Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1892
Mr. Newberry to Mr. Foster.
Constantinople, September 27, 1892. (Received October 13.)
Sir: I inclose for your information copy of extract from the private journal of Mr. Bartlett, the perusal of which may be of interest as connected with the late outrage on that gentleman at Bourdour.
I have, etc.,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
The Bourdour Investigation.—Mr. Bartlett’s Journal.
September 1.—This afternoon I was invited to go and see the mutessarif of Isbarta who came here to-day. We found the mutessarif of Bourdour with him. After a brief conversation the Bourdour mutessarif left, and we (the pastor and I) were alone with the mutessarif of Isbarta, though others were sitting in the room not far away. He told us that he had been ordered by the vali of Conia to investigate the matter of the burning of the house. He would try to learn the true state of the case as far as possible. He had seen much of the missionaries and their work. He added, in an undertone, that as we were preaching and teaching the people, of course we would wish to get along pleasantly with them. At his request the pastor gave a history of the affair, from the first granting of the permission by the municipality, when they cut off a piece of the land to straighten and widen the street, snowing how the work went on, with many expressions of approval, and many good wishes from the officials for thirty-five days, when it was suddenly stopped by the mutessarif. Then, beginning at the time of my arrival, he narrated the events one by one; the orders reported from Constantinople never reaching here; the mutessarif tearing down our staging and imprisoning our men, who, were simply working to protect the property while awaiting the permit for finishing the house; the people taking their cue from this conduct and beginning a deliberate and persistent persecution; the daily incidents, the stonings, the growing excitement of the people, and finally the fire, with the people expecting it that very night, and filling the streets immediately, rushing to see the sport, etc. The mutessarif listened quietly and replied: “You are quite correct in your statements,” or words to that effect.
The mutessarif then asked me to help him find out the guilty persons. I replied that the difficulty began with the delay and the various acts of the local governor which encouraged the people in opposition to us. He said, “Do not say the Government is responsible.” I replied, “It will be held responsible.”
It was late, and the mutessarif intimated that we would have a friendly talk about the matter again. I answered, “I will talk in a friendly way but I can not take any official part in the investigation.” He replied, “We will talk both officially and friendly.” In leaving I repeated that I had said nothing of an official character. All this was very pleasant, for the mutessarif is a thoroughly good-natured fellow.
September 2.—The mutessarif appears to have had a very busy day. He seems to be honestly seeking for reliable evidence, with a determination to punish the guilty. He came to see the foundations of the burnt house to-day, and looked over the ground thoroughly. I then asked him to my rooms. He came with a retinue of zabties. He inquired all about the stoning, etc., and said that he had already found four men guilty of misdemeanors and had two of them already in prison. I showed him the window where the ashes were thrown in and the box full of ashes which we had collected. He then urged that if we had any more cases for examination that they might be brought on immediately. This evening our friends have decided to present several other cases to-morrow, which, if proved, will [Page 597] tell heavily against the spirit of the opposition. The mutessarif asked one of our people about the expense of the building and where the money came from, but he simply answered that Mr. Bartlett owned the house.
He asked me if I was in correspondence with the legation. I replied that I was, indirectly. He wished to know if I would write about his coming and efforts, and of his imprisonment of the men. I replied that I would, of course. He wished to know if we were not pleased with this. I told him that I thanked him personally for his efforts, but that until the case was settled I had no formal thanks for anybody. He then asked if I would show him what I wrote upon the matter of his efforts and success. He also [offered] to show me what he wrote in his report, so that both of our reports might agree. I said, “I write in English a mere narative of running events. You could not read it if I were to show it. If you have confidence in me that I will tell the truth it is not necessary for you to see what I write.”
At this he expressed the most perfect confidence in me, and so the matter dropped.
September 3.—If the one man is sought who contributed the most to stir up feeling against us, it is the Lieut. Bekir Effendi, who tore down the staging at the wall. He performed the job with so much zeal that it was evident he expected to be promoted for it.
I have had a very free talk with the mutessarif of S. Isbarta to-day, and reviewed the affair from the first. I claimed that the disaster and all the other troubles were due to the retention of the orders to finish the building, for the conduct of the local mutessarif encouraged the people to oppose us. He replied that the delay of the order was through no fault of the vali of Conia or the local governor, but was due to the refusal to give the required pledge. I did not care to discuss that question, so I made no reply.
I do not expect to see him again. He has expressed the desire to my friends that I would send a telegram to Constantinople saying that he has come here and accomplished his object. But I will let him send his own telegrams.
This evening a friend overheard the statement among the people that the Greeks have got to pay £1,600 and the Armenians £400 for this affair. Is it possible that the affair is settled and news has come to town? The question in my mind is, how much to demand of this people. It is an important question. I would not demand of them so heavy a sum as to seem to everyone unreasonable.
September 5.—Yesterday several of our friends were called up for examination. I was sorry that they consented to go on Sunday, but could not prevent it.
This morning I had a long call from my neighbor across the way, the leading Greek lawyer of the town. He has been very friendly to us for years, but in this affair he has held himself entirely aloof. He had a proposition from the mutessarif, of Isbarta, that we begin work on our lot so that he might know if any objections are raised by the people. I had intended to begin before this, but some of our friends thought it imprudent, and I have delayed a few days. We will begin to-morrow. I do not like to seem to do it on the suggestion from the mutessarif, and now wish I had begun before.
