The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-08-21 00:00:00

HORRIBLE MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS BY
THE TURKS.

TIVCN.AREST, MOndlY,

The decision to withdraw all pretensions to occupy the
other side of the Balkans in this campaign has caused an
order to be issued for the retirement of General Gourkcie
force behind the mountains. Cavalry could he of no use
among the woods and precipices of the Balkans, and are
required on this side, where, besides, forage is more easily
olitainatile. When General flourkaia sniall force teak and
o,:cupied Faki Saghra order was quickly established in the
town: the chief Turks ran away, and the principal
Bulgarians could hardly be peneuaried to undertake the
charge of affairs, for they said that the art of government
was unknown to them. Yet in the presence of a Russian
force all was well, and Kaki Sachra was stem garrisoned
lay the Bulgarian Legion. On the Zith of daily the
Bulgarian legion, with three squadrons of Twieeck",
Pushed forward awl drove bark the opposing Turks till
they arrived at Karabunar. Next dee they were again
e gaged, awl reaired within an bouts march of Eski
8 aghra. On the 314 the Turks advanced again, anal, after
a time, large forces came up from Adrianople and turned
the place, so that the Bulgarian Lsgion only escaped with
heavy losses. The terrified inhabitants endeavoured to
follow, but Cirewsairins aweeipied the road to Kezanlik, and
the Turks set a guard round the town. an that none might
escape, anal then began a scene of fiendish cruelty, the
details of which could never be published. Neither age
nor sex WAR sparest, and death wax not the worse injury
inflicted ; for the Turks well know how to make men,
weinen, and children long for ohlivion before they accord
it. The notables, who bad Heal before the Itessians and
spent the interval in the neighboring villages with hands
of Bashi-llarouke, now re•appeared and sought out
and slew the dwellers on their own farms. The
names of these notealale are Tetik Bey, Sedik Bey,
Akif Bey, and Deja Ahmed. The hospital was burnt
with all the Russian anal Bulgarian wounded, only
a few inhabitants escaped, and it is eupposed that in the
town and the neighbouring vilayet, onc of the fairest
and richesA stet,. in Europe, rn churches, 5011 schools, and
thousands of houses were ruthlessly learnt, while the
number of peasants anal townsfolk massacred animated to
as many as all the Ruesien killed anal wounalwl in the bat-
tle of Plevna In this carnage took part the Taarkish rater-
chants—thole gentlemanlike persons so stanch admired foe
their quiet anal dignified manners, The massacre went
on during the night by the light of the burning homes,
anal the tale was total lay one of the inhabitants, who only
escaped lay a kind of miracle. The names of several
school-nsistres,ee are given who, in company with
numerous girt., **ere many times sulajecteal to the alined
humiliation and then elain, and the Torkish inhabitants
who had remained submissive end protected during the
Russian occepati.an, threw lati their smooth, gentleman-
like exterior. took hatchets awl knives in their hands,
and only rested when they were weary of slaughtering
those under whose governing care they bail lived in safety
At Lovatz the massacres were less startling: but Selvi,
which is now held and fortified lip Prinee hlirski, was
filled with a crowd of poor creatures who had thailling
tales to tell. It is to be hoped that military iliecieline
will withstand the thirst for vengeance on those who
murdered or mutilated the intended. Bet put English
troops In their place, call l'lcvna Delhi, anal Shipka
Cawnpore. anal Olen critieiee, if you can, the amen who
may peralbly refuse quarter. —Tint' a.
The Dahl Nees corrniponalent, also writing from
Bviehareet, in Monday, says :—lt appears that about four
o'clork on the day of the evaniation of Eski Saghra the
Turks laegart a terrible butchery, by ordering that all the
Christians, whether man, woman, or child, should he
shot as they left their 11.11/104. Thom, who remained
within, however, feet with a worn, fate, for they were
learnt alive. The order wan given to bum down and
ateetroy every particle of Christian property in the place;
many lewling Turkish merchants took part in the affair.
Amongst them may he mentieneal Said Agra, of Schirpan,
who mummified large number; of ileshi•Bazouks and
despatched them all over the Schirpan district, to spread
their work of destruction. They needed no second
bidding. In a short time hundred, of house, were in
flames, anal shocking cruelties were committed upon their
occuseents. This district of Schirpan is one of the richest
in that part of Turkey. It contains is very large propor-
tion of Clara:lain inhabitants, anal over 30 churches, 500
eclawals anal colleges, all of which have been burnt: in
fact, the work of destruction extended no far an the
villages of B agalate slahalesi, anal Rani Malialeei and
many others, c attaining from 150 to We families. These
villages are on the line of railway between Kormenli and
eeglare, anal ,careely ill persons have escaped from
theta, alive. Bulgarian higitavee who have arrived at
Galarova anal Seivi estimate that from 12,101 to 15,000
Christians have heen maesaered in IrAki Mehra anal the
5.11'11%1.11 district MOM'. Very little chance MU given to
the poor Christian, ha escape, for eolaliers were posted
along the rived heeling to Kai fiaghra to Kesanlik with
orders to shwit down everylsely passing that way. It in
stated that the folloe Mg Turkish personages+ of distinction
were canearned in the maximal.: Tefik Bey, fielik Bey.
anal Dela Ahmed. Also that Malik Bey went penionally
to his fonts anal ;murdered ntany ef his I*hristian labourers
with his own banal. In all about 00 villages have been
learnt.

A lad looking over a bridge on the Caledonian railway
the other day, a bribe said to he the highest in Scotland,
observed far beneath hint the motionless laxly of a man
lying near the base of one of the pillars of masonry. On
descending he was horrified to discover that the body was
that of his own father, frightfully ',ruined and reduced to
an almost shapeless mass of fractured bones and dealt.

t/rEMORIAL CARDS.—
.o'l The friends of deceased persons are invited to
Inspect a variety of MEMORIAL CARDS, embowed,
cameo, or plain, at the office of this paper, 8, High
West-street, Dorchester; or at 7, Bond-street, Wey-
mouth. Or specimens will he sent by post for selection.
Embossed Cards, with name, dates, ages, and a
vane of poetry, or text of Scripture, supplied for 3s.

NOTICES.

All communicstions should be addressed to the Editor
Express and Telegram °three, Dorchester, an Post-orlia•
orders may be made payable to the publisher. Mr. ORO.
FRANKLIN.
When sums are sent in stamps it is requested that
they may be in half-penny stamps.

BIRTHS.

July 30, at Littlemore, the wife of Nathin; Russell, of
daughter, still-horn.
August 7, at Cmorns-hill, Grove, Greenwich, the wife of
Mr. Henry Gurney, Master-at-Arms, H.M. strip Fisg,uard,
of a daughter.
August N, at the Dorset County School, Charrninster,
the wife of the Rev. T. Russell-Wright, Head-Master, of
• daughter.
August 12, at St.. Mary's, Blandfonl, the wife of Mr. C.
Parmiter, of a daughter.
August 13, at Bishop-gate-honse, Colombo Ceylon, the
wife of Harry Drew, req., of a By Telograrni.
August In, at Winfrith, the wife of Mr. George
Mortimer, of a sou.