Shah Turns Pirate King.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 August 1912, Page 4

Shah Turns Pirate King.

XT>o,odd J.UM\ A,U; L'UA lllti 11 MAI)

Ali -VLirza, sviio su a ceiled ins iatiier, -Uuzaffar-ed-di as Sliar ol I'ersia in IUO/, and w deposed in 11/OU, iias become a pi ate king upon tho Caspian &uu. the -VLeiijiits (Parliament) at T — hcran oilers £50,1)00 iiead money l'i him, dead or alive. At tho pr sent moment he is occupying an it pregnable position on the coast ; which he recently returned from cruise with two vessels laden wit priceless booty. He has in his coil rnand two hundred desperadoes f®li equipped and eager for prey. In company .with his uude Mali and lus brother ltezad, the forini Slmi recently captured personally pai t} ol Persians. .For one i them, a noble, he exacted a ransoi oi ,too,ooo. 'I he others were bun ed alive. Despairing of reoeivin any financial assistance from tb a -Russian Uovernmcnt, Mohamme ■ ' 1 « I(, cepted Iroiti Ivniaz Lianozofl J9 the "i.< ish Iviug/'' an immensely rio f man of barbaric tastes, the offer o a fleet ol boat* commanded by widely known pirate named Ismai 803, whom every sailor and lisher man in the Caspian region fear | more than death, so terribly doe lie torture those who cross his path Among these pirates the depose< j. Shah has set up a regular court, hi: I ministers and ossuciates being rob I hers wwho have spread terror iu tin r Caucasus lor years. His so-called Minister of .the In terior is a robber named Baurbck Boroit, formerly a Russian policc spy who was condemned to hard labour for robbery under arms. Hi fled to -Mohammed's court, and the police are .not likely to get him easily. as the part of the coast frequented by this pirate band ia infested with freebooters, who ane formidable antagonists. This man Boroff wears a Persian uniform and covers hismelf with medals given to him by the ex-Shah. Another man high in favour at this strange court is Borofl s brother, an equally despot ato character. The Cabinet fs formed of people of the name calibre, but tho portfolio of -Minister for !< inaucc has not been assigned". Mohammed Ali looks after that department himself. Unless Russia gives Mohammed enough money to live comfortably elsewhere, he doubtless will ataj where he is, lor he oiaiiriH to be quite happy, and there is plenty of scope on the Caspian Sea lor Ins fleet to replenish empty treasure chests. This new King of Pirates is not quite 40 ,\ears old. He was born on June -■2, lb/2, and succeeded his father when •!•") yoars old. becoming the firsr monarch of Persia to rule nnder a constitution. On his deposition iii •lul\, 1009, after two years 'of sovereignty. he went f<> Russia and lived in Odessa until June, 1911, when hp foolishly returned to Persia and attempted to regain his throne.. Ho fought several battles, and hatf soin o small successes, but his supporters were not- numerous, and he soo i found himself iu danger of capture and iniprifconiiient. Russia ani England discussed the advisability cf gi\ing him a pension, and Persia wa. > authorised by these Powers to offc.the. deposed Shall i'I'O.OOO a year a 5 ' ■i pension ii he would keep out Persia. But there was a good deal of deJay in settling this mattor, and Mohammed Ali took stops to assure his own future. He has .shown that ho is not lacking m oonrajge, . f in Jiis recent attempt to recapturti his throne he led his troops with btavery and skill. There is a roj

iiui iic-e in that forlorn attempt to overthrow hi s enemies. A niyster--ous 1< leucli woman was the princi-* I'.il financial backer of the deposec. •Shall. (She is Countevss Henrietta dc Cleunont-lounenv, a very weal" ' h\ spinster of about 40, bo]on,ghij2 l v a French ducal family) Not only dj(l ahe finance the rooenljinvasion, but she accompanied 3.10| hammed, and was present at seventf ''iigagemeuts. reniniuing with tihe u, "<»ps until the final defeat. It was hclioved that she had been kill] •d 01 captured, but it i s po!ssibl(i slle }ias joined the piratical party now operating on the Caspinq finlike his father and otlWnj of his 22 ancestors in direct lino from' the propliot Mohammed Ali appears to have liad modoratc views in rd t<» marriage. Muzaffar. his father had 800 wires, but -Mohammed A\i contented himself with one.