Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-05
G A MARRIAGE OUTRAGE,
Arnleuixsa Ecclesdastics Force Giris &C.
Wea a. Brute.

A Constantinople letter dated Oct, 4,
says: TIE Armenian population, both
here and at Adana, are in a great state
Of excitement, owing to a most dastard$-
ly outrage. lately perpetrated in the
name Of religion upon the person of "a
young girl living ut Iadiin, small
town Of CIicla in Asia Minor. The
circumstances we'll illustrate the double
rule under which theeastern Christians
liye-that os' the Turks and Of their
own bishops@~and shows up in dark
colors the tyranny So often exerc Used
by the latter, which has done more to
swell the ranks Of the Armenian Prot
estants than al! the esLostations of the
American missionaries. 4 certain Miss
Narc1s Kirkvacharin;. belonging to a
well-known family Of Eladpir, was at
fsanced at very tender age, according
to the barbarous Gust torn of the country,
to son Of a neighbour. From the age
of six she was placed at the mission
school, where her great intelligence
and beauty made her a fayorlte, and
she became most accomplished young
Lady.
, Naturally enough sheHlsarned to de-
splse the ignorance around her and to
form other ideas of marriage from what
she saw among her teachers, and when
on leaving school, at The beginning of
the present summer, she found her
hand claimed by loutiSts individual
with the manner of aypig she strongly
objected TO ratify the promise made for
her by her parents when shs was only
5'years old. Her tesIs., tsslR supplica-
tons prevailed, and, fhe first engage
nent having been broken of; Later on
second VAS formed with il Young fellow
living at Adana, and they were about to
be married. The family priest, how.
ever, 10 sde his appearance ONE day, de-
c2ariag that he could Il II: marry them,
that the first betrotllal held good, and
than the young girl ha} better make
her peace with her discarded fiance,
as the "Hchorhajees, (bha elders of the
community were deterc&in31 that she
should take him for a husband and no
other In vain the father besought
These people not to interfere. The
father then te]egrapha,a, to the Cath
olicos OF Sis, the great Armenian prelate
who YIELDS papal auth ority over
halls the Armenians Of Asia Minor.
Ihis enlightened eGelesiastic. when
he made his appearance, not only sided
with the tchorhajees, but arranged
with them q plan for carrying out the
marriage and consumnating it in the
teeth Of all opposition. Pending the
the poor girl had fled for ,
refuge to the house or the missionary,
trusting in the protection Of the foreign
flag The Turkish authonitjes Of whom
she was demanded by the bishop and.
his vile crew in the name Of the con-
immunity, refusing to taaa steps in the
matter, a. lot OF ruffians were hired to
attack the place and CARY her off By
fonee. tmmured in asoonHent cell, she
was submitted to The most rigorous
treatment, with the hope Of overcoming
her resistance. She continued, how
ever, to manifest her:repagnance to the
union, declaring thaS:slla would rather
die than marry the brute who was The
onnse of such persecution. SDurred on
by the evil counsels<of tie tchorDi iees
and the desire to strike.a blow at the
isaAuence of the Anelitan missionaries,
the bishop finally decided to conduct
she marriage Ceremony by force. PRO
ceeding to her prison cell with all: the
necessaries. accompanied by The animal,
Burning with hisx0ilb. desire to possess
her, and the tchorbmsees bought. with
his gold, this ignoble pselate
commenced tao read the service.
At sight Of ta1e Icering onowd
the poor girl fair5ed. Bro aght to
again, she fell at tt115sss knees Of the bish-
OPP and, with tears, i1nplored hlEa to de-
sist. In vain she. struggled to-, escape.
Held fast by two Of the rufffsns, as she
lay upon the aloea, for she could not be
kept upon is1'fea5, the horr;a isaerilege
was completed laG the nuptiallbenedic-
ton beng pronounced, whilasshe. loudly
protested agaisast it, The matter did
not end heze.. The So caAad husband
left with She woung girl, in csder that
BY the osasuaamation oat},e marriage
all oposisihn might cease. found the.
strength Of the unwilling bride too
much os"hina, and SO the aehorbaiees.
had to eenla to bis assistance. Some,
six ho,ns, aftervard abe, poor victiIa.,
more Gsead than aliye, WAS carried of
to her brutal masters. neeidence. Sec.
ing tlss stir the mat a@r laas created-far
it has Bow reached the aereign embassy
the, British and French consuls. at
Adana have sent reports on the subject
to Gonstantinoplas confirming all btaat
has gust been related. The fathers life
has even been threatened, as well rs
taat OF the 5girA if an end be ncii put Mt 4
oaee to the measures that are being taxi
ca to bring about an official inquiry.
and Mr.. Khkyscharian has thought il
necessary 10 fly to Adana. The key to-
the condMet Of the bishop, is no doubt
to be foand in the Jealousy with which.
the progress made by she American
missionaries in that lssEt Of Asia Minor
Is regarded By the Armenian clergy. Il