Mr. Terrell to Mr. Olney.

No. 630.]

Sir: Referring to my No. 627,1 of the 18th instant, relative to the case of Melcoun Guedjian, 1 have the honor to supplement my report [Page 1305] by the following summary of facts reported to me by Mr. Poche, consular agent at Aleppo.

Melcoun Guedjian, now confined in the Central Prison of Aleppo, claims to have spent eight years in the United States, to have been naturalized in Boston in December, 1894, and to be part owner of a house situated at No. 36 Wheeler street, Lynn, Mass., where he says he pays taxes to the amount of 840 or $50 annually.

It would seem that Guedjian left the United States in the early part of the present year, as he claims to bear a passport dated January 1, 1895. On his way from America to Asia Minor he stopped in London for five months, which he spent with the Huntchaguist Society. The object of this society (of which Guedjian has been a member for three years) is stated by him to be the obtaining of “complete reforms; economic reforms; freedom of the press; universal suffrage; suppression of local passports, as in Europe.” On his leaving London the society intrusted him with the sum of £760, which he states was for distribution among the Armenian poor in certain districts of northern Syria.

This holy mission, he says, was undertaken by him in the interest of the Government, in order to prevent an uprising among the Armenians made desperate by misery, for the Huntchaguist Society hearing that the Sultan had proclaimed a general amnesty and that reforms would soon follow were desirous above all things to prevent any acts of a revolutionary nature. On his arrival at Alexandretta at the end of July, Guedjian bribed a boatman for £4 to land him at a distant point of the town, thereby evading custom-house and police inspection. Soon afterwards, as he was journeying into the interior, he was set upon by a large band of men and his baggage all taken from him; he himself, having a horse, escaped to the mountains. A night or two afterwards his horse was stolen, and he thereupon decided to go to Antioch and lay complaint before the authorities. On entering Antioch he went at once to the residence of the subgovernor and presented himself as an Englishman (“Je me suis rendu au Conak et me suis présenté comme anglais”). The kaimacam accordingly took him before the English consul, to whom Guedjian stated his grievance, viz, that his effects had been taken from him. On hearing this the kaimacam reassured him by saying, “My son, your effects are here. I have put them under seal. We were looking for you.” Guedjian was then interrogated at length and the facts stated above were elicited from him.

After this he was moved to Aleppo, the capital of the province, where he underwent a second examination. A translation of the indictment against him is inclosed herewith. The result of this trial was a sentence of imprisonment for the term of one hundred and one years. Notwithstanding the numerous protests and demands of Consular Agent Poche, he was never allowed to see Guedjian or to communicate with him. The passport which he claimed to possess was never shown by the authorities, notwithstanding Mr. Pocke’s repeated requests to be permitted to inspect it. The information concerning the man’s movements and intentions which is contained in this dispatch was all comprised in two communications from Guedjian, which he succeeded in having smuggled out of his prison and conveyed to Mr. Poche by an Armenian friend.

On receipt of Mr. Poche’s telegram, a copy of which is inclosed, and of his dispatches containing a detailed statement of facts which is embodied in this dispatch, I addressed a telegram to you and also forwarded a note on the subject to the grand vizier, copies of winch are herewith inclosed. It is important that I should receive an instruction in regard to the inquiry-contained in the last sentence of my telegram [Page 1306] to you, for with the example of protection I have already set in the case of Mardiros Mooradian, I fear a fresh inundation of Armenian revolutionary emissaries in the guise of American citizens.

I have, etc.,

A. W. Terrell.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 630.—Translation.]

Indictment marked “e.”

The council of accusations, consisting of the second president of the Aleppo criminal court of first instance, Hassan Sami Effendi, and of the members Mehmed Murad and Habid Effendis, the public prosecutor of appeals, Husni Bey, being also present, met in the room set apart for deliberations.

The record clerk was caused to read the documents of the investigation, including the investigations of the examining magistrate of the court of the first instance of the capital of the province, and also the requisition (No. 219, August 26, 1311) of the said public prosecutor in the case of Melcon of Harpout [this is the American citizen, Melcoun Guedjian], son of Tashji Hohannes; Kevork of Haji Jilis, son of Tujjar Mamas; Muleteer Garabed of Beilan, son of Apraham, who were arrested near the village of Haji Jilis, in the commune of Suedien; Gunsmith Garabed, son of Babik of Aintab; Serkis, son of Avedis of Aintab and brother-in-law to the above; Muleteer Apraham, son of Boghos of Antioch; and Muleteer Manouk, son of Hohannes, who were captured at the place called Hajii Getchen, near Antioch, while crossing in a boat.

