The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-04-22
Famine Scenes in Asia Minor.

A correspondent of the Leuant Herald,
writing from Talas on Feb. 26, says:
&C promised to give you some news
concerning Guemerek and lis surround
ing villages. Guemerek is situated on the
road from Casarea to Sivas, about forty
miles from the former, and under the
government of Si~as. In the region of
Sivas the crops have been abundant for
the last two years, but Guemerek and its
surrounding villages, numbering some
twenty or more, are situated along the
edge of the famine district, and are
among the most destitute. the majority
of the population of these villages, being
poor farmers, have been for the last two
years in pitiful state. Two years ago
they bought on credit from the multezims
at a very high price, expecting to pay
last year at the time of harvest; but on
account of their cattle dying and their
having no seed to SOW they had not
enough even to support their families.
Some hundred persons, from Guemerek
alone, removed to the neighborhood of
Adana, and almost half of them per-
ished. OF three families, for instance,
composed of fifteen members, only three
are alive. Now there are In Guemerek
more than 300 refugees, almost
naked and on the verge of actual
starvation. Many of these, having L o
other shelter for the night, are obliged
to sleep in stables and exposed places,
almost without covering. The abundance
Of grain in the Sivas region, instead of
being blessing to these poor villages,
has proved curse; because, on account
of their being under the Sivas wallet,
they have received no help from any
cnuTcp and have not oven charpd the
leniency of the tax-gatherers shown to
other famine-stricken villages. The poor
are so respondent that they do not know
to whom to apply for aid. am sure
that hundreds would have died if some
help had not been furnished through the
efforts of the English Central Relief Com
mittee. 1t is heart-rending for anyone
who visits these villages to see the suffer
ing, the nakedness, the pallid hue of
starvation on the countenances. Who
knows how many are dying from sick
ness and misery caused by destitution?
know three brothers who are young
and strong, but fer want of work can
only beg from door Those who have
long suffered from famine become re-
duced almost to the level of the brutes
Family ties are disregarded and men
will sell their children for bread and
commit the most atIocious crimes
almost without a reproof of conscience.
Such moral degradation is fesrful. Yet,
while they are in this condition, tax
gatherers and the agents of muitezims
are collecting money, beating and throw
ing into prison those who are not able
to pay their debts. They have impris-
oned for weeks persons aided by the
English Committee. Those who have
beds, copper vessels or anything else
are obliged to sell them in order to pay
their debts to nfultezims. The agents of
these are doing the greatest evil. By
their exactions they have greatly in
creased the amour. of suffering. When
/ was in Guemerek the agents of the
multezims beat people merely for their
own pleasure. These men are the scourge
of these villages; the whole population
rrembles on hearing their name. The
surrounding villages, Dendil, Bourhan,
Bondjak, Anshare and others, are even in
a worse condition. The inhabitants of
these villages are well-nigh ruined. How
shall they ever regain their former pros
peritys"