Topics in Chronicling America - The Perdicaris Affair

Ion Perdicaris, an American businessman, is kidnapped on May 18, 1904 in Tangier, Morocco and held for ransom. President Theodore Roosevelt demands that the Moroccan government obtain Perdicaris' release and orders Navy ships to Morocco. Perdicaris is eventually released unharmed, and the incident is now often remembered for the statement made by US Secretary of State John Hay, "Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead." Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• May 18, 1904: Ion Perdicaris, a Greek-American citizen, and his stepson are kidnapped by a Moroccan brigand, Ahmed ibn-Muhammed Raisuli, in Tangier, Morocco. Raisuli demands ransom payments and political influence in exchange for Perdicaris’ safe return.
• May 19, 1904: President Roosevelt orders a naval squadron to Morocco.
• May 31, 1904: France offers her assistance in resolving the affair.
• June 22, 1904: U.S. Secretary of State John Hay dispatches an ultimatum to the Moroccan sultan demanding “Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead.”
• June 24, 1904: Raisuli’s demands are met, and Perdicaris is released.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] .] Perdicaris, Raisuli, bandit, kidnapped, Morocco, Roosevelt.
• Because newspapers used alternate spellings for the name of the Moroccan brigand who captured Perdicaris try the following in combination with other search terms: Fraissouli, Raissouli, Raisulis, Raisouli, Raisuli.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "Rich American is Captured by Arab Bandits," The St. Louis Republic (St. Louis, MO), May 20, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
• "Squadron is Ordered to Tangier," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), May 20, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
• "Prisoners of Brigand Imperiled," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), May 30, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1 .
• "For Division of Morocco," The Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA), May 31, 1904, Page 12, Image 12, col. 3.
• "France Takes a Hand," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), June 01, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
• "Ultimatum of Morocco Bandit Renews Fears that Captives may die before Rescuers Arrive," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), June 04, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
• "May Finish Morocco," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), June 05, 1904, Page 3, Image 19, col. 2.
• "Tangier Incident Excites Europe," The Washington Times (Washington, DC), June 06, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
• "Motive in Kidnapping of American Citizen in Tangier," The Palestine Daily Herald (Palestine, TX), June 11, 1904, Page 6, Image 6, col. 1.
• "Perdicaris Alive or Raisuli Dead," The St. Louis Republic (St. Louis, MO), June 23, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
• "Perdicaris Free at Last," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), June 25, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Moroccan Bandit Raissouli received Ransom and at once releases Perdicaris and Varley," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), June 25, 1904, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
• "Raisuli, the Bandit," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 10, 1904, Page5, Image 32, col. 1.
• "The Morocco of the Future as Mr. Perdicaris Pictures it," The Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA), August 12, 1906, Page 6, Image 28, col. 1.
• "Raisuli the Bandit," The Desert Evening News (Great Salt Lake City, UT), August 24, 1907, Page 15, Image 15, col. 1".