No. 708.
Mr. Heap
to Mr. Evarts.
Constantinople, October 16, 1880. (Received November 5.)
Sir: I had the gratification to receive, on the 14th instant, your telegram, * * * which I interpreted as follows:
Congratulations on successful efforts in Parsons’ case. Pursue matter till sentence executed.
The record of the trial of the murderers of Dr. Parsons will go to the court of revision (cour de cassation), and if no technical exception is taken the sentences, as rendered by the criminal court, will be submitted to the Sultan for his approval.
I expect to see the prime minister and the minister for foreign affairs on Monday next, the 18th instant, and shall endeavor to impress upon them the necessity for the prompt and full execution of the sentences. The prevailing belief, however, is that the sentence of Ali will be commuted to imprisonment with hard labor.
The non-execution of Veli Mehemet, the murderer of Colonel Kummeran, about which the Russian Government seems strangely indifferent, [Page 1174] and the commutation of the sentence of Mirzan, lead to the belief that the Sultan will avail himself of the pretext furnished by the alleged youth of the convict to avoid sending him to the gallows.
The Department may feel assured that the legation will not relax its efforts to secure the full execution of the sentences obtained with so much difficulty.
I am, &c.,