The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-07
Turks AND nULGARIANs.
Counter Nlassacres ana Rebbertes mt Eski
sashra.

Counter nlassacres ANA Rebbertes mt Eski
sashva.
IN. Y. Tribune1
CoNsTANT1NoPLE, Aug. s.-The rich val
ley OF the Martha Is becoming desert.
The Bulgarian insurreetion of last year
involved the total destruction of about
fifteen villages on the skirts of the
mountains along the western part Of the
valley, besides the partial ruin of many
others. The present war is wiping out
of existence q whole list of places in
other parts OF the valley. AS soon as
Gen. Ghourko's cavalry had spread over
the country on this side Of the Balkans.
the Bulgarians were invited TO revolt.
and the panic of the Turks gave them
boldness to do so. They committed
themselves, heart and soul, to the Rus
sian cause, established their little local
governments. levied upon Moslem
houses for expenses, tried by drum head
court-martial such old tyrants as they
could catch; they organized police
and an army. Everything succeeded.
and the revolt seemed so pleasant q
thing that even in Fhilippopolis one
week ago, the Bulgarians were on the
point OF attempting a rising under the
very eyes OF the Pasha. But there came
a change. Turkish troops arrived from
every side and swept over the country.
The Russians assembled their scattered
forces and deserted their Bulgarian
allies, and the wretched villagers fought
to the death when they found they cosld
not flee. The Buigarfans had fortified
at the entrance of the Troyan Pass,
but surrendered before the Turk
ish artillery fire. Near Chirpan, the
poor people, with their new flag, their
new rifles and their new swords, made
stand. in hopes that the Russians would
somehow intervene. But they were not
able to hold out an hour, and fled in
dire dismay to islands In the Martha
river, where no possible aid can reach
them, and they must starve into sub
mission at once. At Eski Saghra the
a.. The people In wild delight threw
away their fez caps and donned their
new black sheepskin shakos, and gave
themselves up to all manner Of demon
strations OF ioy-beeause Turkish rule
was over for them. They established o
government here too, raised volunteers
and equipped a local police force. The
rabble pillaged houses and shops OF the
Moslems-for the hour for reprisals had
now.arrived.
The Bulgarian provisional govern
tuted, hanged sig Turks and shot four
others, after trial by court martial, for
firing from their houses upon the
troops. Next day others were executed,
and the next day, also, the formalities
of trial being less in each case, until at
last Turks were taken out Of the city
and killed by any Bulgarian who chose
to do SO, without form Of trial. Ten
Turks in one batch were so disposed of,
the exeeutioners hacking them down
with swords so dull that three or four
same time an order was issued prohibit
ing the sale Of food to Turks. the object
being to starve them into surrender
of their stock of seereted arms. At last,
however, an order read in all the
churches prohibited summary execu-
tons, and this stopped the killing Of
Turks. after perhaps hundred execu-
tions had taken place. The city was
then pretty quiet, but on Tuesday, July
81, the battle OF Eski Sag bra began, end
by noon the Turkish shells began to fall
among the houses, and the whole fabric
Of Bulgarian government went to pieces.
The Bulgarians had been alarmed by
the firing ten miles east, the day before,
and had anxiously questioned the Rus
sian general, who treasured them with
the statement that everything was GO
ing we'll. It was also understood that
notice would be given. to them II
the Turkish advance should prove
strong enough to force q retreat
of the Russians. AS soon as the
shells began to howl through the streets
of Bulgarians, with their families and
goods. The Russians, however, drove
them back into the city at the point Of
the bayonet again and again, not choos-
ing to be encountered in retreat by such
mass. Only forty minutes before the
Turkish skirmishers entered the streets
were the Russian sentinels removed, so
that the Bulgarians could leave the
town. Then ensued fearful stampede
of the frightened crowd. All the joy and
all the folly Of the previous week made
the COLLAPSE, from hope. to terror more
complete. The mass Of flying wagons
with men women and children checked
the narrow pass which leads from
Eski Saghra north TO the Kasanlik Val
ley, and then the Turkish artillery in
creased the elevation of Its guns. and,
firing over the town with deadly ac-
curacy, dropped its shells into the
writhing mass In the pass. The Bulga-
an volunteers, who were fighting III
line outside, had orders to defend the
town, and never received any instruc-
LlOu3 W aSSlSu. NJ thCy lCll bbSh upVh
the town, fighting and continued stub
bornly to fight in the streets, inficting
serious loss on the Turkish advance, re-
ceiving and asking no opportunity to
surrender.
THE WORK OF DEsTITUT1oN BEGUN.
As the Turkish troops approached
the city, the Moslem inhabitants began
to issue forth from their hiding places.
They hardly paused, however. to greet
the troops who had delivered them. In
fact, before the troops had fairly enter
ed the place, the Moslem citizens
brought out axes and began to break in
the doors of all Bulgarian houses. Now
was the opportunity to satisfy the covet-
ings Of years. Now was the time to
reVel in riches Of the proud old patri-
clans. There was no order to pillage
issued. It was as II the understanding
was general by an intuition. The