Evening star., 1924-10-26
PERSIAN ACTION
AR0USES j. S. IRE
CIemency Shown Maj. I'm.
brie's Slayer Strains ReIa-
tions With America.
BY the Associated Press.

( by tue AssoCihleu fffss
Diplomatic tension is increasing be-
tween the Washington and Teheran
government over failure of the Per-
sian authorities to carry out sentence
of death against all three of the men
found guilty by a Persian military
court of the murder of Robert w.
1mbrie. American vice consul at Te-
heran.
Recent. adyices reaching Washing :,
ton show that while the execution of
Morteza, a private soldier in the Per
sian army transport corps, was car
ried out with due formality, Seyid
Hussein, convicted ringleader Of the
mob that beat Imbrie to death in
hospital. has been granted clemency
by the Persian cabinet. His sentence
was commuted to life Imprisonment.
as was that of third man convicted
and sentenced to death for the crime.
Causing Serious Concern.
State Department officials have had
no statement to make on the cases
since they made public some time
ago a detailed report of the execution
Of Morteza. 1t is known in diplo-
crastination and delay of the Persian
authorities in bringing Imbrie's muir
derers to justice in an adequate way
is causing the Washington Govern
ment serious concern.
There Is little doubt that action
of the Teheran cabinet in committing
! the sentence of Seyid Hussein will
be the subject of sharp diplomatic
protest from Washington. if such
To-, 10, hoe nnt
forward.
Hussein is said to have been proved
conclusively by evidence before the
military court, as we'll a s by the Narl-
Gus police and other investigations at
the time, to have been the chie1
inciter of the mob which attacked
the hospital where 1mbrie lay IN
iured as a result of the first attack
upon him. The man now granted
commutation of sentence lea tne
group which broke down the door
and beat Embrie to death with clubs
as he lay on the operating table
Later Hussein proclaimed to those OF
the mob who could not force their
way in that he and those with nim
had killed the two Americans. Sey-
mour, Imbrie's companion, escaped
death by a narrow margin. however
Part of Mortexa.
Morteza's part in the murder is de-
clared by those familiar with the ON
cial reports and proceedings or the
military court to have been much less
aggravated than that of Hussein.
T@he Washington Government is
fulIv advised as to the situation. Jo-
seph S. Kornfeld, who resigned re-
Gently as Minister to Persia, came at
once to Washington from Teheran
Cfofn
ment before returning to his home.
since he had first-hand. information,
considerable new light on the situa-
tion was undoubtedly obtained from
him .
Among other elements Of delay. it
is known that the Persian authorities
invoked Moslem law and customs
several times. There has been no
disposition in Washington to debate
| this, provided it meant delay only.
and the murderers ultimately were to
he brought to justice. Action OF the
Persian cabinet in committing the
senetnces was taken, however, with
ont any notification to American of
fcials and in the face of reiterated
official assurances at the time of the
murder that no. guilty person would
| be permitted to go unpunished.
Descent From Mohammed.
| one explanation advanced for the
attitude of the Persian cabinet as to
| Hussein by those familiar with Mos
lem customs is the fact that he bears
! the name or title of Seyid, which in
dicates direct. descent from Mohammed
and endows the person involved with
special privileges. During the Roose-
Welt administration similar situa-
| ton arose over the murder in Persia
of an American missionary. by a Per-
| sian bearing the Seyid title. Several
years OF sharp diplomatic exchanges
were required before satisfaction was
| obtained. ~
| Whatever the reason. the washing
| ton Government will regard the es-
cape of any of the convicted murder
ers as a gross miscarriage of justice,
not to be tolerated. The question
goes beyond that Of the individual
case of Imbrfe in the American view
point, since the safety Of other Amer
| lean officials In several countries and
| OF American and other Christian ma
',tionals as well Ia held to be at stake.
G.s7' a. -