Evening star., 1918-02-11
FORMER sultan IS
CALLED BY DEATH
Abdul Hamid, 80 Years Ruler
of Turkey, Succumbs to
Lung Trouble.
HAD TROUBLOUS CAREER

BY the Associated Press.
AMSTERDAM, February 1.-THE
death yesterday of Abdul Hamid. for
mer sultan of Turkey, from tnfamma-
ton of the lungs. is announced In
dispatch received here from CONSTANT
nople by way of viena. A state funeral
will be held.
Abdul Hamid was for thfrty-three
years sultan of the Ottoman empire,
sprawling upon the three continents OF
Europe, Asia and Africa. and at the
same time was commander OF the faith
full army of Moslems. He was paid
homage by nearly hundred million
subjects Shorn of power. he died
prisoner, pitied, If not despised.
Sought Death by Suicide.
He lived 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
melancholy had his existence become.
He gained ascendency under circum-
stances nearly as tragic as those
which ended his career. Born Septem-
Der %, 1S4S, the second son of Sultan
when his elder brother, Murad v. was
deposed because of mental incapacity
in 1876. 1t was a time when Turkey
was in a state Of extreme 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 a successful regime.
Others denounced it as infamous
Whatever the true estimate. 1t IS a
e. xl r.-I, too S,kad
its power. Schools were reformed. the
army built up, commerce extended and
pan-Islamism created under Abdul
Hamd.
Young Turks Cause His Fall.
Stubbornly though he had fought out
side forces to prevent disintegration of
his empire. his fall came within the
empire itself by the rise Of the Young
al government. Abdul-Hamid granted a
constitution. 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 prisoner and
residence of Greek merchant. in Sa-
loniki. the city where the Young Turk
had its birth.
During his autocratic regime Abdul
Hamid was before all else sultan and
caliph. In audience before him Turk
a seat. only ventured to tilt them
selves on the edge of a chair and
bow homage, repeating the formula,
Master. thy word Is law" One
of the numerous anecdotes Of Abdul
Hamids autocracy concerns a parrot.
which CHANGED one day to perch him
self upon window ledge and call
"Djafer-Djafer." One Of the eunuchs
answering to that name hurried to obey
the summons. thinking 1t was his mas
ter who called. This SO enraged the sui
tan. it is related. that he wrung the
parrots neck. and angrily exclaimed:
In this palace there must be but one
voice to command"
Lived in Fear Of Poison and Bombs.
He took extraordinary precautions
for his personal safety. 1t is said that
he touched no meal until some of his
entrusted servants had first tasted of
a considerable time to determine the
effects which the 'poison"-if there
were any-might have upon them. He
was in such fear Of bombs that he sell
dom slept twice in succession in the
same room of his palace. He was af-
fiicted with neurosis. and histrust Of
every one was carried to a degree bor-
derinG upon mania.
At Saloniki. prisoner in a home
which overlooked a bay of the AEGEAN
sea, but which was virtually fortress,
he wasted away, powerless and almost
forgotten.
He spent his time reading from his
library, reclining on his divan, smok-
ing his choice cigarettes. or at work
on some of his hobbies. He was equip
ped with a set Of tools and turned
out numerous models of mosques and
palaces. His only visitors were the mill
itary commander of the Saloniki gar
rison. who came now and then with
some order, and two physicians. with
whom the former sultan had little to
do.