The new governor may have the best intentions, and may go out fully energized
by orders, and yet fail.
[Inclosure in No. 362.]
Mr. Knapp to Mr.
Wallace.
Bitlis,
Turkey, March 10,
1884.
My Dear Sir: I received 7th instant your
unexpected letter of 20th ultimo, in which you speak of having changed
the demand from the Imperial Government, in relation to Moussa Bey, to
one of money. Allow me to inquire whether this is an unconditional
demand.
Suppose the officials here choose to deliver up Moussa Bey, shall you
insist upon the payment of the indemnification notwithstanding?
On the day your letter arrived, I was told that several days previous our
governor-general received two most inexorable orders from the minister
of foreign affairs to attend to this matter at once; but that he laid by
the papers, affecting no concern; about it. I have received a letter
from Dr. Reynolds, of Van, of February 26th, in which he states he was
the day before cited by the officials to answer some questions with
reference to this case, which were sent, they said, from Bitlis. He
referred them to Mr. Eyres, Her Britanic Majesty’s consul, as his
representative.
* * * * * * *
I am now credibly informed that, on October 22, the day I identified
Moussa Bey as the assailant, his father, Meza Bey, was in town, and that
he paid the officials a bribe of £200 (T.), and the result was that his
son was allowed to return home; that subsequently to this, on hearing
that the affair was still being followed up, he resolved to take £400
(T.) in cash, and sixty botmans (1,000 pounds) of butter and bring here,
with a few friends as mediators, present me in person the above, kiss my
hand, and secure my forgiveness; but that, when he arrived here with his
money, the voli and other officials, hearing of his intention, persuaded
him to desist, which he did, they assuring him that nothing more would
come of it.
I am furthermore informed—I cannot vouch for its accuracy—that on October
22, when Mussa Bey was brought before me, and I then stated, “That is
the man,” the scribe wrote, “This resembles the man.” Be this as it may,
it is certainly in keeping with what is really being done to thwart
justice.
I sincerely hope that you will be able to secure the sum demanded, for I
am sure the recovery of it will have a greater moral effect than the
imprisonment of the assailants in comparison, for life is held of little
account among the twenty or more Kurdish clans in this vilayet.
Meanwhile, what are we to do in regard to the future? I am informed that
there were over a dozen murders, mostly for money, say nothing of the
many wounded and robbed, in this vicinity last summer. If there shall
continue the same degree of anarchy here as last summer, I fear we shall
not be wholly without apprehension about our personal safety.
* * * * * * *
I send to-day a copy of your letter to Dr. Reynolds.
Thanking you for your noble efforts in our behalf,
I am, &c.,