The question of sending a telegram to Constantinople commending the mutessarif (of Isbarta) was also broached by the lawyer, but did not meet with encouragement and he did not urge it. The mutessarif is a smart man, and he has taken up the matter in right earnest, and I believe he is determined to find the bottom if possible. He would be glad of a decoration, but it is not yet time to speak confidently in his favor.
All is quiet now, of course, for everybody is waiting to see where the ball will strike. The leading men now complain that the fault of a few persons should be imputed to the whole community. But the leaders might easily have prevented the result had they wished to do so. I should not be surprised if some betraying is done, and possibly the perpetrators of the deed may thus be brought to light.
Later.—The Isbarta mutessarif has been trying his best to get some statement as to the expense incurred on our building. Has sent an agent three or four times to-day. He says he has authority to pay cash to the full amount. He even went so far as to ask to see the account books. To all this I replied that I have no right to give such information without permission from the legation. He leaves to-day, I suppose. He has done his duty well.
Again.—The mutessarif has sent a written request that I give him a statement of the expenses, and if I can not do it that I write upon his letter, “I am obliged for good reasons to decline to answer.” This I have done, and I hope he understands it now.
September 6.—I am in some doubt whether my long letter mailed yesterday left Bourdour at all. One of my friends took a letter to the post-office quite late and found the mail closed and the sacks in the wagon, to which the horses were harnessed ready to start for the railway station at Dineir. He found the mutessarif of Isbarta in the office, who asked if the letter which he had brought was for Mr. Dwight. The man replied that it was for his own son in Smyrna, and that my letter [Page 598] had gone to the office in good time. The mutessarif then ordered the mail bags brought in and opened, the Smyrna pouch taken out and opened, and the letter put in. He then directed the post-office door to be shut, and it remained shut for some time. It was finally opened, the mail bags brought out again and loaded into the wagon. There was nothing in my letter out of which the government could make capital, even if they have taken it. It was simply a narrative of events from day to day.
In the evening after the post had gone the mutessarif wished to see me again for a final chat. I went with the pastor, and found him at the telegraph office. He said he had just received a telegram from the vali, at Conia, acknowledging his report of efficient work here, but asking for a telegram from me certifying to the same thing. I replied, “If the vali has confidence in you he needs nothing from me, and of course he has confidence in you or he would not have sent you here.” He still urged. I answered that the legation had not asked me to give it information on such matters, and having responsibility in the settlement of the case I must respectfully decline. He asked if I would not telegraph to the vali, would I not telegraph in that sense to Mr. Dwight. I said I would not. He then asked if I would not send my salutations to the vali and let him add that I would have given the expenses of the house had I been at liberty to do so. I replied, “You may give just the answer that I wrote; I have good reason for declining to answer the question. As for the salutation to the vali, I am not personally known to him that I should send him salutations.” Was not that a polite reply? The truth is, my patience was about exhausted.
Just before going to see the mutessarif a report reached me indirectly from the president of the municipality saying that he would object to our rebuilding unless I give the bond not to hold worship or conduct a school in it. I mentioned the matter to the mutessarif, and he said, “Send him to me.” In the night the man who brought me the word was called out from his bed and his testimony was taken in due form. This morning early the president of the municipality called upon me and was full of good wishes, and assured me that we could begin at once on the building, nothing further being necessary. I suggested that he give me the statement in official form since his position might change and his successor might not understand the case. This he promised to do.
The Greek bishop has come to-day. What he will try to do remains to be seen. He will have but little influence over the better class of the people.
Slight shocks of earthquake have continued every day now for about two weeks. The Mohammedans have proclaimed a fast of three days, with the Koran to be read in seven places in the city.
September 6.—My nerves are all on tension this morning in consequence of a row in the next house—women screaming and wailing, boys yelling and howling, a Greek priest present, and two zabties at the door. I learn that in the night the government sent off five men who had been in prison for trial elsewhere. It was a wise move to send them in the night. Now that the news has come, the family adjoining, from whose window the ashes were thrown into my window, are just wild. The man, Adi Guzel by name, has been proved to have uttered serious threats to induce our landlady to put us out of the house, etc. I do pity them all so much. My heart forgives them all, but justice must take its course.
The police seem to be keeping a close watch over us. I do not now fear danger. What will be the effect of this deportation of the criminals remains to be seen. I was just now about to send a word of caution to the government, when I learned that two policemen are sitting in the door below us. As we came home from meeting last evening we found two policemen ready to go along near us as far as our house.
It is very difficult to get any reliable testimony here in our case. Men are unwilling to testify for fear of revenge. For example, a man was one day reading his Bible in his shop. He was an Armenian, not a Protestant. Another Armenian came along and said “Give me that book, that I may burn it.” On his refusing, the man said that they were going to take all the books of the Protestants and burn them in the churchyard, and added that because he would not give it up his life ought to be taken. The owner of the Bible related all these facts to four men, and they all testified to the same before, the government. But when the man himself was called he declared that he knew nothing of it. This shows how difficult it is to get reliable testimony. Yet it is said that the man who used threats in this case is one of those who have been taken away for trial.
I hear now and then that the sensible ones express great regret at what has occurred, calling themselves “boors” for having done it.
The Turkish shops are closed and the Turks are out by a fountain praying for protection from the earthquake.
Thanks again to Mr. Newberry for his prompt and efficient action.