File 1880/1904 Pt 2 'Perso-Afghan Frontier: - The Undemarcated portion. Afghan encroachments.' [‎107r] (218/240)

As regards the second and more recent murder at Yazdan, M. Caesari advised
M. Molitor to drop the case, as I could not have failed to secure evidence of
exactions and absence of control very damaging to the Customs Department.
M. Molitor was the more willing to do this as the murderers claim that they
were on Afghan territoiy when they killed the Mirza, though they were within
20 yards of the fort; and he did not wish to raise a frontier question.
10 . M. Molitor was very outspoken about the manner in which M. Castaigne
„ , , , had neslected this frontier, ard had caused
Customs reforms. ,, w £ ^.
the name ot the Customs Department to
be dragged in the dirt by collecting such a set of scoundrels in his frontier posts.
He read me portions of the draft of a report he was sending to his Ministry
on the question. The essence of the report is as follows :—
Turbat-i-Haidari and Yazdan are to be abolished as Customs posts. New
Mirzas, Persian subjects, are to be sent to Karat, Sharakhs, and Awaz, these
men will be inspected frequently by M. Caesari, and M. Molitor himself will make
a tour of inspection in order to become acquainted with the countiy. A clear
description of all Customs’ regulaticns, tariffs, admissible routes, etc., will be
published on the frontier and sent to the local authorities and His Britannic
Majesty’s Consul-General for communication to the Afghan authorities.
M. Molitor is now of opinion that no incidents are wanted on this frontier, *
and that the best way to avoid them is to put his house in order. Although he
realizes that M. Caesari is in most things absolutely without scruple, he believes
that he is loyal to him personally, and that he will do his utmost to help in keep
ing the frontier quiet.
Much of M. Caesari’s information is being suppressed as it would lead to
awkward enquiries from Tehran.
11 . As the peace of the frontier in the immediate future depends so much
on M. Caesari, a short account, which
M. Caesan’s career. yj Molitor gave me of his career, may be
of interest. After having been expelled from a Polytechnic Institute in Paris for
insubordination he went to Russia, where he became a translator in the Second
Section (Secret Police) of the Ministry of the Interior. Fearing that the authorities
had discovered that he had been giving information to revolutionary societies,
he fled to Persia and became a gun runner on the Turkestan frontier. On the
arrival of M. Castaigne, Director-General of Customs, in Khorasan, he applied
for a post in the Customs Department. M. Castaigne at first refused, but, on
M. Caesari’s threatening to make things unpleasant on the Turkestan frontier, he
gave him a post on 40 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a month. His adventures in Seistan and Persian
Baluchistan, where he crossed into British territory and fired at one of our levies,
are well known. On returning to Meshed he quarrelled with M. Castaigne over
the disposal of some tiles he had looted from a madrasseh, and was dismissed on
account of misappropriation of money when at Kuchan. He then went to
Tehran, where he first convinced M. Naus that the charges against him were not
proved, as the evidence was all given by Armenians from whom he had won large
sums by gambling.
When he had established his innocence he admitted that he had embezzled
a large amount, as he thought the Customs Department would last no longer than
the Tobacco Regie, but offered to repay it if he were again taken into the depart
ment, which he promised to serve loyally now that he saw there was a head at
the head of affairs ” and it was likely to last.
M. Naus was so pleased at the compliment that he re-instated him and sent
him to Kermanshah to serve under M. Auguste Molitor, now irec or enera
in Meshed.
12 . If the Customs’ reforms above indicated are really earned out, and I think
M. Molitor is in earnest, the chances of
General considerations. a disturbance on this frontier will be greatly
diminished, but there is no doubt that things might become serious any day.
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