Page images
PDF
EPUB

salary, I trust the Department will see its way clear to authorize the legation to pay him such fees for legal services as may be found proper and just, not to exceed the sum of $1,000 per annum.

I have, etc.,

JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN.

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

No. 903.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, September 30, 1994. SIR: Referring further to my dispatch No. 889 of September 15, 1904, concerning the detail work necessary to conclude agreement with the Sublime Porte regarding American religious, charitable, and educational institutions in Turkey, I beg leave to inclose for the Department's further information copy of note addressed by the legation to Mr. Peet, showing the large amount of detailed information that must first be obtained from the missionary societies.

I have, etc.,

JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN.

[Inclosure.]

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Peet.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, September 29, 1904.

SI Referring to the question of the legal standing of American charitable, religious, and educational institutions in Turkey, and more especially to the tenure of the landed properties owned by such institutions but registered in trust, in the names of private individuals, I beg to inform you that the legation thinks that the time has come when the matter of such tenure should be taken up and all such properties registered in the names of the institutions and the title deeds issued accordingly. This has been already done in the case of some American and other foreign institutions, but it is desirable to extend it by degrees to all the properties owned by our institutions in Turkey.

I shall therefore feel obliged if you will obtain for me all the data in regard to the landed properties owned in Turkey by the various American societies, to wit:

1. Any and all title deeds covering the lands and all buildings and dependencies. You can keep these deeds at the Bible House until such time as the actual transfers take place, but hand in to the legation copies of the same at

once.

2. All deeds of trust signed by the individuals in whose names the properties are registered. You can keep the original deeds of trust in the Bible House, and, as in the case of title deeds, hand in to the legation copies of the same. In case the trustee is dead, inform whether he has heirs, who they are, and whether they are accessible.

3. Copies of the registers of the municipalities or defeterhané authorities (tapou) if and wherever possible to obtain them.

4. Maps of the premises showing the position of the buildings, and also what part of the ground or buildings is covered by what title deed.

5. A full description of each building, giving the area, height, number of floors, number of halls, class rooms, etc.

6. If there are any errors or changes in the title deeds concerning the boundaries or the kind of property, such as mulk, vacf, arazi-i-miriyé, etc., inform me of those also.

7. In short, any further information as to when and how the properties

were purchased or any information which missionaries or other trustees think would be necessary for me to have, such as, for instance, whether there has been any dispute over the properties; whether any actions have been brought by or against the owners on account of such tenure, and if yes, what the result has been, whether there are any pending actions, etc. Seeing the importance of the matter and the amounts spent on these properties, I have asked for full information to avoid, as far as possible, delays resulting from long correspondence between the central Ottoman authorities and the vilayets.

As soon as I begin to receive the replies to the above questions I shall take the necessary steps for application to the Sublime Porte, in view of a final settlement of this question.

I am, etc.,

JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN.

No. 707.]

Mr. Hay to Mr. Leishman.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 8, 1904.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 870, of the 15th of August last, inclosing a copy of correspondence between you and the Porte concerning the adjustment of the questions pending between the United States and Turkey. I have also to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 889, of the 15th ultimo, on the subject of the school question.

In view of the fact that the Porte allowed over a year and a half to pass without taking any exception to the list of institutions filed by you in February, 1903, and failed to reply to your note of August 16 last, the Department, approves your intention to assume the position that the institutions mentioned in that list must be considered as having been officially recognized.

As suggested by you, you are hereby authorized to employ skilled legal counsel, at a rate not to exceed $1,000 per annum, to advise the legation in the matter of the transfer and registration of the property of the American institutions.

I am, etc.,

JOHN HAY.

ASSAULT ON THE AMERICAN CONSUL AT ALEXANDRETTA BY TURKISH OFFICIALS.

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Pera, December 7, 1903.

(Mr. Leishman reports that the American consul at Alexandretta has informed him that while in the act of placing one Attarian, an American citizen, aboard of a vessel yesterday he was assaulted and insulted by police and soldiers, that Attarian was seized and imprisoned, that the military governor used insulting language toward the consul, and that he had been compelled to go to Beirut for safety. Mr. Leishman states that on account of the consul's hasty action in leaving his post he has as yet made no formal complaint and is making a thorough investigation. It seems that the

FR 1904 M- -53

trouble was caused by this man Attarian, for whose wife the legation obtained permission a few months ago to emigrate to the United States to join her husband, but who instead of going there joined her husband at Aleppo, the former having entered Turkey again by fraudulent means, and had been arrested on suspicion of being connected with the revolutionary committee.)

Mr. Loomis to Mr. Leishman.

[Telegram. Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 14, 1903.

