New-York tribune., 1918-02-12
Hanid, Once Sultan
OF Turkey, Dies a P Prisoner
Autocratic Ruler for Thirty
three Years Of | 100000
Subjects; Shorn of Power
in 1909 by Young Turks
Revolution

AMSTERDAM, Fob. 1.-THE death
Yesterday Of Abdul Hamid, forme,
sultan of Turkey, from Inflammation
OF the lungs, is announced in dispatch
received here to-day from CONSTANT
nopis, by way Of Vienna. A state fu.
neral will be held.
Abdul Hamid was for thirtv-three
years Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
sprawling upon the three continents f
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
subjects. Shorn of power, he died a
prisoner, pitied, If not despised.
=, ne lived in constant dread of death.
ne 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
melancholy had his existence become.
he gained ascendency in circum-
stances nearly as tragic as those which
ended his career. Born September %,
ls4S. the second son of Sultan Abdul
MedJld, he became sovereign. when his
elder brother, Murad V, was deposed
because of mental incapacity in 1875.
turkey was then in state of extreme
repression, almost succumbing to the
tremendous blows Of Russia. Out of
.hls slough the new Sultan saved the
remnants Of Turkish prestige. The
turkish Empire increased its power.
Schools were reformed, the army built
up, commerce extended and pan-Islam-
ISM created under Abdul Hamid.
Overcome by Young Turks
Though he had fought outside forces
to prevent disintegration of his en-
pire, his fall came within the empire
itself by the rise of the Young Turks,
party bent upon constitutional gov
crnment. Abdul Hamid granted con-
stitution. but failed to carry out the
liberal ideas Of the new generation.
In the revolution of 1909 he was
driven from the imperial palace, on the
shores OF the Bosporus, made a pris-
oner and confined in the Villa Latini,
former residence Of Greek merchant.
Turk movement had its birth.
During his autocratic regime Abdul
Hamid was, before all else, Sultan and
Cahph. In audience before him, Turk
lsh subjects, even at command to take
d seat, only ventured to tilt them
selves on the edge of chair and bow
homage, repeating the formula, "Mas
ter, thy word is law"
One of the numerous anecdotes of
Abdul Hamid's autocracy concerns
parrot, which chanced one day to perch
itself upon a window ledge and call
"Djafcr! Djafer!" One of the eu
nuchs, answering to that name, hurried
to obey the summons, thinking it was
his master who called. This so enraged
the Sultan. it is related, that he wiring
the parrots neck, and angrily ex-
claimed "In this palace there must be
but one voice to command"
Death by Violence Predicted
Abd-ul-Hamid once had his fortune
told by a gypsy, who predicted vio-
lent death This prophecy was largely
responsible for his constant fear Of
the assassin, although it was also
founded in fact, for several plots upon
MS life were nearly successful. He
took extraordinary precautions for his
personal safety. 1t is said that he
touched no meal until some of his in
trusted servants had first tasted Of
each dish. He was in such fear of |