Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-20
Bulgarian Butchertes.

TIE MOST HEINoUs CRIMES IN HISTORY
TWELVE THOUSAND CHRISTIAN
sLAUGHTERED IN COLD BLOoD-FIFTEEN
HUNDRED BURNED TO DEATH IN A
CHURCH.
The report of MI Barring, secretary of the
British legation at Constantinople on afro
cities committed by Turks in Bulgaria, is at
last published. II is accompanied by note
from Sir H. g. Elliot TO Lord Derby. iu
which the British ambassador ackno Wedges
that Mr.. Bartngs report clearly establishes
the fact that cruelties have been perpetrated
sufficient to justify the indignation which
thu y have called forth. He transmits a letter
from MI Schuyler regarding the atrocities.
Inc report Is also accompanied by q pro-
Turks claim and Mr. Barring believes to be
authentic. The programme provided for q
general simultaneous rising. A large num-
Der OF villages, all OF which are namet, were
to be burned, and railways were to be de-
stroyed. The government stores were to be
seized; ELL Mussulmans who resisted were TO
be killed, and al Bulgarians who refused 10
the ranks Of the Insurgents. Mr.. Barring
in his report estimated that In Sandjak Of
Philippopolis, 1900 Bulgarians and 200
Nussulmans were killed and 80 villages
The Bulgarians burned i've small Turkish
villages. The report gives Q circumstanttal
account OF the destruction Of each town. 1t
WSos has Ins g 81
Hearing that preparations for revolt were
going on here, Achmet AghO was ordered to
attack the town. He summoned the inhab-
itants TO give up their arms, but distrusting
bis Intentions they refused to obey. A de-
sultory tight succeeded, lasting two days.
On the 9th Of May the Inhabitants had q
parley with Achmet, who solemnly swore
their heads would be touched. The villagers
thereupon surrendered their arms. Then ali
the money in the place was demanded; after
securing which the Baehi Bazouks set upon
them and alauRhtAr0d them like ahao.,
About I 800 took refuge In the church which
baffied all attempts 70 IRE It frora the out
side. The Bash BAxouks finally climbed the
rcSi, tore OF the tiles, and threw burning
pieces Of wood and rags dipped in petroleum
among the thickly. packed mass Of human
open and the massacre completed. The ln-
side OF the church was burned. The only sur
vivor of this slaughter to be found was
an old woman. She alone remained alive
visited this place on the 31st July; hardly
q corpse had been buried; where q man fell
there he now lies. In the streets at every
tering In the sun, and the stencil was over.
powering. Five thousand In all were killed
here, and about eighty girls were carried Of
The surviving inhabitants live in wooden
huts outside Of the village in great misery
To Achmet Agha and his men belongs the
distinction OF having committed perhaps the
most heinous crime that has stained the
history OF the present century, Neverthe
ment, as have also several other leaders tr
these cruelties. The report concludes: There
was undoubtedly revolution, which had to
ment is to blame for calling out the Bash
| BazOuks, for had 1t sent regular troops ear
| lier the Bashi Bazouks would have been un
necessary. The manner In which the rising
| was suppressed was fnhuman to the last de
gree, ffty innocent persons suffering fol
every guilty one.