No. 612.
Mr. Heap to Mr. Evarts.
Constantinople, March 26, 1880. (Received April 19.)
Sir: I had the honor to inform the Department in my dispatch No. 2, dated March 5, that Colonel Kummeran, the military attaché of the Russian embassy, had been murdered on the 29th of February last, whilst riding on the highway near Pera, by Veli Mehemet, a native of Bosnia, and that the murderer was arrested after a long chase and strenuous resistance, in which both he and his captor, a captain of the police force, were severely wounded.
The preliminary inquiry into the circumstances attending the murder having been completed, the trial of Veli Mehemet and his comrades, Khalie and Osman Aghas, for their part in that crime, was referred to a [Page 975] military court or court-martial, in accordance with the state of siege which still exists in the capital.
The tribunal consisted of Field Marshal Ali Saïb Pacha, president, six members, and a recorder. Three of the members of the court are Christians, viz, Admiral Hobart Pacha, Brigadier-General Vitalis Pacha, and Brigadier-General Muzzafer Pacha (Tehaikoffsky).
The court has been in session since the 13th instant. In consequence of the line of defense set up by Veli Mehemet, a committee of seven physicians was appointed to examine into his mental condition. In the preliminary examination made by the police authorities no signs of insanity were observed, and he not only did not deny that it was his intention to shoot Colonel Kummeran, but appeared to take pride in the act. Later on, however, his fanatical excitement having calmed down, and recovering from the wounds he had received in resisting capture, which were at first thought to be mortal, he changed his manner and acted and spoke as if insane, and it was then that the commission of physicians was appointed to examine him. The first medical examiners not having been able to arrive at a positive conclusion, a second commission, consisting also of seven doctors, was appointed, whose report, however, was equally vague and inconclusive.
There is a strong feeling throughout all classes of the Mohammedan population against Veli Mehemet being sentenced to death. They are at all times extremely averse to the execution of a Mohammedan for the killing of an infidel 5 and, if the assassin is proved or even suspected to be deranged, it becomes a far more serious matter. An insane person is believed to be inspired by a higher power in all his acts. When the Almighty deprives a man of his reason it is to make him his passive instrument; he is therefore not only irresponsible but holy and privileged, and to put him to death for killing an infidel would be looked upon as a sacrilege.
Sir Henry Layard, the British ambassador, called a meeting of the foreign representatives yesterday afternoon. The meeting was held at the British embassy, all the representatives being present except the Spanish and Servian ministers and the Russian chargé d’affaires.
The British ambassador states that he had called the meeting to consider what should be done in view of the finding of the court-martial on Veli Mehemet. He was informed that a verdict of guilty having been found against Veli Mehemet, he had, in consequence of the doubts entertained as to his mental state, been sentenced to imprisonment for life, which might be considered as virtually an acquittal. As this sentence would probably receive the immediate approval of the Sultan, he had requested Hobart Pasha, the English member of the court, to obtain a short delay in sending it to the Palace. A note from Hobart Pasha was brought in informing Sir Henry that the delay asked for was granted, and that the finding of the court would not be sent to the Sultan until Saturday the 27th.
Count Corti, the Italian minister, produced copies of the reports of the two medical commissions that examined Veli Mehemet and read them. They were extremely vague, and left the question of his mental condition undecided. They stated that to pronounce upon such a question would require much more time than was allowed them, and that although there were symptoms of insanity in the case, they had found it impossible to decide whether they were real or feigned. After these papers were read and discussed, it was agreed to draw up a memorandum, copy of which, with a translation, is inclosed, and that Sir Henry Layard should hand it to the minister of foreign affairs. In presenting [Page 976] it, he was requested to state in emphatic language in the name of the foreign representatives present, the danger they apprehended from the approval of a sentence of imprisonment, which is equivalent to an acquittal, for a crime of so atrocious a character as that of which Veli Mehemet had been found guilty.
The British ambassador then made the following proposition: That the Sultan be advised to sentence Veli Mehemet to death, and to transmit the sentence, with the record of the proceedings of the court and all the accompanying documents, to the Emperor of Russia, and to leave it to him to decide whether the extreme penalty of the law shall be carried out. There was not much discussion on this proposal, nor was it put to a vote, and if the British ambassador acts upon it, it will be, I presume, in his own name, and not in that of the other representatives. It would, indeed, be surprising if the Sultan were to accept so extraordinary a suggestion. Whatever else he might think of it, he would fear the effect it might have on his people, who would look upon this abdication of one of the highest prerogatives of the sovereign, the right of life and death, as an act of vassalage to their hereditary enemy.
The murder of Colonel Kummeran and the anticipation of the assassin’s escaping punishment have caused much comment and excitement. Veli Mehemet was a follower of an Imaum, who gave great trouble to the Austrians when they occupied Bosnia, and at the earnest solicitation of Count Zichy, the Austrian ambassador, the Sultan ordered the Imaum to Constantinople, where he came, accompanied by fifteen desperadoes, of whom Veli Mehemet was one. He and some of his comrades found employment as gardeners, grooms, &c., in the Sultan’s palace, Two of his brothers were killed in the late war, and he had sworn to avenge their death on a Christian. As fate would have it, the first one on whom he was able to wreak his vengeance was the unfortunate Russian colonel.
I am, &c.,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.