Evening star., 1924-07-19
MAI. |MbR|E BEATEN
AND CUT TO DEATH
BY FANAT|CAL MOB
Washington Man, Vice Con-
sui in Teheran, Attacked
While Taking Pictures.
AMERICAN COMPANION
IN CRITICAL CONDITION
Two Mistaken for Members of
Hated Sect, State Depart
ment Informed.

n message received today by the
State Department from American Min
lister Joseph S. Kornfeld at Teheran,
Persia, said that Vice Consul Robert
imbrie died from shock at 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon after having
been fatally kicked and beaten by
mob
The vice consul and Melin Seymour
also an American, had stopped their
carriage to watch a religious demon
stration in the city. the message said,
and were rushed by the mob, who
mlstook them for members of sect
known as the Bahais, against which
the demonstration was directed.
Other Unable to Talk.
Seymour'S condition was said to be
so serious a result of the beating
he received that he had been unable
to make any statement. Department
officials expect more complete reports
the incident in the course of the
day.
The attitude of the Persian govern
ment in connection with the murder
of the vice consul will be ascertained
before any steps are taken by the
Washington government.
This announcement was made by the
State Department.:
"A cablegram from the American
minister at Teheran, Mr.. Joseph S.
kornfeld, dated on the evening Of July
Is. states that Vice Consul Imbrie sue
cumbed at 3 o'clock in the afternoon
TO the shock following an assault by
him to death.
Mistaken by Bahais.
THE minister reports that for some
days throughout the city there had
been denouncements of Bahais, a re-
lisious sect, and many religious DEM
onstrations. 1t appears that at II a. m
the vice consul, accompanied by Sey-
mour, a prisoner in the consulate
stopped their carriage m front Of one
of these demonstrations and it was
alleged that the vice consul had taken
pictures.
The mob rushed upon him crying
out that he was Bahais and though
the servant of an American mis-
sionary cried out that he was the
heed of the statement, dragged the
Americans from their carriage and
attacked them savagely. The minister
adds that Seymours condition is
grave and that he could make no
statement"
Career Dktinsuished.
Maj. Imbrie was native Wash
ingtonian, we'll known in this city and
Baltimore. He was Al years of age
and had followed a picturesque and
distinguished career in law, African
big-game hunting. with the French
Army and in the diplomatic service of
the United States.
When murdered by the mob in Te-
heran, Maj. Imbrie was on his way to
TabriZ, where he was to have as
sumed his duties. as consul. Among
his experiences in the diplomatic
service was personal receipt of the
declaration of war by Russia on the
United States, when he was Vice Con-
sui at Petrograd, and as American
observer at the newly formed Kemal-
Pasha government at Angora, Tur-
key.
Maj. Imbrie's most recent sojourn
in this city was for several months
prior to February 20 of this year,
when he departed for his latest dip
lomatic assignment. Maj. Imbrie was
a first cousin of Paul w. Ffshbaugh,
of 1701 Q street northwest, where
he had made his home since the death
of his parents when a boy. Maj. and
IYNh Nhria af
July. 1923. until February, 1924. prior
TO departure for the east.
Word of the death of Mai Imbrie
was received by both the State De-
partment and by Mr.. Fishbaugh. from
Mrs. Imbrie, at Teheran. The CABLE
gram received by Mr.. Fishbaugh yes
terday carried only the brief message
that the major had been killed to
day"
Won Military Honors.
Mai. Imbrie was the son of j. r.
Imbrie, connected with Treasury De-
partment and prior to the death of
his parents lived at 925 1 street. He
was then taken into the home of his
aunt, Mrs. Mary Fishbaugh, his moth
CT SlSteT, dt 1SVl ~ StTeel, where ne
has since made his Washington home,
and where today there remains pic
turesque collection of military deco
rations and trophies from his travels
in several parts of the world.
Educated in Friends School and at
Central High School here, Robert I'M
brie was later graduated from Yale,
in year believed by his friends here
to be 1902. He later took the de-
grees of LII. B. at George Washington
and LII NJ. at Yale.
Maj. Imbrie lectured before the
National Geographic Society in