The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-04-07
ruler IS VICl.
OF ROYAL FLUSH
Amar AIayam, Tribal King Of Ar
menia, Lands in Jail
in Minneapolis.
POKER GAME HIS tk90Iss
Seeks to Rally His Tribesmen V Re
gain Heritage Of His Fathers
Turns to Gambling to Sup.
ply Necessary Funds.

Minneapolis. - Amar Alayam, b.
right Of birth tribal king Of Arme,
nia, is a prisoner In the Henne,i,
county Jail, held there on the chars.
Of giving worthless $50 check i.
redeem his losses at poker and afrai
to summon his clansmen to his aid fn,
fear they would repudiate the leader
ship OF man in felon's cell.
At least such was the story told b!
Alayam to Floyd B. Olson, county al
torney, from whom he besought =,
recommendation of probation that h.
might once more rally his tribesmeI
and seek with them to regain the h..
itage of his fathers.
Ten years ago Alayam, according Z,
the story he told Mr.. Olson, becalll.
the king Of his. tribe In Armenia upol
the death Of his father, Abu Alayam.
s Abu had been a strong ruler. H.,
had amassed lands and fortune. Dur
Ing his. lifetime he had held at bay
the eInissaries of the Turkish sultans
who had sought to despoil his lands.
Upon his death the Turks came.
Looted by Turks.
Alayam was but youth Of twenty
two at that time. Marauding Turks.
backed by the. power of the Sultan,
seized upon the richest Of his inheri-
lance. 1t was useless to resist their
strength by force. For money they
promised to release the farms of his
fathers, so, gathering about fifty Of
his young men, Alayam came to Amer
lea, the kind Of tabled fortunes.
After the custom of the Armenian
immigrants, Alayam was spokesman
for his tribesmen in the new land. It
was through him that they hired out
for various occupations. A 1.-THE of
their wages they gave to Alayam, who
boarded the money that he might 60
back to ransom his kingdom from the
Turks.
, Almost enough money was raised to
accomplish the purpose when the
world war came. Upon the heels of
news Of the war came tidings of the
rayishing of Armenia by the Turks.
Tales of the suffering of his country
men caused Alayam to abandon, his
dream Of going back to his kingdom.
The money saved for that purpose he
sent overseas, a contribution to the
Armenian relief funds. Many of his
cOlOnists returned to enlist as soldiers
to fight against the Turks. The rest
were scattered. 81
Still those who remained continued
to give part Of their wages to Ala
yam and he stayed on in this country,
feeling that the money he could raise
here would be Of more value to his
than his presence in Ar.
menia as common soldier.
Turns to Gambling.
The end Of the war was also the end
Of Alayam's resources. So many of
his colonists had gone back to Arme-
mia that the contributions of the re-.
were scarcely enough to af-.|
ford their chieftain living. Desper-
ate at the thought that return to his
might never be realized,
Alayam began to gamble, seeking. he
told Mr.. Olson, to multiply the tithes |
Of his colonists into the fortune he
needed.
But instead of winning Alayam lost. |
With money gone he gave worthless
check for $50 for last stack of chips
and those, too, were lost. Alayam was
arrested.
In his plea to the county attorney
Alayam begged for recommendation
Of probation. He could call his follow.
ers together then, he said, and would
depart with them for their old home
In Armenia. Even without money
Alayam was confident he could rally
his fathers tribesmen and, with the
power of Turkey weakened, regain
again his heritage.