the Nation, left his Office about 8
o'clock, accompanied by Ahmed Fail
Bey, one of the editors Of famine. AS
they passed a narrow street near the
Galata bridge. almost the identical place
where Hassan Fehmi was murdered last
April. disguised man fired three shots
and disappeared.
Two bullets entered the body of Ahmed
Samin who fell dead instantly. The third
bullet wounded Seraphim Bedros, baker,
who was passing Neither he nor Ahmed
Fail would be able to identify the as
sassin, who wore cloak and a hood
drawn over his head SO that his race
could not be seen.
Ahmed Samin Bey was thirty years OF
age, a member of an excellent Turkish
family, noted for their liberal sentiments.
and was educated at the government ~
ceum of Galata Serai and Robert College,
the American institution on the Bos-
phorus. He studied law. but turned his
attention to Journalism at the time or the
revolution and had been one Of the most
active and radical of the liberal leaders.
He displayed remarkable ability and
courage during the revolution and was
the first to openly advocate the deposit
ton OF Abdul Hamid.
Criticism of Administration.
The Sedai Millet is owned by his uncle,
Cosmidi Effendi, who is q member of the
chamber Of deputies from Constantinople
and a man of recognized integrity and
influence. The paper. although one of
the organs Of the liberal party and one
Of the most earnest supporters of the
committee Of union and progress, had
been criticising the administration for
not taking prompt and decisive action In
certain matters, and accusing the grand
vizier and his ministers of Incidence and
cowardice.
Ahmed Samin was known to be the
author Of these articles. Some of them.
which were a little too violent for the
Endorsement of the owner of the paper,
were signed with his initials.
On the day before the assassination an
editorial appeared, condemning the adj
ministration as neglectful Of the inter-
estS of the people in not carrying out
the policy of public improvements which
had been announced, and demanding that
the ministers should resign and permit
men of greater courage and better COM
prehension of the needs Of the empire to
take their places. Such bold demand
from newspaper which assisted to place
the present administration in power
naturally created much comment and
aroused intense indignation among many
supporters of the administration.
Ta<%ar Told If Eeare
The evening Of the assassination Samin
Bey had an engagement to dine with
Shevket Bey, another ardent and ener-
getic young member Of the liberal party,
at a restaurant on the Bosphorus. but
sent his regrets in a note brief. saying
his life was threatened, and it was dam
gerous for him to go to such place.
He was trying to take care of himself.
If anything did happen to him he asked
Shevket Bey to look after his family
and to see that he was buried at Demi-
jikeny cemetery.
Samin left another letter addressed to
another friend in which he told of sew
eral attempts upon his life, and of the
warnings he had received and where they
came from. He asserted that IL he were
assassinated certain persons whom he
named would be responsible for the crime.
That friend indiscreetly showed this let
ter to some of his acquaintance. He was
compelled to leave Constantinople for
parts unknown.
Shevket Bey and other friends made
preparations to carry out the wishes of
Ahmed Samin with regard to his funeral
and burial. The police. fearing Demon
StratiOn against the government, stepped
in. took charge of the remains, carried
them to the mosque of st. Sophia, held a
short service and afterward placed them
in a mausoleum connected with that
mosque, where they have since been
guarded by soldiers.
Every newspaper in the city deplored
the crime. The most ardent supporters of
the government have demanded the Wig
orous pursuit and summary punishment
of the assassin. But nothing has been
done except to give the widow a pension
and to express empty regrets.