Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-12-25
A
Armenian Eoclesiastios Force q Girl 70
wea q Brnte.

A Constantinople letter dated Oct. 4,
saws: The Armenian population, both
here and at Adana. are in a great state
of excitement, owing TO a most bastard
ly outrage lately perpetrated III the
name Of religion upon the person OF q
young girl living at Hadlin, small
town of Cilicia in Asia Minor. The
circumstances well illustrate thedouble
rule under which the eastern christians
live-that of the Turks and OF their
own bishops-aud shows up in dark
colors the tyranny 80 often exerc sed
by the latter, which has done more to-
swell the ranks of the Armenian Prot
estants than all the exhortations OF the
American missionaries. A certain Miss
Narcls Kirkyacharin, belonging to o,
WE'LL known family OF Hadpir, was at
fianced at a very tender age, according
to the barbarous custom of the country,
to a son of q neighbor. From the age
of six she was placed at the missien
school, whore her great intelligence
and beauty made her q ~fayorite, and
she became a most accomplished young
lady.
Naturally enough she learned to de-
spise the ignorance around her and 10
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 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
5 years old. Her tears and supplica-
tions 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 60
be married. The family priest, how
ever, made his appearance n day, de-
.lariug that he could not marry them,
that the FIRST betrothal held good, and
that the young girl had better make
her peace with her discarded fiance,
as the "Tchorhajees, (the elders OF the
community were determined that she
should take him for q husband and no
other. IL vain the father besought
these people not TO interfere. The
father then telegraphed to the Cath
olicos of Sis, the great Armenian prelate
who weilds papal auth ,rity over
half the Armenians Of Asia Minor.
This enlightened ecclesiastic, when
he made his appearance, not only sided
with the tchorhajees, but arranged
with them a plan for carrying out the
marriage and consummating IL in the
teeth of all opposition. Pending the
negotiations the poor girl had fled foI
refuge to the house of the Missionary,
trusting in the protection OF the foreign
flag. The Turkish authorities of whom
she was demanded by the bishop and
bis vile crew in the name Of the COM
munity, refusing to take steps in tns'
matter, a lot of ruffians were hired to
attack the place and carry her off by
force. Immured in a convent cell, she
was submitted to the most rigorous
treatment, with the hope Of overcoming
her resistance. She continued, how
ever, to manifest her repugnance to the
union, declaring that she would rather
lie than marry the brute who was the
u of such persecution. Spurred or
by the evil counsels Of the tchorbslees
md the desire to strike o blow at the
influence of the American missionaries,
The bishop finally decided TO conduct
the marriage Ceremony by force. Pro.
,eeding to her prison cell with all th,
accessories. accompanied by the animal,
burning with his vile desire to possess
her, and the tchorbaiees bought With
his gold, this ignoble prelate
commenced to read the service.
At sight of the leering crowd
the poor girl tainted. Brought to
again, she fell at the knees of the Dish.
op and, with tears, implored him to de-
sist. In vain she struggled to escape.
Held fast by two Of the ruffians as she
lay upon the floor, for she could not be
kept upon her feet, the horrid sacrilege
was completed by the nuptial benedic-
tion beng pronounced, while she loudly
protested against it. The matter did
not end here. The so-called husband
left with the young girl, in order that
by the contamination OF the marriage
all opposition might cease, found the
strength of the unwilling bride too
much for him, and 80 the tchorbsieos
had to come to his assistance. Some
six hours afterward the poor victim
more dead than alive, was carried off
to her brutal masters residence. See
ing the stir the matter has e~reated--for
it has now reached the foreign embassy
the British and French consuls at
Adana have sent reports on the subject
TO Constansinopie confirming all that
has Jus. been related. The fathers life
has even been threatened, as well as
that of the girl, if an end be not put at
once to the measures that are being tax
en- 70 bring about an official inquiry.
and Mr.. Kirkyscharian has thought ii
necessary to fly to Adana. The KEY to
the conduct Of the bishop il no doubt
% be found in the jealousy with which
The progress made by the American
missionaries in that part of Asia Minor
IS regarded by the Armenian clergy.