Mr. Tyler to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Teheran, Persia, October
7, 1896. (Received Nov. 14.)
No. 260, Dip. Ser.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith
inclosed correspondence relating to the disturbed state of the town of
Hamadan.
The presence of a large Jewish population, probably upward of 3,000, in
this city appears to be a perpetual source of alarm, anxiety, and
trouble. The causes for this state of disquiet, and occasionally
outbursts of fanatical rage and open revolt against the administrative
authorities, are many, but all owing their origin to the weakness and
incapacity of the local government and the want of decisive measures at
Teheran.
The Jews have been settled in Hamadan from a time coeval with the
captivities, and have to-day, many of them, a position and standing
which excites the envy of their Moslem neighbors. They have, too,
notwithstanding their persecutions, the same methods of doing business
as elsewhere, and thereby not unfrequently bring upon themselves the
wrath of their victims. If they would behave with a little more prudence
in business matters they would escape many indignities and much
suffering. Ever since the establishment of the Mohammedan faith in
Persia the dominant class has always manifested a bitter spirit of
animosity toward them, although at the present time this does not show
itself so virulently in Teheran, Ispahan, and some other towns, as
formerly. In Hamadan the conflict between the civil and priestly powers
has given the disorderly class occasion and excuse to commit every kind
of excess at the expense of the Jews, in which they have had the
connivance if not the actual support of the priests; and the central
government, when they have made a show of authority, have rarely
punished the ringleaders of disorder or stamped out the elements of
disaffection, consequently they are always ready to break forth when the
conditions are favorable. Hence Hamadan, with a population of not more
than 40,000 souls, has become one of the most turbulent and
worst-governed places in Persia. It lies about 200 miles southwest of
Teheran, and has a considerable trade in the tanning of leather.
The missionaries located in Hamadan have generally been on good terms
with the governor and with the fanatical priest Mullah Abdullah, and
have by mediation and advice greatly ameliorated the condition of the
Jews. Their high moral standard of conduct and their unselfish devotion
to their trying duties have gained them the respect of all classes, and
have enabled them to exercise their influence in favor of better and
more lenient treatment of the Jews.
In view of this abnormal state of affairs existing in Hamadan, it seems
difficult for the legation to intervene without producing further
confusion. In my letter to the Sadr Azem, while asking for full
protection of our citizens, I have intimated the cause of these popular
outbursts of passion and revenge. I hope it may have some beneficial
effect. * * *
It seemed advisable, so as to put Dr. Holmes in possession of full
information of my action, to send him a copy of my letter to the Sadr
Azem.
I have, etc.,
John Tyler,
Vice-Consul-General in Charge.
[Page 483]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
260.]
Dr. Holmes to
Mr. Tyler.
Hamadan, September 25,
1896.
Dear Sir: It is my duty to advise you of
the serious condition of affairs again prevailing in Hamadan, as
concerns the poor Jews. The Ameer-i-Nazam has come and gone, and
nothing has been done, apparently, toward the solution of the
question at issue between the Akhund Abdullah and the Agayan—the
influential Sayids who have had charge of the principal madressah
(college) until the Akhund sought to obtain control of it. A sort of
truce was patched up between the two parties which may or may not
prove permanent. It is supposed that the Ameer was handicapped by
instructions from Teheran, and the report was current that the
central Government was deterred from active measures through fear of
antagonisms by the fear of ecclesiastics of other cities who have
spoken through the Mujtaheeds of Tabriz, Ispahan, etc.
On Saturday, September 19, just before the Ameer’s departure for
Senneh, where he had been ordered to add to his already large
jurisdiction the province of Kurdistan, a young man was brought
before him charged with adultery under somewhat aggravated
circumstances. This young man belonged to a family who—the father
and two sons; all physicians—had gone over to Islam during the
disturbances here in 1892. They have since been prosperous, and by
many it is believed that the charges against the son were trumped up
by personal enemies. He was taken before the Ameer, and according to
the report made to me by Hajji Hassan, Khan Mudir, a prominent and
reputable gentleman, who was present at the trial, a large crowd of
Mullahs and Sayids appeared on the scene, who charged the young man
with being a Jew and Bâbee, who had brought reproach upon Islam, and
who was worthy of instant death. According to this man’s statement,
this was accompanied by the threat that if he were not executed the
whole Jewish community would be massacred. This receives some
corroboration from the statement made by the Ameer in my hearing,
that had he not promptly executed the prisoner the lives of all the
Jews would have been endangered.
Orders were given that the house of the condemned should be sealed;
but before this was done the mob of the lower classes, together with
some of the men sent to protect the place, broke into the house,
pillaged and burned it. The house of a Jew adjoining was also
looted, and but for the determined efforts of Mr. Hawkes’s Moslem
servants the houses of other Jews adjoining Mr. Hawkes’s would have
shared the same fate. Several Jews were beaten and wounded. The
Ameer-i-Nazam and the Prince Governor Azzod-ud-Dowlah were visiting
at my house, and the matter being reported to me I imformed the
Ameer, who at once ordered troops to be sent to protect the people.
