ASSASSINATED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1775, 13 June 1913, Page 5

ASSASSINATED.

TURKISH GRAND VIZIER.

SHEVKET PASHA SHOT.

A POLITICAL MOVE.

MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED.

By TelejrraDh—Prew Association— CopyrteM

Constantinople, June 11. Mahmud Shevket Pasha, Grand Vizier and Minister for War, was proceeding to the Porte in a motor-car, when two men in another inotor--our approaohed from an opposite direction arid fired revolvers fit Shevket, who was killed immediately. Ibrahim Bey, Shevket Pasha'B aide-de-camp, was also killed. It is officially stated that Shevket Pasha was leaving the Ministry of War, and had reached the Beyagid ,/Divanyula Square, when his oar was compelled to stop on the road for repairs. Then unknown men in another car 'fired ten shcts mortally wounding Shevket and Ibrahim Bey. They, were- token to the. Ministry of Wax, where Shevket died half an hour later. "; Three arrests have been made, and martial law has been proclaimed. NEW VIZIER: SAID PASHA. Constantinople, June 11. Said Pasha becomes Grand Vizier. STORY OF THE CRIME. WAS IT AN ACT OF REVENGE? (Reo. June 12, 10.55 p.m.) ' : Constantinople, June 12. The outrage has created a profound impression. ■ Since Nazim Pasha's death, Shefket Pasha has been virtually under sentence of death. After the first few days he dispensed with his guard, and frequently drove out in an open carriage, unattended, or with' a single aide-de-camp. Sometimes, even, he alighted at the door of a cafe in Stamboul where his enemies were reported to congregate. Yesterday, when going to the Porte with his aides, Echref Bey and Ibrahim Bey; his motor-car stopped near another car containing four persons, drawn up by the roadside, i Two of the men then stood up, with revolvers in each hand, and fired.

Shefket and Ibrahim were both struck by the first shots. Shefket's body-servant, and the driver, jumped from the box too late to prevent three of the men boarding the ear and smashing the windows. The assassins then fired ten shots at Shefket, who was hit five times. ' Eehref escaped by a miracle. He drew his revolver, which missed fire. Then he seized Shefket's revolver from the pocket of his dolman—this weapon also was out of order. Finally, the assassins drove off, all except a lame innkeeper, named Topal Tewfik, who was too late to board the car, and was arrested in the act of throwing the revolvers into a drain. ■ When Shefket's car reaohed the War Office Ibrahim was dead, and Shefket woa dying. Eohref Bey states that as they left the Square they heard an explosion as though a tire had burst. . The next moment, Shefket fell forward.' ''iMtookhinrin my arms and 6aw his face covered with blood. The shots were oontinued. I attempted to arrest the .assassins, but failed, and as thoy escaped one of them, who was in the back of the car, .repeatedly fired." There have been eleven arrests, chiefly, of keepers of gambling dens. The' assassins' motor-car Was found in a garage in North Pera. The relatives of the owner, when arrested, made incriminating admissions. > A Political Move. The news caused the most intense excitement'in the cafes. There has been a sharp fall on the Bourse, but the military precautions have prevented disorders. The army at Constantinople and at Chatalja remained calm. : The ,crime was first attributed to. Circassians' revenge'for Nazim Pasha's assassination on January 23, but it is now apparent that it was a political move against the Toung Turks. The Porte three weeks ago became aware of a plot to assassinate Shefket 'Pasha, and the principal Toung Turks. The members of the Committee of Union and Progress declare that the Young Turks are masters of the situation. The newspapers point out that Shefket Pasha, from the beginning of the Italian war, anticipated the Balkan Allies' attack, and kept 150,000 soldiers beyond their term of service. Kaimil Pasha dismissed this force, chiefly for electioneering , purposes. Shefket Pasha, also favoured a defensive campaign until the reserves had con--1 centrated at Chatalja, but Nazim Poaha resolved to take the offensive. Mahmud Shefket Pasha was Minister for War in Hakki Pasha's Cabinet in January, 1911, and at one time was freely mentioned as a possible successor to his chief. He retained office when the Cabinet fell in September, 1911, on the outbreak of the war with Italy, but left . in August, 1912, being succeeded by Nazim Pasha, who was assassinated in ■ January last, Shefket again becoming Grand Vizier. Said Pasha was Grand Vizier under the old Hamidian regime, and was the first to hold that office under the new constitutional regime, but the Toung Turks doubted his fitness for such a post in the early, days of their cause, and brought about his dismissal. He has been described as an.upright and honest man, of pan-Islamic tendencies. Kiamil Pasha is Turkey's veteran statesman. He is nearly 90 years of age. As second Grand • Vizier during the first period of the new constitutional regime in 1908, he guided the Empire through troubled waters, but the Toung Turks, believing that he . had become the dupe of reactionaries, ordered his dismissal, in February, 1909.