The daily gazette., 1876-09-21
BULGARIAN BUTcHERlES.
THE MOST HEINOUS CRIMES IN
HISTORY.
Twelve Thousand Christians Slauxh.
tered In Cold BloOd-Fifteen Hum
dred Burned TO Death In y
Church-The Worst OF al
thA VUnvvnra

LONDON, September 19.-The report of
MIR. Barring, secretary Of the British lega-
ton at Constantinople, on atrocities COM
mitted by Turks in Bulgaria, is at last
published. 1t Is accompanied by a note
from Sir ii. G. Elliott to Lord Derby, in
which the British ambassador acl,now-
ledges that Mr.. Baring's report cleorly es-
tablishes the fact that cruelties have been
perpetrated sufficient to justify the indig-
nation they have called forth. He trans
mits a letter from Mr., Schuyler regarding
the atrocities. The report is also accOmpan-
led by programme OF Bulgarian insurg-
ents, which the Turks claim and Mr.. Bar
ingbelieves to be authenic. The programme
provided for a general simultaneous rising.
A large number of villages, all of which
are named, were to be burned, and rail-
ways were to be destroyed, The govern
| ment stores were to be seized, all Museul-
mans who resisted were to be killed, and
all Bulgarians who refused to join the in
surrection were to be forced into the ranks
of the insurgents. Mr.. Barring in his re-
port estimated that in Sandjak of Philip
popolis, $4,000 Bulgarians and 200 Mus
sulmans were killed, and SO villages
burned.
| The Bulgarians burned five small
Turkish villages. The report gives a
circumstantial account of the destruc-
tion of each town. 1t states that the
most fearful tragedy of the whole in.
stirrection occurred at Batak. Hear.
ing that preparations for revolt were
going on here, Achmet Agho was or
dered to attack the town. He sum-
moned the inhabitants to give up their
arms, but distrustiag his intention
they refused TO obey. A desultory
fight succeeded, lasting two days. Or
9th of May the inhabitants had par.
ley with Achmet, who solemnly swore
that if they gave up their arms not 9
hair of their heads would be touched
The villagers thereupon surrendered
their arms. Then all the money in the
place was demanded; after securing
which the Bashi Bazouks set upon
them and slaughtered.them like sheep,
About 800 took refuge in the church,
which baffied all attempts to fire il
from the outside. The Bashi Bazouks
finally climbed the roof, tore off ties,
and threw burning pieces of wood and
rags dipped in petroleum among the
thickly paced mass of human being.
below. At last the door was forced
open and the massacre completed. The
inside of the church was burned, TIL,
only survivor of this slaughter to b,
found was on old woman. She alon,
remained alive of family of seven
Mr.. Barring continues: visited thi
place on the 31st of July. Hardly !,
corps had been buried; where a mar
fell, there he now lies. In the street,
at every step lay human remains rotting
and sweltering in the and the stencil
was overpowering. Five thousand in
all were killed here, and about eighty
girls were carried off. The surviving
Inhabitants live inwooden huts outside
of the village in great misery. To
Achmet Agha and his men belongs the
distinction OF having committed per-
haps the most heinous crime that has
stained the history of the present CEN
tury. Nevertheless,h he has been decora'
ted by his government, as have also
several other leaders in these cruelties.
The report concludes: There was
Undoubtedly revolution, which had
ito be crushed by armed force, but the
government is to blame for calling ou,
the Bashi lBazouks. for had it sent
regular troops earlier the Bashi Ba'
zouks would have been unnecessary.
The manner in which the rising was
suppressed was inhuman to the last de-
gree, fifty innocent persons suffering
for every guilty one.