Later on receiving information that a plot was formed for looting
the Jewish quarters, I went in the evening to the Ameer and received
satisfactory assurances from him that he had taken all precautions
to prevent so deplorable an occurrence. He also gave orders that the
pillaged property should be restored, but up to the present time
little or nothing has been effected in that direction. The Ameer
left on Monday last, and since that time there has been increasing
apprehension on the part of the Jews lest they should become victims
of the greed of the rabble, whetted as it has been by occurrences of
last Saturday. We have heard of the intervention of the Akhund
Abdullah and Hajji Mirza
[Page 484]
Mehdi, on several occasions, to protect Jews and Moslem converts
from Judaism, and have had assurances from them that no harm should
come to our people.
To-day I hear of a conspiracy against a Jewish shopkeeper, the
purport of which was that a woman was to be sent to his shop on
pretense of making purchases, and then to raise the cry that she had
been insulted. This being taken up by the conspirators, a mob would
be gathered, and in the present inflamed state of the populace work
will be done first and the inquiries of the truthfulness of the
charge made afterwards.
The fact that the man charged with the crime was a Moslem and had
forsaken the religion of his fathers makes no difference at all in
the eyes of the people who are after loot and not justice. There has
been much pressure brought upon the Jews in the past to make Moslems
of them; but it seems they have to bear the curse of their
nationality and responsibility even for those who have turned away
from their faith.
I at once sent to Hajji Mirza Mehdi, advising him of the affair
mentioned above, requesting him to protect the endangered party and
urging him and the Akhund to do everything in their power to allay
the excitement and to give protection to the Jews. This he promised
to do for himself and for the Akhund, and I understand that he has
taken already measures to carry his promise into effect.
It is hard to say just where the blame lies in this matter. So far as
I know, the Akhund had no part in it. The blame seems to rest with
the lawless spirit of the people and the failure of the authorities
to really rule. The cupidity of the populace has been excited by the
stories of loot and massacre from Turkey, so long ignored by
Christendom, and they are hungry to have a chance at the Jews and
their property. If stringent orders do not come from Teheran, and
orders which really mean something, I fear deplorable results may
follow.
I hear the Ameer has laid an additional tax on the Jews and
Armenians. I doubt not they would willingly pay this (i. e., the
Jews) if thereby they could have assurance of protection to life and
property. As it is it appears unjust.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 260, Dip.
Ser.]
Mr. Tyler to
the Sadr Azem.
Legation of the United States,
Teheran, October 2, 1896.
Your Highness: I have just received a
letter from Dr. Holmes, a highly respectable United States citizen
residing in Hamadan, reporting that that city is in a very disturbed
state owing to the acts and threats of the lawless portion of the
inhabitants.
Dr. Holmes does not say that there is any immediate danger to the
lives and property of our citizens, but he intimates very clearly
that unless strong and effective measures be taken to restrain the
passions of the riotous class the state of affairs might become
grave, indeed.
It seems that there is a strong feeling of religious hatred toward
the Jews of Hamadan, who, so far as I can understand, are a loyal
and well-conducted community and deserving the protection and
support of the Government.
[Page 485]
Your Highness will know that if any lawless proceedings are permitted
against the Jews, which I hope may not be the case, others would
also become the victims of the violence and rapacity of the mob.
I beg, therefore, respectfully, to request that you will give this
matter your earnest consideration, and take all necessary steps to
protect our citizens from molestation and harm.
I have, etc.,
John Tyler,
Vice-Consul-General in
Charge.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
260.]
Mr. Tyler to
Dr. Holmes.
Legation of the United States.
Teheran, October 6, 1896.
Dear Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter of the 27th ultimo, reporting the execution of a Jew
in and the disturbed state of the city of Hamadan.
The story you have to tell is a sad one, and reflects great discredit
and incapacity on the part of the authorities. They have allowed
their power to slip out of their hands, and the irresponsible
ecclesiastics have not been slow to take it up and to use it with
advantage to further their own interests. This is a position it will
be difficult to upset or even to neutralize. It appears that the
Central Government is afraid to act with open authority and
determination. In such case it is a question of considerable
difficulty as to how far and in what sense the legation can
interfere without aggravating the circumstances. When a request is
addressed to the Government by the official representative of the
United States, whatever it may be, they can not ignore it without
assuming a very grave responsibility. And I think I can, so far as
my experience goes, say that attention has been given to my
representations. The Government would, I feel sure, welcome the
pretext of a complaint from a foreign legation to make their power
felt, if they were confident of their ability to do so. But as this
is more than doubtful, I feel it necessary to act with care and
prudence, lest in invoking their interference on behalf of their own
subjects I make matters more complicated and threatening. I can
always demand the intervention of the Government when your lives,
work, and property are in danger, and can also make this an occasion
for reporting the condition and invoking the protection of the
authorities for the persecuted and oppressed of other creeds and
nationalities.
On receipt of your letter I addressed a communication to the Sadr
Azem, of which the inclosed is a copy, and I hope it will have the
effect intended. I have not hesitated to use your name, for I know
that the Shah has great respect for your judgment, prudence, and
transparency of character.
I remain, etc.,
John Tyler,
Vice-Consul-General in
charge.
