File 94/1915 Pt 1 ‘German War:- Turkey. Prisoners’ [‎149v] (307/441)

Such assistance was chiefly asked for by British Indians who were called upon—
(1) to pay certain taxes which they had hitherto been exempted, viz., income tax,
war tax, a contribution of a sheepskin per head (o clothe the Turkish soldiers, a
fine towards the loss of a Turkish mail bag (which bad about that time mysteri
ously disappeared) and certain other contributions ;
(2) of vexatious treatment by the Turkish Authorities who called on them at all hours
of the night and day to enquire whether they would leave the country or become
Turkish subjects, whereas the orders were that no foreigner could leave the
country; and
(3) why they, as good moslems, did not join the Turkish army.
To take down such statements Messrs. M. A. Rosario (Head Clerk) and M. G. Thaddeus
(Accountant-Treasurer) attended the American Consulate daily up to the 21st of November
after which date they were not allowed to leave the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. precincts.
On the 6th of November each member of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. staff >vas ordered to go to his
house where he was met by the Mudir of Police, or his Assistant, accompanied %v a few
policemen to inspect their private property.
In Mr. Gaskin's house they confiscated a sporting gun and a few cartridges.
In Mr. M. G. Thaddeus's house they took nothing away but he was ordered not to
remove his boat and bicycle from the premises.
After the inspection and on our return to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. we were told that there was no
objection to our moving about the town, provided that at least one of us remained in the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. .
Next, Mr. Gaskin was summoned to appear before the Turkish Courts with regard to his
throwing into the river a portion of the ammunition belonging to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Guard. His
* case was eventually transferred to the Court Martial, and on the 22nd November 1914 he was
sentenced to three months imprisonment and was confined to jail on that day.
£ On the evening of the 20th November our sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. were suddenly conveyed from the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. to the Turkish barracks, and after a few days we heard that one of the men had
died. Mr. Brissel informed us that he had paid a visit to the sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. and found them com
fortable.
On the morning of the 22nd of November we were ordered not to leave the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
premises and at the same time Mr. M. H. Mohsin (Vice-Consul, Karbala) was brought in
under guard and ordered to live in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . Mr. C. D. Bharucha, Postmaster, who had
hitherto lived outside the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and who used to call occasionally, happened to be in the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. that morning. He, too, was detained and was told to fetch hiS kit and remain with
the other members of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. staff.
Saiyid Muzhar Husain, the Persian writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , Akbar Jan and Hasan Hindi,
Honorary Lumbardars at Kazimain, were also brought into the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. on the 22nd of
November, but these three persons were confined in a room under strict police observation.
Saiyid Muzhar Husain succeeded after about a fortnight's imprisonment in obtaining his
liberty through the influence of certain Mujtahids.
Akbar Jan, Honorary Lumbardar of Kazimain, who, owing to illness, was subsequently
removed from the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. to the C. M. S. Hospital for treatment, was also ordered to leave
Baghdad, but at the last moment owing to his ill state of health was kept back by the Mudir
of the Police.
We may mention here that, during the whole of this period, we were very much harassed
by the police officer in charge. He always came into our rooms at all hours of the day and
night and we were unable to resent his presence. He appeared very friendly, but it was
impossible not to see that he was simply spying on us. He made it a point of looking into
our papers and sometimes as if in a joke examining our pockets. After one of his visTts to
our rooms when he was accompanied by two other policemen, a safety razor belonging to
Mr. Rosario was missed. Subsequently we were given to understand that this officer & sent
daily reports to his chief of every trifle that occurred in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. .
Beginning from the 27th of November the European British and French community began
to arrive in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . Everyday a batch was brought in. Subsequently the married
men brought in their families. The married men were accommodated at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
Surgeon's house. The bachelors were accommodated in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. building; Mr. Brissel
having obtained permission to open most of the rooms previously sealed by him and the Mudir
of the Police.
On the 10th December, at about noon, orders were sent to us by the Police to leave
for Deir-el-zor within two hours. On Mr. Brissel's representations this order was modified and
we were told to be ready to leave within three days. On the 12th, we were permitted to go to
the bazaar, under police escort, to make such purchases as were needed for our journey. 13
The American Consul represented the case of certain elderly or sickly persons who, he
thought, were unfit to travel during tne winter, viz. : —
(1) Mr. Chavauis (Frenchman) on account of his age.