The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-12
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Auu lullllSuSu WIN nov SSUoo Va oA4
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n AMARprAGE OUTRAGE.
...,. ror.. AZ,
ARMENIAN wss > NJ.
a., ~
''''oA A1a ~
says: The Armenian population, Dot
here and at Adana' are IN a great state
OF excitement, owing to a most bastard
ly outrage lately perpetrated IN the
name OF religion upon the person OF
young girl living at Had]ln' a small
town OF Clllcla IN ASA MINOR. ihe
circumstance Wen Illustrate tne
rule under which the eastern CHRISTMAS
hye-that OF the TURKS and OF their
own blshops-and shows up IN dark
colors the tyranny SO often exercised
by the latter, which mas done more to
swell the ranks OF the Armenian Prot
estants thar all the eShortatlons OF the
American MISSIONARIES. A certain MISS
Narcls klrkyacharln, belonging to q
well-known family OF Hadplr, was Of
fianced at a very tender age, according
to the barbarous custom OF the country,
to a son OF a %nelghbor. From the age
OF Six she was placed at the mission
school, where her great intelligence
and beauty made her q favorlte, and
she became q most accomplished young
lady.
Naturally enough she learned to de-
spise the Ignorance around her and to
form other ideas OF marriage from what
she saw among her teachers, and when
on leaving school, ut the beginning of
the present summer, she found her
hand claimed by a loutish individual
with the manner of a pig she strongly
objected to ratify the promise made for
her by her parents when she was only
. years Old. Her tears and supplica-
lions prevailed, and, the first engage
ment having been broken off, later on a
second was formed with a young fellow
living at Adana, and they were about to
be married. The family priest, how
ever, made his appearance one day, de.
ciar'ng that he could not marry them,
that the hrst betrothal held good, and
that the young girl had better make
her peace with her discarded '%fiance,
rs the "Ichorhajees, tho elders of the
community were determined that she
should take him for q husband and no
other In vain the father besought
these people not to interfere. The
father then telegraphed to the Cath
oiicos OF SIS, the great Armenian prelate
who Yields papal auth ,rity over
hali the Armenians of Asia Minor.
rms enlightened ecclesiastic, when
ne made his appearance, not only sided
WIN the t~chorhalees, but arranged
with them a plan for carrying out the
marriage and consummating it in the
.eetn OF all opposition. Pending the
negotlatlons the poor girl had fled for
refuge 10 the house Of the Missionary,
sIusting IN the protection of the foreign
nag. The Turkish authorities of whom
sne was demanded by the bishop and
ms vie crew IN the name of the com-
munity, refusing to take steps in the
matter, a lot of ~rufians were hired to
as.ack the place and carry her off by
force. lmmured in a convent cell, she
was submitted to the most rigorous
treatment, with the hope Of overcoming
ller resistance. She continued, how
ever, to manifest her repugnance to the
1nioh, declaring that she would rather
die than marry the brute who was the
cause OF such persecution. spurred on
oy ire evil counsels of the tchorbajees
ana me desire to strike a blow at the
thn ilence OF the American missionaries,
n bishop finally decided to conduct
sne marriage Ceremony by force. Pro-
ceealng to her prison cell with all the
hecessarles, accompanied by the animal,
pun burnlng with his vile desire to possess
h her' and the tchorbaiees bought with
ms gold, this ignoble prelate
commenced to read the service.
Al sight of the leering crowd
we poor girl tainted. Brought to
agasn' she fell at the knees Of the bish-
op ana, with tears, implored him to de-
T Ha1a In In vain she struggled to escape.
heia last by two Of the rufians as She
lay Esnt upon Ie the floor, for she could not be
nep' upon her feet, tho horrid sacrilege
Was Was completed by the nuptial benedic-
rlon oelng pronounced, while she loudly
protested against il. Tho n,ottor IA