GERMANS FOILED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 62, 13 March 1916, Page 3

GERMANS FOILED.

A PERSIAN PLOT. DRAMATIC SCENES IN SHAH’S PALACE. BOMBS AT AN “AT HOME.’ (A dramatic story of the crisis that prevailed in Persia last month, owing to the attempts of German Turkish conspirators to induce the Shah and the Government to leave Teheran, has been received by Reuter’s Agency, says a current English exchange. During the second week of November news of the advance of Russian troops in the direction of the capital nroduced a profound effect, and the f|ermans, A,u strums land Turks immediately sought refuge in the American Legation.

Apparently the secret agreement had existed for some time for the harmonious working of the Swedish excfhcers (for whom the Swedish Government is not responsible) and the Persian gendarmerie with the German narty in Persia. There is also reason to believe that the enemy had endeavoured unsuccessfully to win over the Persian Cossack brigade. On November 14 the colonel of the brigade gavp an “At, Plome” which was attended by the Swedish officers. Here was d ; scovered a would-be assassin armed with bombs, which he had been bribed by the Germans to throw at the colonel. This, if successful, would have disorganised and confused the brigade, and greatly assisted the enemy in bringing off his coup on the following day.

DISTRACTED RULER. That s'ame night the German, Austrian, and Turkish diplomatists left Teheran for li place a short distance from the capital, ■while at the same time the gendarmerie were moving in the same direction (ostensibly on a Government expedition), that they were to accompany the Government to- Ispahan and attack the Russians. Next day the gendarmerie officers also all left Teheran, sending their wives and farailie sto take refuge in the American Legation. The gendarmes who had been stationed on sentry-go at such publsn places as the Imperial Bank were suddenly removed 'about 11 o’clock in the morning and, it is reported, were told to got out of the town as quickly as possible and shoot every Russian and Englishman they saw. In the meanwhile, great excitement was aroused in the capital when it was known that the Shah was going to leave. The streets were lined with police, and a large escort of guards was drawn up outside the palace, where the Shah’s carriage was waiting from an early hour in the morning. Within the palace most dramatic scenes were in progress. The Cabinet Ministers were assembled in a corner of the room in which the young Shah was trying to make up his mind

as to whether he should leave. On ,

one side were functionaries doing their utmost to persuade the Sovereign to go, while on the other Samsan-es-Sultaneh, the Sipahdar, and Prince Firman Firma were urging him to stay. Utterly distracted, the boy ruler sent four times for Colonel Wastdahl, asking him what he advised, but the chief of police correctly replied on each occasion that he was there to obey orders, and not to advise—a striking contrast to the behaviour of the chief of the gendarmerie, Colonel Ed wall.

TURNING THE TABLES The Ministers, when appealed to by the Shah, did not know what to say, as they had become completely overawed by *the German jpalrty. This state of hesitation lasted all the morning, and in the afternoon the British and Russian Ministers had a private conference with the Shah, at which it was explained at great length to the young boy that the presence of the Russian troops near Teheran was not a menace, but a safeguard to the public safety, and that the policy of the two Powers was one of friendliness towards Persia. Two hours later the diplomatists left him in an undecided attitude and cnce more Prince Firman Firma and Sam sail- es - Su 1 taneh gave counsels of moderation. At 5,30 the Shah summoned Colonel Wastdahl and told him to dismiss his mounted police, as he had decided to remain in Teheran. A Cabinet Council was immedi-! ately called, and Ain-ed-Dowleh And

Prince Firman Firma were appointed Ministers in the Cabinet, the latter as Minister of the Interior and the former as Minister without portfolio. In the meantme an extraordinary state of affairs was taking .place ‘at Shah Abdul Azim, whither tie enemy diplomatists and the gendarmerie had repaired. The gendarmerie was drawn up in review* order with the enemy foreign Ministers in full dress, with th,eir staffs, awaiting the arrival of the Shah, whom they hoped to accompany to Ispahan, where they were redly tc fight against the B’ritish and Russians. Their dismay can hardly be conceived when they learned under what dramatic circumstances the Shah had decided against them, and the Allies had carried the day.

The gendarmerie had been most active throughout the day and the previous night, removing all their equipment and ammunition from the Bach-i-Shah and Yussufabad barracks, commandeering all the carriages plying for ✓hire in the streets, filling them with gear of every description, and sending them down the road to Kum with a gendarme mounted on the box. Fourgons and all transport 'animals were also requisitioned and driven to the barracks, loaded up, and sent off. By the morning of the 15th not a single gendarme was left in Teher'an. PARALYSED CITY. The days of mourning during the Mohurram celebration, wl;fch were, of course, holidays on which no business was done in the bazaars, enhanc-

od the extraordinary state of paralysis which had come over Teheran. Very few Persians appeared in the streets, and, of course, no carriages I were to be seen (having been com- | mandeered, or else being afraid to I appear). Only the police and the an- | cient Persian soldiers were to be seen j no one knowing what they feared, nor I why. r j r In a few days the gendarmerie be- ! gan to return to the city with all their j transport,' very travel stained and I weary, to the general amusement of 1 the popuiace, who had now begun to 1 realise how ridiculous they had made I themselves. By the 22nd the town had resumed I its normal aspect, and the gendarmerie had now pi’actically ull returned j to Teheran. Due retribution is to be meted out to the gendarmerie officers | when the affair has completely set- | tied down. One of these officers, just before j leaving Teheran, went to a Russian j shop and bought up the stock of wine, j When asked for payment he drew his | revolver, and said the payment would j be made when the Russian troops were got rid of..