Voting Station

Ion Perdicaris

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Socialite

The Resume

    (1840-1925)
    Born in Athens, Greece
    Son of the US Ambassador to Greece
    Settled in Tangier, Morocco (1884)
    Kidnapped, with his stepson Cromwell Varley, by bandits led by Ahmed er Raisuli (May 18, 1904)
    Raisuli demanded a ransom of $70,000, safe conduct, and control of two of Morocco's wealthiest districts (later raised to six districts)
    United States dispatched seven warships to Morocco in a show of force
    Secretary of State John Hay issued the statement, 'This government wants Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead' (June 22, 1904)
    Released after most of Raisuli's demands were met (June 24, 1904)
    Settled in England after his release

Why he might be annoying:

    He dropped out of Harvard after his sophomore year.
    During the US Civil War, he declared himself a Greek subject to avoid being drafted.
    Although Secretary of State Hay publicly denounced Raisuli's demands as 'preposterous,' behind the scenes he pressured the Sultan of Morocco to make whatever concessions were necessary to secure Perdicaris' release.
    The US government's resolve to intervene on his behalf temporarily weakened when questions arose over whether he was an American or Greek citizen.
    Hays noted about the impact of the 'Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead' slogan, 'It is curious how a concise impropriety hits the public.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served as president of the Hygienic Commission in Tangier, overseeing the construction of a modern sanitation system for the city.
    While being led from Tangier to Raisuli's stronghold in the Rif Mountains, he broke his leg when the horse he was riding on fell.
    In a probable display of Stockholm syndrome, he described his captor as 'one of the most interesting and kindly-hearted native gentlemen' he had ever known.
    After the incident, the US State Department concluded that he had never formally renounced his American citizenship and had not met one of the requirements for acquiring Greek citizenship (living in Athens for at least two years), so he had always been a US citizen.

Credit: C. Fishel


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    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying