The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-19
pERTIs n ASIA MINOR.


~
aews recently received from Erzeromm 10
| the effect that whole caravan had been
stopped and pillsged Just outside that
town has occasioned great excitement In
Il this place, especially among the CONNER
cIal classes. Our principal trade Is WIN
the Persian frontier, and valuable ccnsign-
mepts OF merchandise are being continually
dispatched via Erzeroum, and, though
nackages are occasionally lost or stolen,
nothing like such q wholesale ROBBERY as
This affair has occurred for many years
| mast. and the merchants are very anxious
as to the future.
ROBBERY PLANNED AT ERzERouN.
The worst feature about II Is the very
grave suspicion that exists as TO the attack
having been planned at Erzeroum. A GER
tain Nollah attached to one OF the mosques,
| A man Of considerable influence among the
Mohammedans OF that place, Is thought to
be the head OF an association for the dis
posal OF plumber, in close league with the
| kurdish chiefs OF that neighborhood. lie
Is supposed to give the information that
sets these redoubtable marauders out
on the war-path, and with his friends
| 10 receive and conceal such por-
lions OF the spoils as do not con-
sist Of coin or jewelrv. His connection
with the present affair il proved by the
| fact that some OF the stolen property was
discovered on his premises. Ills arrest,
however, is a delicate matter, and while the
local authorities are hesitating about 1t he
will doubtless move off to distance. Ac-
cording to the particulars which l have
received from a man who has just come
from Erzeroum, it is evident that the cara
van was led by its guide into regular am
bush, for no sooner was it surrounded by
the brigands than he joined their ranks
and shared in the work Of plundering.
THE ATTACK.
The caravan consisted OF some fifty
persons, chiefly Armenians Of poor class,
with few traders, the whole travelling
| together for mutual protection. Most OF
them were men, who, having passed four
or five years in service in Constantnople
and other seaports rs porters and laborers,
| were, according TO custom, returning to
their homes with their hard-won earnings
to settle down as cultivators OF the soil.
| While passing through narrow gorge be-
tween two OF the outlying spurs. almost
within hail OF the khan for which they were
making, some sixty Notwithstanding
Kurds suddenly rose up from the ground
on al sides. and the caravan people found
| themselves completely surrounded. Ii
was useless to think Of defence, although
one or two OF the traders were armed with
revolyers, and most Of the "hammals "
had their knives. The leader OF the gang,
as his men brought their rifles to the
shoulder, shouted out for any Mussulmans
present with the caravan to step aside, and
all Others to throw away their arms, or he
would give the order to fire. This being
done, at q given signal. the brigands
rushed in and so completely despoiled
their victims that the latter were left with
but thin shirt or SO 10 the way OF cloth
| Ing.
The poor "hammals - were first knocked
down with the butt end of rifle to keep
them quiet, and then beaten about the
body TO make them lively, and when the
| slightest hesitation was manifested in COM
plying with the demands OF their captors
the prick OF yataghan was administered as
a stimulant.
IMMUNITY FROM PUNISHMENT.
A great deal of indignation has been eX-
cited at Erzeroum and this place ut the
thought OF new feature having been i'm.
ported into the brigandage OF Asia Minor
| that of the Mussumans being spared and
the Christians alone attacked. Hitherto the
greatest impartiality has been exhibited by
| these gentlemen OF the road, and the Mo-
| hammedan has suffered equally with the
| Christian. Even In the present case there
! Is every reason 10 believe that the immu-
nifty enjoyed by the few Turks in the cara
van was due, not TO the fact OF their being
followers OF the Prophet" hut allies OF
| the Mollah and his friends, who had pur-
poseIy joined the Armenans TO assist the
guide in Turing them into the ambush.
| Recently an attack upon two American
missionaries put the authorities on
their mettle, and cavalry patrols secured
| the country in all directions for few
weeks, compelling these Asiatic Rob ROys
to see the necessity Of lying close until the
! inquiry into that affair bad reached that
stage when II would be found convenient
on all sides to forget il, Needless TO say,
the perpetrators Of the outrage upon
Messrs. Knapp and Reynolds have re-
manned UNPUBLISHED. Officially they have
not yet been discovered. although every
one about Erzeroum knows pretty wei
who was at the bottom OF il. No one
1
the authorities in the matter, all being
afraid OF the consequences that would en-
sue from giving information against the
powerful Kurdish chief implicated.
| The authorities are hardly TO be blamed
for not making arrests when witnesse,
will not come forward TO identity and
bring home the charges. Even Messrs
Reynolds and Knapp would prefer to fore
90 their desire for the punishment OF those
| By whom they were so ill-treated rather
than 1t should come through any direct &C
ton Of theirs at the courthouse. The
readers OF the Herald Will probably recol
leet their story. These two gentlemen were
making round OF visits among the scat
tered members OF their flock, and while
proceeding from Moorh TO Bitlls were sud
| denly assailed by party Of Kurds. They
were stripped pretty We'll OF all they pos
sessed. beaten most severely with sticks
slashed about bit with yataghans, anC
then tied together and left 10 live or die
as chance might decide.
FERoCIoUs BEY.
The author OF the outrage. as these gen
| tlemen well know, although they have
never chosen 10 formulate any complaint
| against him, Is certain Mirzs Bey, son OF
Moussa Bey, the chief Of the Ghnvre, He
IA a truculent individual, OF forbiddipG
appearance. and though no great stickleI
by the creed Of the prophet" is very IA
natical in his hatred OF the Christian and
stranger. He Is very much feared by all
tho people about Moorh, and Is quite the
Lord OF the Bingholdagh, bearing himself
in a very proud fashion. and exacting O
show OF submission from all who cross bis
path.
ALL on ACCOUNT OF A CUP.
He took offence, 1t would seem, at the
manner In which Messrs. Knapp and Rey-
nolds made themselves at home In his pre-
sence at the "khan," where they were all
spending the night. When those gentle.
,nan bad mazda their coffee IN far from