The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-04-18

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tain him till arrived.
! "'These arrangements completed,
! gave out to my regular household that
was going to sup with a friend and
should not return for some hours. !
took my departure, spent an hour away
and then returned by way of the gar
den.
AS | approached the postern
heard loud cries, and group of men
came rushing away down the road. |
noticed that they were supporting one
I in the center, who was closely wrapped
up, and who appeared to be unable to
walk by himself. | also observed that
the gate from which they were hasten
! ing was standing an inch or two atar
The next moment 1t was flung wide
open, and my men streamed out in
pursuit of the fugtives.
A secret intuition warned me to
restrain them, and to let that yelled
figure go in safety. Filled with vague
forebodings, led the way inside. and
as soon as the door was closed and
locked made them tell me what had
taken place.
1t appears that Immediately after
my own departure the head eunuch, on
whom had so blindly relied, had gone
out by the postern gate alone. At the
end of an hour he returned, letting
himself in with the key with which he
was intrusted. Behind him entered
muffled-up stranger, who paused to
give some directions to a body of men
outside.
" Hardly was he we'll within the
door when the slaves whom had post
ed, carried away by their zeal, rushed
forward to take him. He turned to
flee, and would have escaped entirely
had not some one In the confusion
pushed the door to in time to catch
him by the left foot.
His friends outside began fran
tically attacking the door to release
him, and then it was that one of the
slaves, fearing that the intruder would
get clear away, gave a sudden blow
with his sword and cut clean through
the ankle with one stroke. -Thereupon
the wounded man had been dragged off
in the manner | had witnessed
In proof of their story the men
held up the still bleeding foot. I'm
PEELED by the dread which had taken
possession of me, drew off the slip
per. You. who have seen that horrid
sight, know what it was that made me
shudder as l looked!
Years ago had heard of dark
tradition in the palace that the foot
of the sultan was not like a natural
foot, that there was some revolving
blemish hereditary in the house of Os-
, man, which had to be concealed from
all eyes. The neeynent ! had looked
upon this foot | realized my dreadful
situation. That Abdul-Aziz had been
mutilated by my household was little;
but had stumbled upon the knowledge
of one of those palace secrets which
even the mothers of sultans hardly
dare to whisper to each other; at the
bare hint of which eunuchs stop their
ears and turn pale; to be suspected Of
knowing which means death.
"'There was only one alt ernative.
1t was the sultan's life or mine. de-
parted instantly to the palace and
sought secret audience of the mother
of Prince Murad.
1--WE arranged the matter swiftly.
Every moment was heavy with peril.
Fortunately, everything was ripe for
this revolution, which | had too long
delayed, and you are no doubt already
acquainted with the steps by which it
was carried out. AS soon as Prince Mu-
rad had been proclaimed, and the
oaths of allegiance had been taken, |
summoned the officer of the guard and
a dozen picked soldiers, and under
their escort, accompanied by the sui
tana, | forced way through the terri
fled eunuchs into the presence of Abb
dul-Aziz. He had just set his seal to
a paper as we entered l snatched 1t
up, and read. 1t was my death-war-
rant
THE vizier trembled as he came to
this point 1t was an experience to
unnerve even brave man.
""Then | informed AbdulAziz that
he had ceased to reign. He received
the news in perfect stupor | pointed
to the soldiers and invited him to es-
cape the degradation of death at their
hands. He understood the situation,
and covered down on his couch,
shrinking from us in a peculiar and
dreadful way. Then the sultana spoke
to him.
"'She had long intrigued for his
downfall, and knew that her son
would not be safe while Abdul-Aziz
lived. She urged him to preserve his
honor.
Still he hesitated, and finally NUT
tered something about not having a
weapon. Instantly the sultana
snatched a sharp pair of scissors from
her waist, and thrust them into his
unwilling hands. Still he hung back.
1t was becoming shocking.
FINALLY l was compelled to order
one of the soldiers to advance with
his sword drawn. Then at last, with
sob, the sultan thrust the steel points
into his arm at the place you saw
and the soldier was allowed to finish
the work
This was the vizier's account. In
country like Turkey such things are
done every day. Nevertheless the af-
fair impressed me unpleasantly.
parted with Mehemed Rushdi with per-
tect courtesy, but | did not take his
hand.
However, as have said, was able,