(Mr. Loomis states that, after considering all the circumstances connected with the Alexandretta incident, the Department has reached the conclusion that the attempt to restrain the American consul in public and the assault committed upon him by the police were acts which the consul was justified in resenting and resisting. Instructs him to demand a satisfactory expression of regrets from the Turkish Government, and that it administer a severe rebuke to the authorities at Alexandretta who were guilty of thus grievously exceeding their powers and insulting the consul of a friendly nation.)

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Pera, December 15, 1903.

(Mr. Leishman reports that indications point to the fact that the Alexandretta incident is giving concern to the Turkish Government, and that it has offered free transportation to Beirut to Attarian, who was the primary cause of the trouble. Requests more definite instructions as to what expression of satisfactory regrets would prove acceptable to the Department.)

Mr. Hay to Mr. Leishman.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

go.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 16, 1903.

(Mr. Hay informs Mr. Leishman that Admiral Cotton has been instructed to convey Consul Davis to Alexandretta when he desires to Regrets demanded should be explicit, but not humiliating, and apology by the governor and the punishment of the offending police may be accepted as sufficient.)

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Pera, December 22, 1903.

(Mr. Leishman reports that the admiral has informed him that the local governor officially called upon the American consul at Alexandretta and expressed proper regrets, and that the incident may now be considered as closed.)

MURDER OF REV. BENJAMIN W. LABAREE, AN AMERICAN MISSIONARY IN PERSIA. a

Mr. Hay to Mr. Leishman.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 25, 1904.

(Mr. Hay informs Mr. Leishman that the murderer of Missionary Labaree in Persia has been identified and located near the Turkish frontier, and that some apprehension is felt that he may effect his escape into Turkey. It is reported that savage Kurds aided and are now harboring the murderer, who also murdered a British subject last December, and upon whose apprehension the American and British legations at Teheran are jointly insisting. Instructs him to urgently request the Turkish Government to have its frontier watched and to prevent the murderer from obtaining asylum in Ottoman territory.)

No. 778.]

*

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, May 2, 1904.

SIR: I inclose copy of note just received from the Sublime Porte officially confirming the promise that proper steps would be taken to arrest the murderer of Missionary Labaree in case he attempt to enter Turkish territory.

I have, etc.,

JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN.

[Inclosure. Translation.]

Tewfik Pasha to Mr. Leishman.

SUBLIME PORTE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

Constantinople, April 30, 1904.

MR. ENVOY: In answer to the note that your excellency addressed to me, dated the 26th of March last, No. 382, I have the honor to inform you, according to a telegram of the governor-general of the vilayet of Erzeroum, that categoric

a See also under Persia, p. 657.

orders have been given to the civil and military authorities for the arrest of Seyid Ghaffar, accused of having assassinated the American missionary Labaree in Persia, in the event of his passing into Ottoman territory. Accept, sir, etc.,

No. 674.]

Mr. Loomis to Mr. Leishman.

TEWFIK.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, July 22, 1904.

SIR: Referring to the Department's telegraphic instruction of March 25 last in relation to the murder of the Rev. B. W. Labaree, an American missionary, in Persia, I have to inform you that the Department is advised by the American minister to Persia, under date of the 8th instant, that Seyid Ghaffar, the murderer of Doctor Labaree, has been captured and incarcerated.

I am, etc.,

F. H. LOOMIS,
Acting Secretary.

REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT AND DISTURBED CONDITION IN

No. 769.]

*

ARMENIA.

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Constantinople, April 28, 1904.

SIR: * There has been more or less trouble in Van, Moush, Bitlis, and Sassoun districts in Armenia for over a year past, and little doubt exists as to the existence of an incipient revolutionary

movement.

The number of the active revolutionists is not very great, probably not over 1,000, and although the ultimate ends which they seek undoubtedly enjoy the sympathies of the great bulk of the Armenian population, the bands receive comparatively little encouragement, as their efforts are regarded as futile.

The attention of the Porte is constantly being called to the disturbed condition in Armenia by the English and French ambassadors in their capacities as representatives of the countries which champion the cause of the Protestant and Catholic faiths in Turkey, but unless specially instructed to do so I would not venture to offer any interference in matters relating to the internal affairs of Turkey concerning Ottoman subjects.

As far as the American missionaries in Armenia are concerned, I do not believe that they are in any immediate danger, except possibly from some overt act committed by the Christian population among whom they work

I have, etc.,

*

JOHN G. A. LEISHMAN.

Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN LEGATION,

Pera, June 11, 1904.

(Mr. Leishman reports that advices have reached him that the Kurds have broken loose from all restraint, and are, in retaliation for

« PreviousContinue »