The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-11
FORMER SULTAN
OF TURKEY DEAD
Ab-ul- Hamid Passed Away at CONSTANT
nople from Inflammation of the
Lungs-He Ruled Over Turkey
for Thirty-Three Years.

for Thirty-Three Years.
Amsterdam. Feb. 1.-THE death yes
terday of Add ul. Hamid, former sultan
of Turkey. from inflammation of the
lungs, was announced in dispatch re.
ceived here to-day from Constantinople
via Vienna
Add. ?Hamid was for thirty three
years sultan of the Ottoman empire,
sprawlng upon the three continents of
Europe, Asia and Africa, and at the
same time was commander of the faith
| ful army OF Moslems. He was paid
homage by nearly hundred million sub
| jects. Shorn of power, he died pris-
oner, pitied, if not despised.
! He lieved in constant dread of death
| He had often escaped it only by good
luck or unusual precautions against
plots. Yet in his later years he had
sought death by his own hands, so mel
aneholy had his existence become.
He gained aseendency under circum-
stances nearly as tragic as those which
| ended his career Born Sept. % ls4S,
the second son OF Sultan Add -ul. Medjd,
he became sovereign when his elder
-
OF mental incapaeity in 1876. 1t was "a
time when Turkey was in state OF ex-
treme depression, almost succumbing to
the tremendous blows of Russia Out of
this slough the new sultan saved the
remnants of Turkish prestige Many
critics give him credit for successful
regime, Others denounced it as infa
nous. Whatever the true estimate. il il
la4 H. 81. \
its power. Schools were reformed the
army built up, commerce extended and
Pan Islamism created under Add -ul-
Hamid.
Stubborn though he had fought out
side forces to prevent disintegration OF |
his empire. his fall came within the EN- |
pire itself by the rise of the Young |
Turks party bent upon constitutional |
government. Add nj Haniid granted a
constitution, but failed to carry out the
liberal ideas of the new generation. In I
the revolution of 1909 lie was driven |
from the imperial palace on the shores of
the Bosphorus, made'a prisoner, and con
fined III the Villa Latini, former resi-
dence of a Greek merchant. in Saloniki,
the city where the Young Turk move
ment had its birth
During his autocratie regime, Add -ul
Hamid, was before all else sultan OF
Caliph. In audience before him Turkish
subjects, even at command to take
seat, only ventured to tilt themselves on
the edge of chair and bow homage, re-
peating the formula. Master, thy word
Is law. One OF the numerous anecdotes
of Add -ul -Hamid's autocracy concerns
parrot, which CHANGED one day to perch
himself upon a window ledge and call
'Djafer Dfa ier.' One of the eunnchs
answering to that name hurried to obey {
he summons, thinking it was his mas
er who called. This so enraged the sui
an, it is related that he wrung the par {
OTIS neck, and angrily exclaimed: I'm y
his palace there must be but one voice {
o command" q
Add ul- -Hamid once had his fortune c
old by a gypsy who predicted violent Q
eath This prophecy was largely re- {
ponsible for his constant fear of the {
ssassin, although it was also founded {
n fact for several plots upon his life J.
Tere nearly successful He took extra a
rdinary precaution for his personal +
afety. II is said that he touched no Ii
neal until some of his entrusted ser "
ant had first tasted of each dish, and |,
hat he often waited a considerable time
0 determine the effects which the "pois- "
n'-if there were any-might have d
pom them. He was in such fear of
ombs that he seldom slept twice i'm sue h
assion in the same room of his palaee. a
Ie was afflicted with neurosis and dis
rust of every one was carried to a de
rec bordering upon mania
At Saloniki, prisoner in home which
bay of the AEGEAN sea. but N
hich was virtually fortress, he wasted
way, powerless and almost forgotten.
Is younger brother, Mahomed v, sue
'eded him as sultan. His harem was a,
roken up, his court jewels sold at auc- =,
on for upwards of a million dollars. /"
hich went toward building warships IN
II the Young Turks navy. and the 90
'rmer sultan, once possessor Of mil ca
)ns. was given a few thousand dollars g.
year for his comfort in exile. Wi
Al first he took exercise along the al
Irden walk Of his villa tradition saws re
j. the same spot frequenced hv Cicero Al
ring one period Of his eNile-but late III
he was 50 obsessed with fears for life ed
a. he had kept to one or two rooms
the house. Outside there were al RI
avs stationed picked guards from the r.
Sung Turks army. in double rows OF Re
nical guard houses. and directly about Of
? house was a wall which the former re
ltan himself had required 10 be built "a
gher. All but one Of the entrances 10 Re
: villa were also closed w
Inside this fortress he spent his time sc,
sding from has library. reclining On his
an smoking his choice cigarettes. or M.
work en- some Il his hobbies. These 81