These men having been arrested while going to aid and abet in the extension of the seditious undertaking of the person named Aghasi, who is now engaged in seditious undertakings and efforts to seduce the inhabitants of Suedieh, Antioch, and of the Armenian villages of that vicinity with the purpose of separating from the control of the Government a portion of the territories of the Ottoman Empire.

The following are the contents of the said requisition [of the public prosecutor]:

As to the man named Melcon, he has confessed that he was carrying 700 and more liras, together with a number of letters and treasonable instructions given by the central authority at London of Huntchaguist revolutionary committee, for aiding and abetting the extension of the seditious operations of the person named Aghasi, who is engaged in seditious undertakings and in seducing and corrupting the inhabitants of Suedieh and of the adjacent Armenian villages; that he came from London to Cyprus; that having received from certain seditious persons there pernicious documents and letters, he was arrested when about to reach the presence of Aghasy. These facts were fully exposed and proved by the 700 and more gold pieces found upon him and by the contents of a number of pernicious documents and letters also found upon him.

As to the said Kevork and the Muleteer Garabed, it is evident that they were leading men of the revolutionists who had entered into the seditious plans of Aghasy, from the fact that they were taken with the man Melcon, whom they had clandestinely met at Alexandretta, and whom they were taking from village to village to bring him to the presence of Aghasi. This is confirmed by their manner of expression and by the contents of pernicious documents which came to light on searching the house of Kevork.

As to the others, it has been learned partially from their evasive excuses and answers and fully and directly from the letters and papers found upon them, that they were intending to do service, by learning the use of arms, acts of brigandage, and other evil practices from the rebel who, under the assumed name of Ohan, is engaged in extending sedition and in carrying seditious correspondence between Aintab, Aleppo, and Antioch, and that when captured they were going to the presence of the said Aghasi. When they were captured, there were found upon them two bags of Winchester and Martini cartridges, various tools for the manufacture of arms, two double-barreled shotguns, and three revolvers. Sufficient evidence having been found to require the indictment of all of them in this way, it is requested that it be decided by the court to indict them for felony under the first clause of the appendix to the fifty-fourth article of the Criminal Code, with which their acts and conduct are in conformity.

Having heard the argument orally delivered upon this point by the public prosecutor, action was taken as required by the two hundred and sixth article of the law of proceedure for criminal courts.

The court then, on the 26th of August, 1311, unanimously decided that the papers show that the accused, Melcon, Muleteer Garabed, Gunsmith Garabed, and his brother-in-law Serkis, Apraham and Manouk, were captured while going to aid and abet the [Page 1307] extension of the seditious operations of the person named Aghasi, who is engaged in seditious undertakings near Suedieh with a view of taking out from the control of the Government a portion of the dominions of the Ottoman Empire; and that the indications and circumstances set forth in the requisition of the public prosecutor are found to be sufficient for this indictment.

That their actions being felonious acts, which require the application of the first clause of the appendix of the fifty-fourth article of the Criminal Code, they be indicted for felony, their trial to be conducted before the criminal court of appeal at Aleppo, and that they being already in custody there is no need for an order for their arrest, and it is simply ordered that they be transferred to the jail for felons of the said court.

[Seal of the council of accusation.]

[Inclosure 2 in No. 630.—Telegram.]

Mr. Poche to Mr. Terrell.

My insistence with vali remains without effect. The vali declared that without an order from the minister he would give neither paper nor passport belonging to Guedjian. It is consequently impossible to examine into his right to American protection. According to my information Guedjian owns part of a house in Lynn, Mass., 36 Wheeler street. Naturalization paper from Boston also, dated 28th December, 1894. Passport from Boston also, dated 1st January, 1895. Against arrest, sentence, detention of passport and money, and against all consequences, I have protested afresh.

Poche.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 630.]

Mr. Terrell to the Grand Vizier.

Your Highness: Melcoun Guedjian, a naturalized citizen of the United States, has, I am informed, been sentenced at Aleppo to a long period of imprisonment without notice to the consular agent at that city, and against his protest. * * * I demand to know the facts, that I may know whether he has forfeited my protection. A refusal by the Turkish Government to permit a consular agent of the United States to see and converse with a man in prison who bears an American passport, as was done in the case of Guedjian, is not calculated to strengthen the cordial relations which have always happily existed between the two Governments, and I now formally protest against the execution of the sentence and demand that it be suspended until I can examine the facts.

Please accept, etc.,

A. W. Terrell.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 630.—Telegram.]

Mr. Terrell to Mr. Poche.

Porte has sent instructions vali demanding again inspection passport and permission to have an interview with Guedjian.

Terrell.
  1. Not printed.